Windows powershell запускается при старте как отключить

What to do if Windows PowerShell keeps popping up on startup in Windows 11/10? This is a common issue on your PC. Take it easy! Go to read this post and you know how to stop Windows PowerShell from popping up. Try some methods gathered by MiniTool to easily get rid of this situation.

Windows PowerShell Keeps Popping up Windows 11/10

Like Command Prompt, Windows PowerShell is a command-line tool that can be used to run basic administrative tasks like installing, configuring, and uninstalling software, performing some troubleshooting tasks using scripts, etc.

Tips:

If you are interested in the difference between Command Prompt and PowerShell, see this article — PowerShell vs CMD: What Are They? What Are Their Differences.

Sometimes Windows PowerShell keeps popping up and closing, especially when booting up the operating system each time on your Windows 10/11 PC. That is, this tool opens by itself on startup and then automatically closes. This is frustrating when you run into this common issue.

The possible reasons for this situation may be various, for example, enabled PowerShell in Startup of Task Manager, virus and malware infection, corrupt registry entries, and more. No matter which triggers the random Windows PowerShell popup, you can try to troubleshoot it, and here multiple methods will be introduced.

Fixes for Windows PowerShell Keeps Popping up on Startup

Disable Windows PowerShell in Task Manager

It is likely that Windows PowerShell is configured to run in the Startup tab in Task Manager. So, to stop Windows PowerShell from popping up on startup in Windows 11/10, you can disable this process in these steps:

Step 1: Simultaneously press the shortcut – Ctrl + Shift + Esc on the keyboard to open Task Manager.

Step 2: Click More details > Startup.

Step 3: In the tab, choose Windows PowerShell and click Disable. Or, right-click on PowerShell and select Disable.

Step 4: Close Task Manager and restart the PC to see if Windows PowerShell keeps popping up and closing.

disable Windows PowerShell in Task Manager

Delete Windows PowerShell Shortcut from the Startup Folder

On your PC, there is a folder called Startup. In this folder, some apps and shortcuts are saved. Once you start up your computer, the apps and shortcuts can run. That is, if you copied the shortcut of Windows PowerShell mistakenly to the Startup folder, it can run on startup. As a result, Windows PowerShell keeps popping up on startup.

To deal with this issue, remove the shortcut from that folder:

Step 1: Press Win + R to open the Run dialog. (Related post: How to Open Run Command in Windows 11 (5 Ways) & Unix OSes?)

Step 2: Type %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp to the text box and click OK to open the Startup folder.

Step 3: Right-click on the shortcut and choose Delete. Or choose this shortcut and press the Delete key on your keyboard.

delete Windows PowerShell from Startup folder

Run Autoruns to Disable Windows PowerShell Popup on Startup

If Windows PowerShell keeps popping up randomly in Windows 11/10, another solution which you can try is to use the Autoruns program that is from Microsoft.

Sometimes you cannot easily tell whether PowerShell is configured to launch on startup or not. In this case, Autoruns can help a lot since it lists all the apps that are programmed to run during the system startup. Although Windows PowerShell is configured to open at startup elsewhere, this free program can detect it.

Step 1: Go to the official website of Microsoft and click the corresponding link to download Autoruns.

Step 2: After getting the Autoruns.zip file and unzip it.

Tips:

To unzip a file, you can use a professional file archiver, and here we recommend using 7-Zip. To get it, follow this post — 7-Zip Download for Windows 10/11/Mac to Zip/Unzip Files.

Step 3: Double-click the Autoruns.exe file to run this program.

Step 4: Input PowerShell to the search box. If Windows PowerShell is configured to open at startup, it will be listed and you need to uncheck the box next to the entry to disable it, then reboot the PC. If you cannot find it, it means PowerShell is not set to automatically start anywhere in the registry.

run Autoruns

Run SFC and DISM

According to users, running SFC and DISM scans is worth trying if Windows PowerShell keeps popping up since this issue sometimes is caused by faulty system files. SFC (System File Checker) can be used to check the system for damaged system files and repair corruption; and DISM helps to deal with faulty Windows images and download actual replacement files from Windows’ online servers to repair them.

See how to run scans:

Step 1: In Windows 11/10, run Command Prompt with admin permissions.

Step 2: Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. Then, this tool starts the verification process which may take some time.

