How do you make a batch file run on startup?

Answer 1

Place a shortcut to the batch file in the Start-up folder in the start menu. Note that each user has their own Start-up folder but there's also an all-users start-up folder (the Start-up folder in the start menu is a virtual folder showing the aggregate of both folders). Right-clicking the Start-up folder in the start menu will allow you to "Open" or "Open All Users", where the former applies only to the current user.

The user's startup folder can be found in:

"c:\users\<username>\appdata\roaming\microsoft\windows\start menu\programs\start-up"

Any shortcut placed in this folder will be executed each time you log on, but not for anyone else.

The all-users folder is:

"c:\programdata\microsoft\windows\start menu\programs\start-up"

Any shortcut placed in this folder will be executed regardless of which user logs on.

Note that although you can place binary executables, scripts or batch files in the start menu, it's best to use shortcuts and place the executable itself in an appropriate folder of the program files folder.