6 Ways to Fix PowerShell Keeps Popping Up on Windows 11

Quick Tips

• Run a thorough system scan of your PC to ensure malware or a malicious program isn’t causing PowerShell to pop up repeatedly.
• Check the Task Scheduler app to see if any active tasks are causing PowerShell to run at startup.
• Consider temporarily disabling PowerShell on your PC if you don’t intend to use it.

Fix 1: Prevent PowerShell From Running at the Startup

A common reason why Windows PowerShell may keep opening on startup is if you have previously set it as a startup app on Windows.

Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keyboard shortcut to launch the Task Manager. In the Startup apps tab, select PowerShell, and click the Disable option at the top.

Further, you’ll need to ensure that the PowerShell shortcut isn’t added to the Startup folder on Windows.

To do so, press the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to launch the Run dialog box, type in shell:startup, and press Enter. Locate and delete the PowerShell shortcut, if any.

Fix 2: Check the Task Scheduler for Active Tasks

Another thing you should do is check the active tasks in the Task Scheduler. This will help you determine if PowerShell is configured to run scripts in the background, allowing you to stop it.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + S keyboard shortcut to open the search menu. Type in task scheduler and press Enter.

Step 2: Under Active Tasks, look for any activities that require the use of PowerShell. If you find one, double-click on it to view the description.

Step 3: Click the Disable option on your right to turn off the selected task.

Fix 3: Use Microsoft Autoruns to Stop PowerShell From Running at Startup

Microsoft’s Autoruns tool offers a detailed overview of all the apps and services configured to run automatically on your system. So, if you can’t find any tasks related to PowerShell in Task Scheduler, use this tool to stop PowerShell from popping up on Windows.

Step 1: Download and install Autoruns on your PC.

Step 2: Open Autoruns and switch to the Logon tab. Type PowerShell in the search box and press Enter.

Step 3: Autoruns should show a list of entries that may be causing PowerShell to open automatically. Uncheck the boxes related to PowerShell and see if that solves the problem.

Fix 4: Disable Windows PowerShell Temporarily

Another thing you can do to solve this problem is to disable Windows PowerShell temporarily on your PC. To do this, you’ll need to use another command-line tool — Command Prompt.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Terminal (Admin) from the list.

Step 2: Type the following command and press Enter.

Dism /online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:"MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root"

Fix 5: Run SFC and DISM Scan

Damaged or corrupt system files can also result in such anomalies. If that’s the case, running the SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scan on your PC should help.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Terminal (Admin) from the resulting menu.

Step 2: Type the command mentioned below and press Enter.

SFC /scannow

Step 3: Run the following commands one by one and press Enter after each.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Wait for the process to complete. After that, restart your PC and check if PowerShell still pops up on Windows.

Fix 6: Try Clean Boot

If nothing else works, you can try booting your PC in a clean boot state. This will help you determine if the issue is occurring due to a rouge background app or service.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog. Type msconfig.msc in the box and press Enter.

Step 2: Under the Services tab, check the box that reads Hide all Microsoft services box and click Disable all button.

Step 3: Switch to the Startup tab and click on Open Task Manager.

Step 4: In the Startup tab, disable all third-party startup apps and programs one by one.

Restart your computer after that. If PowerShell doesn’t open automatically in the clean boot state, one of the third-party apps or programs may be to blame. You’ll need to remove any recently installed apps and programs one by one to fix the problem.