Windows 10 sfc scan

Tips:

SFC scan stuck is a common issue. If you run into this trouble, go to find solutions from our previous post — Windows 10 SFC /Scannow Stuck at 4/5/30/40/73, etc.? Try 7 Ways.

Step 3: Execute these commands one by one:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Tips:

Some users recommend running another command tool – CHKDSK. And you can also execute the command — chkdsk /f /r in the CMD window.

After finishing all the scans, restart your device and see if Windows PowerShell keeps popping up randomly.

Scan Your PC with Malware Removal Tool

If your computer is infected with viruses or malware, the Windows PowerShell popup may keep appearing when a malicious script is running. So, you can run Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) to remove malware from your PC.

This tool is available in Windows 10/11 and you can directly access it in the operating system. Besides, Microsoft offers a link to download and install its desktop app. To know details, refer to this post – Download/Run/Update/Del Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool.

Step 1: Open the Run window by pressing Win + R.

Step 2: Input mrt to the text box and click OK.

Step 3: In the following interface, choose Full scan to scan the entire system to keep your computer free from prevalent malware.

Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

In addition, you can run other antivirus programs like Windows Defender, Malwarebytes, Avast, etc. to scan your entire system and remove viruses and malware.

Use System Maintenance Troubleshooter

At times, running the system maintenance troubleshooter in Windows 10/11 is a workaround to help you stop Windows PowerShell from popping up on startup. Have a try as follows:

Step 1: Launch Control Panel and view all the items by Large icons.

Step 2: Click Troubleshooting and choose Run maintenance tasks under System and Security.

Step 3: Click Next and this troubleshooter starts detecting the issues. Then, follow the instructions on the screen to finish the troubleshooting.

System Maintenance Troubleshooter

Restart Your PC in Clean Boot Mode

The random PowerShell popup could be triggered by the third-party apps and you can boot the PC in Clean Boot Mode to find the suspicious app and remove it.

Step 1: Input msconfig to the Run window (press Win + R to get it) and click OK.

Step 2: In the System Configuration tab, click Services, check the box of Hide all Microsoft services, and click Disable all.

Windows 10 clean boot

Step 3: In the Startup tab, launch Task Manager and disable all the third-party startup apps.

Step 4: Reboot Windows 11/10. If Windows PowerShell won’t pop up in this mode, a certain third-party program is a culprit. Just enable those apps one by one to have a check.

Disable Windows PowerShell Temporarily

If Windows PowerShell keeps popping up after trying these methods above, you can consider disabling it via these steps.

Step 1: In Windows 11/10, launch Command Prompt as an administrator.

Step 2: In the CMD window, type in the command – Dism /online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:”MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root” and press Enter.

Step 3: Wait for the process to complete and then restart your computer.

Tips:

If you need to re-enable PowerShell, execute this command in the CMD window — Dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:»MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root».

In addition to these ways to stop Windows PowerShell from popping up and closing, there are some workarounds you can try, for example, create a new local administrator account (related article: How to Create Administrator Account in Windows 10), scan your computer with CCleaner, check active tasks in the Task Scheduler to see if any scripts may repeatedly launch PowerShell, and update Windows.

Common Issues about Windows PowerShell Keeps Popping up on Startup

Here, you can find some answers to frequently asked questions about PowerShell opening at startup.

FAQ 1: Is Windows PowerShell Virus

PowerShell is not a virus and it is a legitimate Windows utility like Command Prompt. But if a virus or malware attacks your computer, your PowerShell may act in an unexpected way – the tool keeps opening on startup in Windows 10/11. Thus, you can run a malware removal tool to scan your computer and remove the threat.

FAQ 2: Is It Safe to Disable Windows PowerShell?

Of course, this behavior is safe for your computer. If you need, follow the last method mentioned above to disable it.

FAQ 3: Why Does PowerShell Keep Randomly Popping up?

The reasons for this issue are various and we have mentioned them above. Usually, malware infection, scheduled tasks that use Powershell, Windows PowerShell shortcut added to the Startup folder, etc.

Suggestion – Back up Windows 11/10

Windows PowerShell popping up on startup/randomly is an annoying common issue. If you don’t want to spend much time looking for solutions when it happens, you should form a habit of backing up your PC when it is in a normal state.

Here, we recommend creating a system image with the professional free backup software – MiniTool ShadowMaker. Once the system issues appear like the random open PowerShell popup, a system image recovery can be done to restore the PC to its previous state.

