Win11 / Steam Client not auto starting after windows login ?

[Christopher_C]

I have Windows 11 Pro 23H2. I have no problems launching Steam client from desktop or start menu. For whatever reason I cannot get it to auto start while booting up... I have changed settings multiple times via interface "Run Steam when my computer starts".

I can see the changes in my Win11 / Settings / Apps / Startup = "E:\Steam\steam.exe" -silent

Yes, I run steam on an alternate drive which worked fine on Win7, Win10 and Win11 early on this year. Not sure if more recent updates made this an issue? I am loath to put it on my C:\ as I do a LOT of modding of my games and works better off the main drive. Yes, I could change and still install games to other drives (some regular HD other SSD. My E:\ is a regular HD for size.


Things that do not help...


Check Steam Settings:
Open Steam.
Go to Steam > Settings > Interface.
Ensure Run Steam when my computer starts is checked.

Check Startup Settings:
Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc).
Go to the Startup tab.
Ensure that Steam is enabled. If it’s not, right-click on it and select Enable.

Run Steam as Administrator:
Right-click on the Steam shortcut.
Select Properties.
Go to the Compatibility tab.
Check Run this program as an administrator and click OK.

Thoughs? Others run into this? Like I said it''s not a major issue as I can start it on my own and I have no other issues with Steam or games. So minor but a curious issue to me seems it should be simple.

[Agorax]

I am having the same issue in Windows 10, have you found a solution?

[Christopher_C]

My workaround was to create a scheduled job to start Steam.exe seconds after login.

To create a job on Windows 11 that automatically launches Steam.exe after you log in, you can use the Task Scheduler and set it to run at user logon:
Steps:

Open Task Scheduler: Press Windows key + S, search for "Task Scheduler" and open it.Create a New Task:
Click "Action" > "Create Basic Task".Give your task a name (e.g., "Launch Steam on Login").
Set Trigger:
Select "When the user logs on" as the trigger.
Set Action:
Choose "Start a program".Browse to the location of your Steam executable file (usually "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe").
Optional Settings (Advanced):
Run with highest privileges: If needed, check this box to run Steam with administrator rights.Conditions: You can set conditions like whether the task should run only when plugged into power.

Important Considerations:
Check Steam Settings:
Ensure that within Steam settings, "Run Steam when my computer starts" is not checked, as this could cause conflicts with the Task Scheduler job.

User Account Control (UAC):
If you get prompts about needing administrator rights, make sure to run the Task Scheduler as administrator or set the task to run with elevated privileges.

[BloodShed]

Originally posted by Christopher_C:

My workaround was to create a scheduled job to start Steam.exe seconds after login.

To create a job on Windows 11 that automatically launches Steam.exe after you log in, you can use the Task Scheduler and set it to run at user logon:
Steps:

Open Task Scheduler: Press Windows key + S, search for "Task Scheduler" and open it.Create a New Task:
Click "Action" > "Create Basic Task".Give your task a name (e.g., "Launch Steam on Login").
Set Trigger:
Select "When the user logs on" as the trigger.
Set Action:
Choose "Start a program".Browse to the location of your Steam executable file (usually "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe").
Optional Settings (Advanced):
Run with highest privileges: If needed, check this box to run Steam with administrator rights.Conditions: You can set conditions like whether the task should run only when plugged into power.

Important Considerations:
Check Steam Settings:
Ensure that within Steam settings, "Run Steam when my computer starts" is not checked, as this could cause conflicts with the Task Scheduler job.

User Account Control (UAC):
If you get prompts about needing administrator rights, make sure to run the Task Scheduler as administrator or set the task to run with elevated privileges.

Alternative is placing a shortcut for Steam (consider adding '-silent' argument so it starts minimized) in the Start-Up folder (windows run (Win+R) and type in shell:startup)

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

It is safer with, Task Scheduler, unless Valve fixed the registry breaking bug for Steam Client using Auto-start.

[HIVEmind]

Create a shortcut on your desktop. Make it steam. Double click it and test it opens. Copy that link to. C:\programdata\microsoft\windows\startmenu\programs\startup\

And it will start up. I'm not at a computer right now. I typed this on my phone. But if you plug it in explorer or CMD or power shell. It will work. Enjoy.