How do I disable "reopen windows when logging back in"

No offence intended, David.

Granted, there are still some users that aren't familiar with basic OS/ Finder functions, so indeed your answer helped someone, 🙂 but using spacebar to select/unselect options is not 'a workaround' or 'your idea'.

It's a common function in Finder for manipulating dialogue/ preferences boxes that is widely known and has got nothing to do with the OP's question (disabling the login default not unselecting the pref with the keyboard instead of the mouse).

Welcome, by the way. We are a friendly bunch when you get to know us, but it helps to stick to the question being asked by the OP. 😉

READ BELLOW. SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POSTING.

Of course is it possible! But you'll be disableling the save state all together.

Open a Terminal and type:

defaults write com.apple.loginwindow TALLogoutSavesState NO

The "save state" box will still be there and checked. But no programs will be reopened on a shutdown/restart event. Not even if you want them to.

To revert the change type:

defaults write com.apple.loginwindow TALLogoutSavesState YES

dude991, Thanks for the tip.

However I don't like making hidden changes because I am more likely to forget about them.

Is there a command that can be used to make the default behaviour of the save state box to be unchecked?

@dude991... does typing that command in the Terminal effect all users, or just the user currently logged-in?

@ Greg: User account only.

@opodder: no, there's long been a hunt for such a command on these forums, but none has been found.

However, you could do what I do, and that's set up a folder called 'Modifications' (or something like that), and simply save a a text file for each mod' you carry out with a short explanation of what it does and how to reverse it. Alternatively, you could just have one long file with every mod, but I prefer to search through lots of short texts using Quickview rather than have one long file (each to their own, eh!).

The beauty of computers: they've got better memories than we have (most of the time).

The "Command+Option+Shift+Q" has been working for me. But if you want to disable the "reopen windows ..." as you login, try holding Shift immediatley after entering your password. This should disable all saved states for applications. However it also turns off your login items.

Not ideal, but it works for now.

@dude991

The Terminal command didn't work. There was no error message, and Terminal acted like everything was fine. But... the "reopen windows" still occured when I logged-out and logged-in again.

When I went searching for "com.apple.loginwindow" it wasn't even found. Does that mean anything?

@William Donelson

I don't seem to have Library > Preferences > ByHost > com.apple.loginwindow.[xxxxxxxxx].plist

I have Library > Preferences > com.apple.loginwindow.plist in my user folder, but not the file you specified.

Thanks a lot that works perfectly with ease. I don't know what apple was thinking to do such a crapy addition

I tried this:

defaults write com.apple.loginwindow TALLogoutSavesState NO

and by doing:

defaults read com.apple.loginwindow

I can verify that it changed the state from 1 to 0

but when I log out without unchecking the box, that value gets rewritten to 1.

This is what I did and it worked. I got the information from William

" How to stop windows from reopening Reopening in Mac

A much easier way, requires no downloaded software:

1. Close all windows and quit all apps.

2. In Finder, hold down the Option key and click ‘Go’ in the menu bar at the top.

3. Choose ‘Library’ (you have to have the Option key held down to see Library in the menu).

4. Navigate to Library > Preferences > ByHost > com.apple.loginwindow.[xxxxxxxxx].plist

The [xxxxxxxx] represent some interminable string of numbers and letters. Don’t mistake it for the similarly entitled Unix executable file. What you need to check is that its ‘loginwindow’ and ‘.plist’ at the end.

5. When you’re sure you’ve identified the right file, select it and press Cmd-i to show the ‘Get Info’ window. Click the ‘Locked’ option.

6. Now, test that it works. Close the ‘Get info’ window and the finder window. Open up Safari, Preview and a couple of windows. Do a restart and behold — if you followed the instructions correctly — a clean desktop!"

I noticed that onece you follow the steps by William you don't have to uncheck the "reopen" box. I will not reopen the windows the next time to start your computer

I apologize for the spelling above I was using my phone

This is one of the worst additions.