MiniTool ShadowMaker can help a lot when it comes to system image backup. During the backup process, the backup source is compressed – by default, the mode is medium. Importantly, you can use this software to create a bootable USB flash drive/external hard drive or CD/DVD. Although the system fails to run, you can boot the PC from the drive or disc and use MiniTool ShadowMaker for system recovery.

Besides, this software can help you to back up files, folders, disks, and partitions, sync data, and clone a hard drive to another. Now, don’t hesitate to download MiniTool ShadowMaker and install it on your Windows 11/10/8/7 PC.

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Step 1: Launch MiniTool ShadowMaker Trial Edition (free use all the features in 30 days) and click Keep Trial to go on.

Step 2: By default, system-related partitions have been chosen as the backup source. Also, you can find the destination folder is selected. If you don’t want to back up your PC to that path, re-select it by clicking Destination.

Step 3: Click Back up Now to execute the system image now. After finishing the system backup, go to Tools > Media Builder to get a bootable drive or disc.

MiniTool ShadowMaker system backup

The End

How to stop Windows PowerShell from popping up on startup in Windows 11/10? After reading this post, you know much information. Just try these methods to easily get rid of the trouble if you are hit by it right now. Hope they are helpful to you. If you find some other useful solutions, you can leave a comment below. Thanks very much.

PowerShell is a helpful program that can carry out various tasks in an automated fashion. Network and system administrators extensively use PowerShell to carry out essential activities successfully. However, if you’ve recently updated to Windows 11, it may be frustrating when the PowerShell window suddenly appears for no apparent reason. But when you don’t know what’s creating this problem, it is much more challenging to deal with.

In this article, we will investigate the PowerShell issue in depth, including its root cause and all potential solvable methods that may be put into action to resolve the problem.

fix windows powershell keeps popping up

Why Does PowerShell Keep Popping Up

The PowerShell window may repeatedly appear during the machine’s startup in certain circumstances. After a few minutes, your operating system could shut the PowerShell command prompt. On the other hand, it only causes discomfort for every startup. The term «popping up» is used relatively often in the field of computers.

In some instances, PowerShell is also affected by this problem. The command-line utility known as PowerShell also has a problem with windows showing up when it first starts up. Below we have listed two reasons why Windows PowerShell Window Keeps Popping up:

1.     PowerShell is set as a startup application

The first thing that comes to mind with PowerShell is that it is configured to run when the computer boots up. Because of this, the PowerShell prompt will open as soon as the operating system boots up.

2.     Attack by malware

Computers and other electronic devices may get corrupted when infected by viruses. The appearance of a PowerShell window is another symptom that might be caused by malware.

How to Stop Windows PowerShell from Popping Up

The popping-up problem is caused either by an assault by malware or by the user altering the settings themselves. The following is an illustration of the many methods available to prevent the PowerShell Window from popping up:

Method 1: Disable PowerShell startup status from Task Manager

This problem might be caused by how a few parameters have been adjusted on your end. In the Task Manager, the PowerShell Startup status could have been set to enable, for instance.

The following is a rundown of the steps you need to do to turn off the PowerShell Startup status in Task Manager:

Step 1: Use Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to launch the Task Manager.

Step 2: Proceed to the tab labeled «Startup.»

Step 3: Disable Windows PowerShell by right-clicking the option. When you’re finished, exit Task Manager and restart your computer or other electronic devices.

disable windows powershell

Method 2: Remove Windows PowerShell shortcuts from the startup folder

Whether this happens each time you boot up, check if PowerShell is set to launch automatically. To resolve this, delete PowerShell from your computer’s starting applications. The steps are as follows.

Step 1: Open Task Management by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc.

Step 2: Choose PowerShell from the list, then click the toggle next to «Disabled» on the Startup tab.

Step 3: Don’t add PowerShell to Windows’ starting folder. To achieve this, click the Windows key + R shortcut to bring up the run. Window, then enter shell: startup and hit Enter.

open startup files

Step 4: In the subsequent pane, locate the PowerShell Shortcut Site and remove it if it exists.

remove powershell

Method 3: Scan your computer with Malware Removal Tool

If your computer is infected with malware, you may notice that PowerShell keeps appearing on your screen whenever the infection attempts to execute a harmful script on your computer. To be sure, you may scan your computer using Windows Security or a third-party antivirus tool.

