Win10 restoring opened apps on boot/reboot

[riceBox]

When I cold boot or reboot, all my previously opened applications automatically reopen. I've been searching Google for days on how to disable this and all I get is how to disable File Explorer restoring opened stuff on boot, and how to add applications on startup. I've attempted to replicate the issue using a VM with the same Win10 version, and I don't get the same behavior. Running Win10 fall creators update on SSD.

 

Is there a way to disable this session restoring behavior?

 

 

[Circaflex]

I have this randomly happen to me as well, unsure what triggers it but the restore doesn't always happen.

[riceBox]

I haven't experienced this on the first Creators update. Only in FCU did I experience this consistently.

[Xahid]

I don't know if it's relevant, but there is KB4043961 already out for FCU,

 

Quote

Security updates to Windows kernel-mode drivers, Microsoft Graphics Component, Internet Explorer, Windows kernel, Microsoft Windows Search Component, Windows TPM, Windows NTLM, Device Guard, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Wireless Networking, Microsoft Windows DNS, Windows Server, Microsoft JET Database Engine, and the Windows SMB Server.

 

[riceBox]

13 minutes ago, Xahid said:

I don't know if it's relevant, but there is KB4043961 already out for FCU,

 

 

Yes, I have that update installed, which bumped the FCU version from .15 to .19. My VM also has the same update installed, but doesn't exhibit the session restore on boot behavior.

 

[Xahid]

It's really weird, try to uncheck the "Restore Previous folder windows at logon" option from File Explorer options, altho its not 100% relevant, but just to check.

[riceBox]

No dice 

[C0RR0SIVE]

I have the EXACT same thing happening to me as well!

So far, it seems only certain programs will have this behavior.  If Chrome is open when I log off, or reboot, it will re-open at the next logon, with all tabs reloaded.  If there are multiple instances, all those instances will open.  The same thing happens with the Microsoft version of Notepad, Edge, Skype, any of the programs from M$ Office 2016 (Outlook, Word, Excel, etc..).

The only way to prevent this, is to close absolutely everything before logging off or shutting down.

These programs are not in the startup programs list anywhere, the "restore previous folder windows" option isn't checked, the Hybrid Hibernate/shutdown is disabled.

If the only solution ends up being to reinstall the OS... Then I will abandon M$ for good and move to something else... Have had to reload the OS every time they come out with some fancy new upgrade as it breaks things, getting rather sick of doing so by now.

[riceBox]

9 hours ago, C0RR0SIVE said:

These programs are not in the startup programs list anywhere, the "restore previous folder windows" option isn't checked, the Hybrid Hibernate/shutdown is disabled.

 

This. I thought Win10's hibernate features were acting up so I disabled it via powercfg.exe /hibernate off. Nope, still restoring apps on boot.

[Ryster]

This is a new "feature" in the FCU. I submitted feedback against this, but it is apparently by design and they've no plans to change it.  The feature is designed to make apps seamlessly restart if the machine is auto-rebooted for updates, and app developers can register their apps to be included in this auto-restart mechanism.

 

You can turn it off, but to do so you also have to turn off the auto login after scheduled restart feature of Windows Update.  Look for Sign-In Options in settings, and turn off this setting:

 

I'll continue petitioning the Insider team to get auto-sign in split off from auto-restart apps in settings. You never know, one day

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

That option doesn't appear for me on FCU...? Must KB4043961 be installed for that particular option to appear?  WSUS shows it approved, however, my instance of Win10 has yet to download it for some reason.

I wonder if there is a GPO option I could potentially set, as I am using a domain...

[riceBox]

It's under Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Privacy

 

Gonna reboot with Chrome, Spotify, and Outlook open. Let's see if this is the answer to our woes.

 

Edit:

Ok I tried disabling the said option.

 

Applications open before reboot:

 

Applications open after reboot:

 

Only selected applications get restored upon boot/reboot. The option to fully disable this behavior is gotta be somewhere.

Edited October 22, 2017 by riceBox

[C0RR0SIVE]

Yeah, scrolled all the way down, it's not there for me for some reason.

 

Are you guys signing in with a local account, one of those online accounts, or?  

Anyways, since that isn't a real solution, I will ignore why I might not have this setting...

[DKAngel]

12 hours ago, Ryster said:

This is a new "feature" in the FCU. I submitted feedback against this, but it is apparently by design and they've no plans to change it.  The feature is designed to make apps seamlessly restart if the machine is auto-rebooted for updates, and app developers can register their apps to be included in this auto-restart mechanism.

 

You can turn it off, but to do so you also have to turn off the auto login after scheduled restart feature of Windows Update.  Look for Sign-In Options in settings, and turn off this setting:

 

I'll continue petitioning the Insider team to get auto-sign in split off from auto-restart apps in settings. You never know, one day

 

that was there before fcu

[Ryster]

25 minutes ago, DKAngel said:

that was there before fcu

Didn't say it wasn't.  The app restart behaviour is what is new with FCU, not the above toggle switch. They just added app restart o the same toggle. I don't get any app restart now.

 

Also for those that don't see that option, it doesn't show for domain joined machines, and some other criteria that I forget.

