Temporarily disabling startup items

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Temporarily disabling startup items

According to https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/open-items-automatically-when-you-log-in-mh15189/10.14/mac/10.14 (and Mac practice going at least as far back as System 7), holding down Shift on login should disable your startup items. However, I can't seem to manage it. I hold down Shift after I hit Return after entering my password, I hold down shift before hitting Return, I hold down shift and then click on the login arrow, I restart and try again, I use the left or right shift key (haven't tried both at once)…nothing works. All of my startup items launch normally no matter what I do. Obviously my shift keys work, given the presence of capital letters in this post. What could possibly be going wrong here?

MacBook Pro 15", macOS 10.13

Posted on Apr 26, 2020 9:54 AM

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Answer 1

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dialabrain

Level 10

136,103 points

Apr 26, 2020 7:42 PM in response to Zarquon42

Zarquon42 wrote:

Are you saying that the ability to disable startup items on login, that has been present in every previous version of macOS and OS X, has been removed from Mojave, despite the support document linked above that describes this feature?

Like MacArthur I have returned. As it happens, I went to look at the link you posted and the description…

"If you don’t see the login window, restart your Mac, press and hold the Shift key when you see the progress bar in the startup window, then release the Shift key after the desktop appears."

Is incorrect on three of my Macs, two iMacs and an iMac Pro. What I described does work…

"Hold Shift right after the startup chime. Release it when the Apple logo comes up."

If you wait until you see the Apple logo/Progress Bar, it's too late to press Shift.

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Answer 2

Zarquon42 Author

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111 points

Apr 28, 2020 10:06 AM in response to Zarquon42

Zarquon42 wrote:

Hm. Maybe it's because this isn't an admin account?

That seems to be it; logging into the admin account on this same Mac with the Shift key held down seems to work normally. Well, that's frustrating. It also seems to be the case that this method does not stop 3rd-party Menu Extras from loading, which is also frustrating and unfortunate.

Could someone else try this out? Log in with the Shift key held down on an admin and a non-admin account, and see if there's a difference?

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Answer 3

Barney-15E

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122,210 points

Apr 29, 2020 6:23 AM in response to Barney-15E

I tested with a Standard User and the Login Items are prevented from launching, and any apps that were open when I logged out also were not restarted. On the login screen, I typed the password, then held shift and hit return (I imagine clicking button would be same). I held Shift until desktop appeared (which was quite quick).

I don't have any other third-party crud loading into the status menu or anything like that, so I can't test that part of it.

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Answer 4

Barney-15E

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122,210 points

Apr 28, 2020 12:06 PM in response to Zarquon42

Zarquon42 wrote:

Barney-15E wrote:

Where is it documented?

At the link in the original post.

Oh, yeah. The thread has gotten too long to remember. I tried searching for it and couldn't find a reference.

I think I have a standard account on another Mac. I'll check to see what happens later today.

I do have various levels of success getting the keypress at the right time, though. Holding shift as soon as the Apple appears seems to give me the best luck.

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Answer 5

Zarquon42 Author

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111 points

Apr 26, 2020 12:57 PM in response to dialabrain

Won't that put the computer into Safe Mode rather than simply disabling startup items?

Edit: Yeah, I thought as much. Yes, it ensured that my startup items (except for 1Password!) didn't launch, but it also turned off various system services, including OpenGL, making my attempt to speed up Starcraft by disabling startup items self-defeating.

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Answer 6

Zarquon42 Author

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111 points

May 5, 2020 3:30 PM in response to Barney-15E

Barney-15E wrote:

I tested with a Standard User and the Login Items are prevented from launching, and any apps that were open when I logged out also were not restarted. On the login screen, I typed the password, then held shift and hit return (I imagine clicking button would be same). I held Shift until desktop appeared (which was quite quick).

I don't have any other third-party crud loading into the status menu or anything like that, so I can't test that part of it.

Well, that’s frustrating (but also a good thing; this would be a serious bug); what the heck is wrong with my system??

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Answer 7

dialabrain

Level 10

136,103 points

Apr 26, 2020 9:06 PM in response to Zarquon42

Well, since I only have Macs running Catalina now I can only speak to what happens for me. Pressing the shift key once the progress bar starts does not disable login items, automatic login, or the reopening of apps. I could test my laptops but I'm certain it would be the same.

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Answer 8

Barney-15E

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122,210 points

Apr 29, 2020 10:01 AM in response to dialabrain

dialabrain wrote:

FWIW, with my Macs set to automatically log in this part of the document does not work for me.

"If you don’t see the login window, restart your Mac, press and hold the Shift key when you see the progress bar in the startup window, then release the Shift key after the desktop appears."

I think you are too late if you press shift when you see the loading bar. I think it has to happen when you see Apple symbol.

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Answer 9

dialabrain

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136,103 points

Apr 26, 2020 1:06 PM in response to Zarquon42

Yes. That's what starting in Safe Mode does. It prevents the loading of startup items among other things. There's no partial method.

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Answer 10

Zarquon42 Author

Level 1

111 points

Apr 26, 2020 6:18 PM in response to dialabrain

Are you saying that the ability to disable startup items on login, that has been present in every previous version of macOS and OS X, has been removed from Mojave, despite the support document linked above that describes this feature?

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Answer 11

Zarquon42 Author

Level 1

111 points

Apr 26, 2020 8:39 PM in response to dialabrain

dialabrain wrote:

If you wait until you see the Apple logo/Progress Bar, it's too late to press Shift.

For Safe Mode, yes. But we're not talking about Safe Mode; we're talking about temporarily disabling Login Items.

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Answer 12

dialabrain

Level 10

136,103 points

Apr 29, 2020 6:27 AM in response to Barney-15E

FWIW, with my Macs set to automatically log in this part of the document does not work for me.

"If you don’t see the login window, restart your Mac, press and hold the Shift key when you see the progress bar in the startup window, then release the Shift key after the desktop appears."

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