Method 4: Run System Maintenance Troubleshooting

Windows’ System Maintenance Troubleshooter is a helpful tool for finding and fixing the underlying cause(s) of PowerShell’s periodic reappearance. I’ll show you how to put it to use in this article.

Step 1: Start Windows Search by clicking its icon on the Taskbar, then type «control panel» and hit Enter.

Step 2: Click Troubleshooting in the Control Panel window, and then change the view type to big or tiny icons if it isn’t already.

Step 3: Choose Run maintenance activities from the System and Security menu.

run maintenance tasks

Note: After running the troubleshooter according to the on-screen directions, try restarting your computer to check whether the problem persists.

Method 5: Windows Update

A simple upgrade to Windows might very well be one of the most effective remedies to this issue. This is because the most recent enhancements could eliminate the system issues responsible for producing this error. The greatest thing, however, is that in addition to fixing other system issues, this will also improve performance. So now, to upgrade your device, please follow these steps:

Step 1: To enter the System Settings menu, press the Win and I keys together.

Step 2: After clicking Update & Security, choose to update Windows instead.

Step 3: Press the button labeled Check for updates on the right side of the screen, and then continue to follow the instructions on the screen.

check windows updates

Method 6: Uninstall Windows PowerShell completely

Suppose none of the methods above successfully resolve the problem where PowerShell continues to launch during system startup. In that case, your only remaining choice is to remove the PowerShell app from your device.

Step 1: To uninstall PowerShell, use the Command Prompt in administrator mode. 

Step 2: Copy and paste the command that is listed below into the command prompt, then hit the enter key on your keyboard.

«Dism /online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:»MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root,».

run uninstall command

Step 3: Keep waiting until the instruction is finished. After that, you should restart your computer.

Conclusion

The issue of «PowerShell keeps appearing on Windows 11» may be resolved with the following few simple fixes. Therefore, if PowerShell is frequently causing you frustration by launching on its own, you may eliminate the pop-up by using any of the alternatives above. Please let us know which of the methods was successful for you. You are welcome to offer any ideas or thoughts in the comments area.

Download Windows Speedup Tool to fix errors and make PC run faster

PowerShell is not an application that we wish to open at Startup. There are instances that users report that Powershell is opening at startup on Windows 11/10. In this guide, we have solutions to fix that issue.

PowerShell Opens on Startup on Windows 10

Generally, we use Windows PowerShell to configure, manage and administer our PC or a network. For a normal user, Powershell has no uses except for rare circumstances like running SFC or DISM scans or some other troubleshoots.

The issue of PowerShell opening at startup can be fixed with any of the following methods.

  1. Disable Opening PowerShell at Startup in Task Manager
  2. Delete PowerShell shortcut from Startup folder
  3. Run anti-malware software
  4. Troubleshoot in Clean Boot State.

Let’s see each method in detail.

1] Disable Opening PowerShell at Startup in Task Manager

PowerShell might have been added to Startup programs accidentally. Disabling it from the Startup in Task Manager will stop it from opening at startup. To do so, right-click on the Taskbar and select Task Manager. In the Task Manager window, click on the Start-up tab.

Right-click on Windows PowerShell from the list of programs in the Start-up tab and select Disable.

It will stop Windows PowerShell from opening at startup. If not, try the following method.

This post offers more ways in which you can disable startup programs.

2] Delete PowerShell shortcut from Startup folder

Another method to stop PowerShell from opening at startup is removing its shortcut from the Startup folder. To do so, press Win+R on your keyboard and type the following text, and press Enter:

shell:startup

Find the PowerShell shortcut in the folder and delete it. This should stop PowerShell from opening at startup.

3] Run an anti-malware tool

In most cases, the above two methods should fix the issue. If not, it could be malware. To confirm if it is not occurring due to virus or malware, run your antivirus or software on your PC.

If it finds any such issue, it will be taken care of by the application and PowerShell should stop opening at startup.

4] Troubleshoot in Clean Boot State

If the issue is still not fixed, it is recommended to perform Clean Boot where only the necessary apps and drivers run.

If you don’t find PowerShell opening at startup, it must have been caused by a third-party application you have installed.

Clean-boot troubleshooting is designed to isolate a performance problem. To perform clean-boot troubleshooting, you must take a number of actions, and then restart the computer after each action. You may need to manually disable one item after another to try and pinpoint the one that is causing the problem. Once you have identified the offender, you can consider removing or disabling it.

TIP: If you don’t use it, you can uninstall PowerShell.

