Windows waits briefly after sign-in before launching startup apps. That pause is designed to let the desktop become usable first, but you can remove it with a small registry value.
This applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11. There is no normal Settings toggle for this delay.
Does This Affect You?
If apps such as OneDrive, Teams, Discord, or a sync tool appear several seconds after sign-in, Windows may be staggering startup apps by design. Removing the delay can make apps appear sooner, but the desktop may feel busier immediately after login.
Remove the Delay in Registry Editor
- Press Windows key + R, type
regedit, and press Enter. - Go to
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorer. - Create a key named Serialize under Explorer if it is missing.
- Inside Serialize, create a DWORD (32-bit) Value named StartupDelayInMSec.
- Set StartupDelayInMSec to 0.
- Restart the PC.
Improve Startup Without Editing Registry
- Open Settings > Apps > Startup, or use Task Manager’s Startup apps view.
- Sort or review by startup impact.
- Disable high-impact apps you do not need immediately.
- Restart and compare how quickly the desktop feels usable.
What to Know
It Changes Timing, Not Total Work
Removing the delay makes startup apps launch sooner. It does not reduce the number of apps loading, so a crowded startup list can still slow sign-in.
Different from Fast Startup
This delay happens after you sign in. Fast Startup changes how Windows boots after shutdown. The settings are unrelated.
Undo the Registry Change
Return to StartupDelayInMSec and delete it, or set it to a nonzero value. Missing value means Windows uses its default behavior.
Sources
- Microsoft Support: Manage startup apps in Windows
- Microsoft Learn: Registry Editor overview
- Microsoft Learn: Windows startup and boot performance