Solved: Unknown Program Named ‘Program’ Appears In Startup

We’ll know that Startup tab on Task Manager shows entries for programs that starts with Windows. However, while locating startup programs, if you found an unknown ‘Program‘ named entry (refer screenshot) and you wonder where it comes from, this article will show you.

Well, if you’re getting such an unknown ‘Program’ entry, it is possible that it is from a program or application that was already uninstalled. Another possibility for that entry is corrupted registry value in the registry database.

So in this article, we’ll try to locate this unknown ‘Program’ entry in registry. If it is from uninstalled application/program, we can simply delete it. But if it is from an installed application/program, we can rectify it show original program name. Here’s how:

Solved: Unknown Program Named ‘Program’ Appears In Startup

1. Press + R and put regedit in Run dialog box to open Registry Editor (if you’re not familiar with Registry Editor, then click here). Click OK.

2. In left pane of Registry Editor window, go to any one of the registry key from these:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StartupApproved\Run 
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StartupApproved\Run
HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

3. When you go to either of the registry keys mentioned above, you’ll find some registry strings in the right pane which is for startup of programs. You need to make the file path in registry string’s Value data is within double quotes (“). When I go to first registry key, I found a registry string entry.

4. You’ve to simply double click on the entry with /s or -s switch in its Value data and then make sure the file path is in double quotes. Once you add double quotes to file location, click OK.

5. Now go to Startup tab of Task Manager, the unknown program entry should be now renamed to its original program.

That’s it!