macOS Sonoma Apps Opening Multiple Files on Start-up?

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Level 1

15 points

macOS Sonoma Apps Opening Multiple Files on Start-up?

I have recently upgraded to macOS Sonoma and Apps seem now to be opening a multitude of files / windows that I have previously worked on which is incredibly annoying! For instance I have just opened 'Keynote' and it opened all of the files (approx. 10) that I was working on yesterday! I just want it to open with a a single blank new template as before I updated to macOS Sonoma. 'Preview' is also doing the same and with 'Safari' I just want it to open to my home page rather than the last window I was working on (I know you can hold the Shift key when opening but why has this additional annoying action been added?). macOS upgrades are great but on this occasion this feature is truly annoying and would welcome some thoughts on how to revert to how Apps previous behaved on initial opening?

Posted on Apr 30, 2024 6:53 AM

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Answer 1

Apr 30, 2024 7:38 AM in response to MarkBPlym

What version have you upgraded from?

It has worked like this for a long time - at least, by default: when you start an application, it will restore the state it were in prior to being quit the last time.

Now, you can change this behavior if you want: go to

System Settings->Desktop & Dock

and activate "Close windows when quitting an application":

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Answer 2

AlWeir

Level 5

5,413 points

Apr 30, 2024 9:00 AM in response to MarkBPlym

Well, the only other place I would look is in General>Open at Login and see if there is something in there that shouldn't be.

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Answer 3

Apr 30, 2024 9:08 AM in response to AlWeir

AlWeir wrote:

Well, the only other place I would look is in General>Open at Login and see if there is something in there that shouldn't be.

See my post above. The OP problem is not that applications start at login, it is that when an application is started it automatically reopens all its windows from the previous session. This can be turned off, as I explained.

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Answer 4

AlWeir

Level 5

5,413 points

Apr 30, 2024 7:49 AM in response to muguy

If shut down the Mac you might be presented with a dialogue box asking if you want to open whatever you haven't closed when you start up next time. If it's checked, uncheck it.

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Answer 5

muguy

Level 10

93,676 points

Apr 30, 2024 6:55 AM in response to MarkBPlym

Be sure to close any files you were working on before quitting. What you’re describing is expected behavior

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Answer 6

MarkBPlym Author

Level 1

15 points

Apr 30, 2024 7:28 AM in response to muguy

Sorry but this is a complete change in behaviour from the previous macOS and never as you suggest had to close files I was working on before quitting.

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Answer 7

MarkBPlym Author

Level 1

15 points

Apr 30, 2024 8:53 AM in response to AlWeir

Thank you but that isn't the issue here...

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