Well, there are some system level scripts that start up key elements of your Mac system such as the login program, the windowing system, the Finder, etc, but I can’t imagine that Pages has somehow gotten stuck in that area. More likely than not, somehow someone’s added it to your Startup Items in the Accounts preference pane and it just needs to be zapped.
What you don’t mention, however, is whether it starts up with a document opened or whether it’s just sitting at a blank screen, waiting for you to compose a document or open an existing file to edit it. If the former, it might be a bit trickier to figure out.
Let’s start with the easy, most probably situation and see how to fix it.
On your Mac, please click on the Apple menu (top left) then on System Preferences…
Once you’re in the System Preferences, find and click on “Accounts”:
Now along the top you’ll see a mini-tab of “Password” / “Login Items”:
Click on the latter, then you will see a list of the applications that are automatically launched when you start up your iMac or MacBook system:
I’m betting that “Pages” shows up here. Click on it, then click on the “-” button on the lower left. Now when you reboot it should no longer be launching.
If that’s not the solution, then the next likely answer is that there’s a document that’s being opened up for some reason. If so, when Pages starts up, what are you seeing? Find out where that document is and let us know here so we can help debug the situation. Really, though, I can’t envision a cause other than the Login Items issue.
Good luck, hope this fixes things!
7 thoughts on “How do I stop an application automatically starting up in Mac OS X?”
Everything is clear on my login items but it always opens these specific excel documents (as if waiting for me to edit them). These documents are some that mother has written on my computor. I don’t if she clicked some kind of setting or what, but please help!
When you go to shut down the computer there is a popup window that has a little box you must to make sure you have NOT check marked It says: “Reopen windows when logging back in”
I have the same problem as S, who has the same problem as Alex. Login items clear, Word Excel and Mail open automatically….
I have the same problem as alex, any resolution?
My Login items tab is empty already. At startup word, excel, power point, ical email are all opening. Takes a while to quit all of these to use Safari for example. (Lion OS). Any other ideas?
Best instructions I have ever received comprehensive for the artist to the computer geek. thank you wiah all instructions could be like this.
Thank you!!! Skype was automatically popping up on login and driving me crazy. This fixed the problem.