Hope this guide helped you in fixing your issues with PowerShell opening at startup.

Related: Command Prompt cmd.exe keeps popping up on Startup.

Guru is a Communications graduate with hands-on experience with computers, cameras, and editing tools. A tech enthusiast and a movie buff who loves writing about computers, he dreams of living a life devoid of all tech and modern-day advancements in a forest.

Some apps are set to run on startup, making them launch as soon as Windows boots up. But if it’s the Windows Powershell popping up, then you have a problem. As it turns out, this is a known issue affecting a fair share of Windows users. Fortunately, there are ways to fix it, as detailed in this guide.

Tip: you can use Powershell to hide annoying Windows updates. We show you how.

Content

  • General Fixes
  • 1. Check Whether a Task or Script Is Running in the Background
  • 2. Boot in Clean Mode
  • 3. Disable Windows Powershell Temporarily
  • 4. Delete Powershell Shortcut from Startup Folder
  • 5. Delete the Powershell Startup Status on the Task Manager
  • 6. Use the Microsoft Autoruns Program
  • Frequently Asked Questions

General Fixes

Before applying problem-specific fixes, these general tips could help you solve the problem if it was caused by a virus or a bug in the system.

  • Scan PC with malware removal tool: if you have a third-party antivirus or anti-malware program, you can search the computer for any malicious software. But if you don’t, you can have Windows Defender run a full scan on your computer.
  • Perform Chkdsk, DISM, and SFC scans: Windows has a few valuable utilities to check system files and ensure they are intact and that no corrupted files exist in your system folder. By typing the associated commands, you can run these utilities in the Windows Terminal or PowerShell.
  • Update Windows: go to settings and check for any available updates in the Windows Update tab.
  • Run the System Maintenance troubleshooter: Open the Run window by pressing Win + R, then type in %systemroot%\system32\msdt.exe -id MaintenanceDiagnostic and hit Enter to open the System Maintenance utility.

1. Check Whether a Task or Script Is Running in the Background

Your Windows system relies on PowerShell to launch background processes or authorize applications to access security files. If Windows PowerShell keeps popping up, there is a good chance that your system is running update processes or vital background tasks. You can check whether that’s the case by following these steps:

  1. Right-click on the Start menu and choose «Task Manager.»
Getting to Task Manager from the Quick Menu in Windows.
  1. In the «Processes» tab, click on «CPU» to reorganize the list based on the process CPU usage.
Task Manager with "Processes" tab visible.
  1. Review the list to see which process uses the abnormal amount of CPU. If it’s an unknown process, search the name in Google to see if it’s okay to end the task.
  2. Alternatively, if it’s a process named «wsappx» or any service using too much CPU, it means Windows is updating an app or itself.

Note: if you notice PowerShell in Task Manager, then ending the task would not help, and you should move on to the next fixes.

2. Boot in Clean Mode

Third-party apps are notorious for creating harmful files in your system and taking advantage of Windows PowerShell to make changes in your computer. The only way to identify these apps and cut access to your PC is to boot it in Clean Mode.

  1. Launch the Run box by pressing the Windows + R keys simultaneously. Type in msconfig and press Enter.
Typing "msconfig" in Run window.
  1. In the «General» tab, select «Selective Startup» and uncheck «Load startup items.»
"General" tab options in System Configuration window.
  1. Head to the «Services» tab and click «Hide all Microsoft services.» Select «Disable all» at the bottom of the window and click «OK.»
"Services" view in System Configuration window.
  1. Click the «Startup» tab and choose «Open Task Manager.»
"Open Task Manager" option via System Configuration.
  1. On the «Startup» tab of Task Manager, right-click each item and «Disable» it.
  2. Finally, click «OK» and restart your PC. If your PC boots up without issue, this means that a recently installed app was to blame, and you should uninstall it to solve the problem. If not, proceed to the next method.

Good to know: learn how to run a Java program in Command Prompt.

3. Disable Windows Powershell Temporarily

You can use the Command Prompt to disable Windows PowerShell temporarily. If you use PowerShell to disable itself, it may end up crashing and causing issues. Note that this method works on Windows 10 1803 and requires admin privileges.

