Where Are Mac Startup Items and LaunchAgents?
Mac LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons plist folders for login and boot autostart items.
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Mac autostart items are plist files across four folders: yours in ~/Library/LaunchAgents, shared in /Library/LaunchAgents, system daemons in /Library/LaunchDaemons, and Apple in /System/Library.
Login Items in Settings covers App Store style apps only. Background helpers from direct downloads hide in these folders, which is where mystery menu bar icons come from.
Where macOS stores this, by platform
~/Library/LaunchAgents
Your login items as plist files. System wide: /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons. Manage with launchctl load and unload, never by editing Apple plists.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop an app launching at login?
Check Settings, General, Login Items first. If absent there, unload its plist from LaunchAgents and move the file out.
What is the difference between Agents and Daemons?
Agents run at your login with your permissions; daemons run at boot as root. Daemons live in LaunchDaemons folders.
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