Start_TrackProgs 0: stop Windows from tracking which apps you open
Short answer
UpdatedWindows 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.
HKCUSoftware\
Start_TrackProgsYour previous value0
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, and when it hurts
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
Exactly what the switch changes, read from the app's source. Switching it off is what the app writes when you turn the tweak off again.
| Key and value | With the tweak | Switching it off |
|---|---|---|
| HKCUSoftware\ | 0 | Your previous valueSaved before the change, or deleted if there was none.Windows default: 1. |
From the app's source (pack_extra.hpp), app 2.0.0, checked .
The same change by hand
You do not need the app for this one. These commands make the changes from the table above. Run them in a Command Prompt opened as administrator, and make a restore point first.
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v "Start_TrackProgs" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /freg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v "Start_TrackProgs" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /freg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v "Start_TrackProgs"How to undo it
In the app: Yes
Switching it off puts back exactly what was there before, value for value.
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.
Changing several settings at once? The app's Make a restore point button, on every plan, makes a Windows restore point before you start.
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.
In the app
- Switch
- Disable App Launch Tracking
- Category
- Security
- Plan
- Free
- Undo
- Yes
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Written by
Frost LIVEFounder of Frozen Tweaks, based in Hamburg, Germany. Publishes settings guides for competitive games on his YouTube channel, Frost LIVE.
In the app
- Category
- Security
- Plan
- Free
- Undo
- Yes
Frozen Tweaks
Free for Windows 10 and 11
58 tweaks free, each with an undo switch. Never edits game files.
v2.0.0 · 6.4 MB · Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit · free account, no payment details
Or type frozentweaks.com on your PC.
The free Windows app for competitive games.
58 tweaks free, each with an undo switch. Never edits game files.
v2.0.0 · 6.4 MB · Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit · free account, no payment details
Frozen Tweaks runs on Windows. Send the link to your PC and download it there.
Or type frozentweaks.com on your PC.