---
title: "Start_TrackProgs 0: stop Windows from tracking which apps you open"
description: "Windows records which apps you start to fill the 'most used' list in Start and to rank search results. What it changes, when it hurts, and how to undo it."
url: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-app-launch-tracking
author: Frost LIVE, Founder of Frozen Tweaks
published: 2026-10-08
updated: 2026-10-08
category: "Security"
source: Frozen Tweaks (https://frozentweaks.com)
---

# Start_TrackProgs 0: stop Windows from tracking which apps you open

**Short answer:** Windows records which apps you start to fill the 'most used' list in Start and to rank search results. Start_TrackProgs set to 0 turns that recording off. In the registry it sets Start_TrackProgs to 0 under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced.

## In the app

- Switch: Disable App Launch Tracking (Security, Free, Standard)
- Undo: Yes. Switching it off puts back exactly what was there before, value for value.
- Catalog row: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks#t-1133

## What it does

Windows records which apps you start to fill the 'most used' list in Start and to rank search results. Start_TrackProgs set to 0 turns that recording off.

In the app the switch is called "Disable App Launch Tracking", described there as: Stops Windows from recording which apps you open (the most used list in Start goes empty).

## When it helps

- Privacy: no record of which programs you run.

## When it hurts

- The 'most used' list in Start stays empty, and search results are no longer ordered by what you use.

## What it writes

Read from the app's source. "Switching it off" is what the app writes when you turn the tweak off again.

Registry values:

| Key | Value | With the tweak | Switching it off |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced` | `Start_TrackProgs` | `0` | Your previous value (saved before the change, or deleted if there was none). Windows default: 1 |

Source: Tweaks/pack_extra.hpp in the app's source, app 2.0.0, checked 2026-10-08.

## The same change by hand

Run in a Command Prompt opened as administrator. Make a restore point first.

```bat
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v "Start_TrackProgs" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
```

Put it back:

```bat
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v "Start_TrackProgs" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
```

See what it is set to now:

```bat
reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v "Start_TrackProgs"
```

## How to undo it

Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks. The app saved what each value was before the change and writes exactly that back, or removes the value if it did not exist.

## Verdict

A small privacy setting that costs a small convenience.

## Questions

### What does the "Disable App Launch Tracking" tweak change in Windows?

In the registry it sets Start_TrackProgs to 0 under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced.

### What is the default value of Start_TrackProgs?

The Windows default of Start_TrackProgs is 1. Frozen Tweaks sets it to 0, and switching the tweak off puts back the value you had before.

### Is "Disable App Launch Tracking" safe to switch on?

A small privacy setting that costs a small convenience. The main cost: The 'most used' list in Start stays empty, and search results are no longer ordered by what you use.

### How do I undo it?

Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks. Switching it off puts back exactly what was there before, value for value.

### Is "Disable App Launch Tracking" free in Frozen Tweaks?

Yes. It is one of the free tweaks, with no time limit.

## Related guides

- [Is PC Optimization Software Safe? What to Check Before Installing](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/is-pc-optimization-software-safe)
- [Windows 11 Gaming Optimization: What Still Works in 2026](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/windows-11-gaming-optimization)

## More tweak explainers

- [AutoPlay](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-autoplay)
- [Compatibility telemetry](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-compatibility-telemetry)
- [PowerShell and .NET telemetry](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/powershell-and-dotnet-telemetry-opt-out)

---
Written by Frost LIVE, founder of Frozen Tweaks. Canonical version: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-app-launch-tracking