Setting Native windows 10 apps to open on startup

[DuckMirror]

New Poster here. Please let me know if I'm doing this incorrectly.

Basically the title. I'm specifically trying to set the Alarms & Clock app to open on startup but whenever I right-click a windows 10 native app (alarms and clock, calculator, etc.) to open the file location under "more" where it is on other apps, it isn't there. Any insight on how I can work around this? Ideally, I'd like it if I could set a timer to auto-run from startup but I feel like I might be reaching for that one with my pretty limited technical knowledge. Thanks in advance for your help and time.

 

[Ian]

It's certainly do-able, but it's not easy .

• Open File Explorer and browse to "shell:AppsFolder"
• Find your native app (i.e. Alarms & Clock), right click it and create a shortcut (it'll send it to the desktop).
• View the properties of the new shortcut and copy the "target" line for the app. It looks like Alarms & Clock has a target of:
  Microsoft.WindowsAlarms_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App

You can use this ID to run an app from the command line as follows:

explorer.exe shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.WindowsAlarms_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App

The following method may also work:

shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.WindowsAlarms_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App

Now that you've got the a path to run the app, you can use "Task Scheduler" to create a task which will run the path above to launch on boot, after a small delay. If you search for Task Scheduler in the search bar, the "Create task" wizard is quite self explanatory (the "trigger" is beginning the task at login, with a delay of your choice and the "action" is the 1st command line path from above). I'm happy to provide screenshots for this step if needed, just let me know .

 

[DuckMirror]

Please do! Thank you so much for your help!

 

[Ian]

No problem . Once you're run task scheduler (search for it in the search bar), here are the steps to take:

1) Click "Create Task" from the task scheduler side bar:

2) Give it a name of your choice:

3) Go to the "triggers" tab and add a new trigger. Select "at log on" and add a delay of your choosing and click OK:

4) Click the "Actions" tab to select and choose to "start a program". Use "explorer.exe" as the program name, with the argument "shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.WindowsAlarms_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" to signify the Alarms and Clock app. Click OK when you're done.

5) Save the task, then log off/on to test it . I've tested it on my machine and it works well.

6) Pour yourself a well earned coffee .

 

[djingham]

Excellent tip and good clear and concise instructions. I am off for that coffee now. Enjoy yours.

 

[legion-inc]

Yes, a great tip. Where I can donate you an good old java joe coffee?