  1. Click the Windows Search button and type «Command Prompt.» Right-click on the best result and choose «Run as administrator.»
Typing "Command Prompt" in Windows Search.
  1. Type the following commands and press Enter after each one. Remember to re-enable the PowerShell later. To disable it, type:
Dism /online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName: MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root
  1. To re-enable it, type:
Dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName: MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root

4. Delete Powershell Shortcut from Startup Folder

The Startup folder contains all the Startup application shortcuts so that Windows can run them as soon as it boots up. The Windows «PowerShell.exe» shortcut can also be found in this folder, as, most of the time, this app is set to launch on startup. Thus, if Windows PowerShell keeps popping up, you should locate and delete this app’s shortcut from the Startup folder.

  1. Launch the Run box by pressing the Windows + R keys. Type in %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp and hit Enter.
Typing command in Run window.
  1. Find and right-click on the PowerShell shortcut and choose «Delete.» If the list is empty or you can’t find PowerShell, proceed to the next method.

Tip: check out all of the options available to open Task Manager in Windows.

5. Delete the Powershell Startup Status on the Task Manager

You can also disable the PowerShell startup status via Task Manager to prevent it from launching on startup.

  1. Right-click on the Start menu and choose «Task Manager.»
Getting to Task Manager from the Quick Menu in Windows.
  1. Click on the «Start-up» tab and find «Windows PowerShell.» Right-click on it and select «Disable.»
Disabling start-up programs from Task Manager.

6. Use the Microsoft Autoruns Program

Microsoft offers a powerful tool to stop apps that are set to run automatically on your Windows.

  1. Download Autoruns.
  2. Open the app, and In the «Logon» tab, locate «PowerShell» and uncheck its box.
"Logon" tab in Autoruns app for Windows.

Tip: Is Microsoft Store not functioning as it should? We show you how to fix it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it OK to disable PowerShell indefinitely?

Although we don’t encourage you to do so, sometimes your only choice is to disable this console indefinitely. Windows should be fine without PowerShell since it can use Command Prompt, but PowerShell is an upgraded version of Command Prompt that can do much more than cmd.

What can PowerShell do that Command Prompt can’t?

While PowerShell is built on the .NET platform, it can communicate with Windows objects even at the core level, unlike Command Prompt, which can’t.

Can I update Windows PowerShell?

Windows updates system-related apps with each Windows update, so there is no need to update PowerShell separately. Still, you can update PowerShell manually without waiting for Windows to do it for you with the next update. To get PowerShell updates from the Microsoft Store app, search Windows PowerShell in the Microsoft Store Windows application, and the first app displayed is the one you are looking for.

Image credit: Pexels. All screenshots by Farhad Pashaei.

Farhad Pashaei

As a technophile, Farhad has spent the last decade getting hands-on experience with a variety of electronic devices, including smartphones, laptops, accessories, wearables, printers, and so on.

When he isn’t writing, you can bet he’s devouring information on products making their market foray, demonstrating his unquenchable thirst for technology.

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Is PowerShell constantly appearing without being invited? Here’s how to stop it from popping up uninvited on restart.

Windows 11 laptop in a dark room

A PowerShell window that often pops up randomly can be quite irritating. But then it’s even more frustrating when you don’t know what’s causing this issue.

In this article, we’ll take a look at this strange PowerShell issue in detail, what causes the problem, and all the possible solutions you can implement to fix it.

1. Remove the PowerShell Shortcut From the Startup Folder

Your Windows device has a folder named “Startup folder.” All the shortcuts or apps within this folder will run as soon as you boot up your device.

Now, PowerShell will also run on startup if its shortcut is inside this folder. To tackle this issue, remove the PowerShell shortcut from this folder as follows:

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
  2. Type %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp and press Enter.
Removing the PowerShell or CMD Shortcut From the Startup Folder

Locate and delete the PowerShell shortcut from the Startup folder.

2. Disable the PowerShell Startup Status on the Task Manager

This issue might also be caused by the way you’ve configured a few settings. For example, the PowerShell Startup status might be enabled in the Task Manager.

So, let’s check out how you can disable the PowerShell Startup status on the Task Manager:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
  2. Navigate to the Startup tab.
  3. Right-click on the Windows PowerShell option and select Disable. Finally, close the Task Manager and restart your device.
Disabling the PowerShell or CMD Startup Status on the Task Manager

3. Disable the PowerShell Startup Status Using the Autoruns Program

At times, it’s hard to tell whether PowerShell is configured to run on startup or not.

In this instance, you can use an incredible tool called Autoruns. This feature helps you identify the apps that run immediately when you switch on your device.

