Ubuntu 25.10 no longer includes a Startup Applications utility, you can still auto-start apps, scripts and commands at login in the latest release – it’s just a bit more involved than before.**

The reason why Startup Applications is missing in Ubuntu 25.10 is because the GNOME desktop provides an easier way for users to make apps open at login: Open Settings, go to Applications, pick the app you want and slide the Autostart toggle on.

Easy enough, but this new method is only for applications; it does not provide a user-friendly way to run a custom command or script at login (something most users don’t need to do, admittedly).

But what if you want to—bad example klaxon—make Firefox open in private mode, loading a specific website when you login? Or run a custom script with a delay which triggers a remote sync operation? Or, or, or – the possibilities are myriad.

tl;dr in visual form: create a launcher, put it in a folder

The solution is to add a .desktop file in ~/.config/autostart (you can create this folder if it doesn’t exist) and it will start on login. Of course, for scripts or bespoke commands this will require you to create a .desktop file to place there.

But that’s not hard; a simple text editor is all you need (and some idea of the command or script you want to run, of course).

**How **to Run Commands at Login in Ubuntu 25.10

All of what follows can be done using command line or graphical tools, e.g., Nautilus file manager and a text editor. You do not have to install any third-party apps.

If you do use the Nautilus file manager be sure to press ctrl + h to show hidden files and folders (hidden icons show as slightly faded compared to non-hidden items, making it easy to tell when it’s active – assuming the rows of dot files doesn’t).

Step 1: Find the Autostart Directory

Go to your home folder and check that the ~/.config/autostart directory exists. This should be present on Ubuntu (as it contains a launcher for the GNOME login keyring). If it’s present you can continue to step 2.

Don’t see it? You can create it yourself using your file manager. In your Home folder find the .config directory and enter it. Inside, right-click in an empty part and create a new folder called autostart (all lower case).

You can do it in a terminal if you like:

mkdir -p ~/.config/autostart

Next, the more involved part.

Step 2: Create Your .desktop File

Now, you need to create a custom .desktop file for each command or script you want to autostart.

You can do this using a text editor (not a word processor unless it can save to plain text). Some folks like using CLI text editors like Nano, Vim and emacs, but Ubuntu’s default GUI Text Editor is just as good – use what you’re comfortable with.

Create a new file and ensure the content is structured like so (pay attention to capitalisation as it does matter). Obviously, amend the values (the bits after =) with whatever is relevant to your needs:

[Desktop Entry]Type=ApplicationExec=$HOME/scripts/backup.shHidden=falseName=My Backup ScriptComment=Creates personal backups

The most critical line is “Exec”. This needs to be structured and closed correctly, and it will vary depending on what you’re trying to do, so here are some pointers:

• Exec=$HOME/scripts/backup.sh will run a script directly using a simple path
• Exec=update-manager --install-all run simple commands with variables
• Exec=sh -c "sleep 5; $HOME/myscript.sh" use sh -c for complex cases
• Exec=sh -c "command1 && command2" chain commands using &&
• Running a script? Make sure it has permissions to execute

Here is a (made-up) example where I run a script, not a command:

[Desktop Entry]Type=ApplicationExec=sh -c "sleep 5; $HOME/scripts/mysync-helper.sh"Hidden=falseName=Start My Sync HelperComment=Launch my personal sync daemon

You’ll see it uses sh -c, plus sleep which will wait (in seconds) to run the part after ; after login – delays can be useful for tasks which are best run/actioned after the desktop is fully loaded.

If your command needs to run in a terminal window, add Terminal=true to your .desktop file to have it open in the default system terminal.

Here’s an example .desktop that uses Ghostty (a modern terminal emulator) to run btop (a system monitor).

[Desktop Entry]Type=ApplicationExec=sh -c "sleep 30; ghostty -e btop"Hidden=falseTerminal=falseName=System MonitoringComment=Launch btop for monitoring

After login, it waits 30 seconds, then opens a new Ghostty window and runs Btop.

Although Ghostty is a terminal, it’s not my system default. This is why I’m launching it explicitly in the Exec line, and not using I’ve used Terminal=true.

It’s easy enough to get to grips with, but if writing a text file by hand is daunting there are GUI apps available for creating such files, albeit designed for making app shortcuts and menu entries so you may still have to move the .desktop file to your autostart folder.

Step 3: Save and Log Out

Remember to save your file. Give it a descriptive name that ends in .desktop and save it to the autostart folder you created earlier (if it saves elsewhere, move it by hand).

Then, log out and back in to verify it works.

And that’s it.

Not the only way, ofc

Advanced users may prefer to use systemd User Services since those those do provide greater control over startup behaviour. That said, .desktop files are simpler for most use cases and easier to manage.

• Disable an autostart: change Hidden=false to =true in the .desktop file
• Delete an autostart: remove the .desktop file from ~/.config/autostart/

Ubuntu 25.10 offers a simple GUI approach approach for launching apps on logins, while the preexisting autostart folder with .desktop files still works for those who need to launch custom commands, scripts or services.