[Mando]

now you mention it, chrome did it to me the other night, i didnt think much of it, until now.

 

the setting is off in my case, just checked.

[C0RR0SIVE]

Well, we are SOL, and I am going ubuntu...  M$ thinks this is a perfectly fine thing to change and I am sick of being their friggin test piggy.  Thank god most applications have moved to a web-based platform.

 

  

[adrynalyne]

5 minutes ago, C0RR0SIVE said:

Well, we are SOL, and I am going ubuntu...  M$ thinks this is a perfectly fine thing to change and I am sick of being their friggin test piggy.  Thank god most applications have moved to a web-based platform.

 

  

Ok. 

[Anibal P]

19 minutes ago, C0RR0SIVE said:

Well, we are SOL, and I am going ubuntu...  M$ thinks this is a perfectly fine thing to change and I am sick of being their friggin test piggy.  Thank god most applications have moved to a web-based platform.

 

  

 

Crazy idea! 

close your apps before a reboot, it;s not going to kill you, but based on your reaction I'm betting it is going to be an "issue" for you 

[adrynalyne]

39 minutes ago, Anibal P said:

 

Crazy idea! 

close your apps before a reboot, it;s not going to kill you, but based on your reaction I'm betting it is going to be an "issue" for you 

Nah, it’s easier to switch to a new OS

[riceBox]

3 hours ago, C0RR0SIVE said:

Well, we are SOL, and I am going ubuntu...  M$ thinks this is a perfectly fine thing to change and I am sick of being their friggin test piggy.  Thank god most applications have moved to a web-based platform.

 

  

Ow, damn it.

[C0RR0SIVE]

3 hours ago, adrynalyne said:

Nah, it’s easier to switch to a new OS

You might think it's stupid, but, it takes about 20 minutes tops to load another OS.  

As far as the comment, "close ur auphs!", sorry, but over the last 15 years I have grown rather used to shutting down or logging off, leaving programs open and letting the computer close out of everything on it's own.

Sorry that I figure maybe one thing might stay the same and that M$ wouldn't feel the need to touch and change absolutely everything.

You realize this could potentially end up being a security issue long-term right?  The typical family computer doesn't have multiple accounts, just one.  Imagine little timmy hopping onto the computer after his father or mother are finished working and they just shut down a machine, and little timmy goes on an hour later and has access to said work which could be confidential.

I could think of a few instances where that violates company policies in so many ways, and potentially federal laws because someone didn't close a program out and it auto-launched exposing confidential documents to anyone watching.

[1337ish]

20 minutes ago, C0RR0SIVE said:

You realize this could potentially end up being a security issue long-term right?  The typical family computer doesn't have multiple accounts, just one.  Imagine little timmy hopping onto the computer after his father or mother are finished working and they just shut down a machine, and little timmy goes on an hour later and has access to said work which could be confidential.

I could think of a few instances where that violates company policies in so many ways, and potentially federal laws because someone didn't close a program out and it auto-launched exposing confidential documents to anyone watching.

You realise they would be in breach of the DPA (in the UK) and probably other rules if they didnt password their account AND not give the password out to access anything considered confidential. That applies to spouses or anyone regardless of *trust* you may have, if they do not have implicit permission to access the information you must take reasonable steps to prevent it, but then again how many actually set up bitlocker to drive encrypt to protect the data as well.

 

RE: Windows reopening apps, it should be an option you can disable, no idea why they didn't let the user decide if they want to turn it off. Its not a biggie for me but I too would like it off rather than on.

[adrynalyne]

20 minutes ago, C0RR0SIVE said:

You might think it's stupid, but, it takes about 20 minutes tops to load another OS.  

As far as the comment, "close ur auphs!", sorry, but over the last 15 years I have grown rather used to shutting down or logging off, leaving programs open and letting the computer close out of everything on it's own.

Sorry that I figure maybe one thing might stay the same and that M$ wouldn't feel the need to touch and change absolutely everything.

You realize this could potentially end up being a security issue long-term right?  The typical family computer doesn't have multiple accounts, just one.  Imagine little timmy hopping onto the computer after his father or mother are finished working and they just shut down a machine, and little timmy goes on an hour later and has access to said work which could be confidential.

I could think of a few instances where that violates company policies in so many ways, and potentially federal laws because someone didn't close a program out and it auto-launched exposing confidential documents to anyone watching.

Sharing a user accounts creates the security issue, not apps reopening. 

[C0RR0SIVE]

Stop thinking with the power user mentality for a bit, and think with the typical user mentality?  The security issue is there, whether you believe it or not.  Not hard to fathom someone breaking company policies by taking a laptop home and letting their kid hop onto the laptop to play some stupid game, the kid gets used to this, then decides to drag the machine out of the bag and fire it up while mommy or daddy is cooking dinner.

I could turn my eyes on it in the past, because most things are behind a secure website, or not accessible typically at launch, however, the moment a browser pops up, auto-logs into a secure website and navigates to a page because it was told to do so by the OS... That is when I can't turn my eye anymore.

There needs to be an option to disable this behavior in the OS.