Now, here’s how you can use the Autoruns program to tackle this issue:

  1. Download Autoruns from the Microsoft website.
  2. Run the program and navigate to the Logon tab.
  3. Locate PowerShell from the options and then uncheck its box. As an example, the image below shows how you’d do this for the OneDrive app.
Disabling the PowerShell Startup Status Using the Autoruns Program

Finally, close the Autoruns program and restart your device to save these changes.

4. Restart Your Device in Clean Boot Mode

This PowerShell error might be caused by some corrupted third-party apps on your device. Now, the best solution here is to perform a clean boot. From there, you can remove any suspicious app.

And once you’ve gotten rid of the problematic app, try downloading it again—but use a safe website this time. However, if you don’t want to delete the faulty app, try updating it and see if that helps.

5. Perform a Basic Scan on Your Device

Scanning a PC

In some cases, this error might be caused by some corrupted system files. To resolve the problem, you can perform a simple scan using the Check Disk (CHKDSK) tool.

So, here’s how you can run this scan:

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
  2. Type CMD and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an elevated Command prompt.
  3. Type the following command and press Enter:
 chkdsk C: /f 

The C: command represents the letter of your PC’s hard drive. So, make sure that this command matches the letter displayed next to your hard drive.

Run the scan and then restart your device to save these changes.

6. Run an Advanced Scan on Your Device

Computer Security scanner illustration

If the Check Disk scan didn’t help, then you need to take a different approach. For example, you could now run an advanced scan using the DISM and SFC tools. These two features are helpful when it comes to fixing or replacing faulty system files.

To get started, you’d need to run the DISM tool through these steps:

  1. Type Task Manager in the Start Menu search bar and select the Best match.
  2. Click the File tab and select Run new task.
  3. Type CMD and then check the Create this task with administrative privileges box.
  4. Press OK to run an elevated Command Prompt.
  5. Next, type the following command and press Enter to run the DISM scan:
 DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth 

When you’re done running this command, type the following command and press Enter:

 DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth 

From there, restart your device to save the changes. Next, run an SFC scan through these two steps:

  1. Open an elevated Command Prompt by following the previous steps.
  2. Type the following command and press Enter to run an SFC scan:
 sfc /scannow 

Once the scan is complete, close the Command Prompt window and then restart your device.

7. Run the System Maintenance Troubleshooter

Fixing PC errors

Perhaps this is an issue you can resolve with one of the built-in troubleshooters. In this case, we’ll assume that this error is caused by system maintenance problems. So, an easy way out is to use the System Maintenance troubleshooter.

Now, here’s how you can run this troubleshooter to resolve the issue:

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
  2. Type msdt.exe -id MaintenanceDiagnostic and press Enter.
  3. Next click the Advanced option in the System Maintenance troubleshooter window. From there, check the Apply repairs automatically box and click Next.
  4. Follow the on-screen steps and restart your device when you finish.
Running the System Maintenance Troubleshooter on Windows

8. Update Windows

A simple Windows update might be one of the best solutions to this problem. That’s because the latest features could get rid of the system bugs that cause this error. Now, the best part is that this will also take care of other system problems.

So, here’s how you can update your device:

  1. Press Win + I to open the System Settings.
  2. Click Update & Security and select the Windows Update option.
  3. Finally, press the Check for updates button on the right and follow the on-screen instructions.
Checking for Windows PC updates

9. Disable the Windows PowerShell Temporarily

If you still can’t resolve this problem, then you could consider disabling the Windows PowerShell temporarily. Besides, you can always run your commands using the Command Prompt. And even if the Command Prompt fails, there are lots of other Command Prompt alternatives to try.

Now, here’s how you can temporarily disable PowerShell:

  1. Open the Start Menu search bar and type CMD.
  2. Right-click on the Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
  3. Type the following command and press Enter:
 Dism /online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:"MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root" 

Wait for the process to complete and then restart your device.

In case you want to re-enable PowerShell, here’s what you can do:

  1. Open the Command Prompt as per the previous steps.
  2. Run the following command and press Enter:
 Dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:"MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root" 

Get Rid of Random PowerShell Pop-Up Messages Easily

PowerShell is a handy tool that you can use for various purposes like automating PC tasks. However, it’s unpleasant when a PowerShell window keeps popping up randomly.

So, if PowerShell keeps showing up on your screen randomly, try any of the tips covered.

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