How to Clean Up Login Items and Background Processes on macOS

Step by step

1. 30 sec

   Open Login Items settings

   Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings. Navigate to General in the sidebar, then select Login Items to view all applications and helper tools set to launch at startup.

2. 1 min

   Remove unnecessary applications

   Review the list under Open at Login. Select an application you no longer need to launch automatically, then click the minus (-) button located below the list to remove it. Do not remove system-critical background items unless you are certain they are unnecessary.

   Note: Removing an item here does not delete the application from your Mac; it only stops it from launching during startup.
3. 1 min

   Manage background processes

   Below the Open at Login list, find the Allow in the Background section. Toggle the switch to the off position for any apps or developers that do not require constant background synchronization or updates.

   Note: Some apps rely on background items for essential features like notifications or syncing; disable these only if you are experiencing performance issues.
4. 30 sec

   Check the hidden LaunchAgents folder

   Open Finder, select Go in the menu bar, then hold the Option key to reveal the Library folder. Navigate to ~/Library/LaunchAgents to inspect files that launch alongside your user session.

   Note: Only delete files here if you have uninstalled the corresponding software and the file remains as a leftover.
5. 1 min

   Restart your Mac

   To finalize the changes and clear the current process tree, restart your computer. Click the Apple menu and select Restart. Once back at the desktop, monitor system responsiveness to ensure your configuration changes are applied.