How to Disable the AutoRun Feature in Windows 10

AutoRun feature in Windows 10 controls what actions the system takes when a CD drive is inserted or USB drive is mounted in your computer. The instructions are saved in autorun.inf file in root directory of the storage media.

AutoPlay is another feature which is part of AutoRun feature and instead of running installation program, it prompts user to play videos, pictures or music in the default applications defined for the file type in Windows settings.

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If the AutoRun feature annoys you, you can disable AutoRun features by making changes in your Windows settings, Registry Settings, and the Local Group Policy Editor.

Disable Autoplay Using Windows 10 Settings

The easiest way to disable the AutoPlay in Windows 10 is through Windows settings. 

  1. Firstly, click on Windows icon and choose Settings
    Windows Settings

  2. From the Settings menu select DevicesDevices

  3. Then, choose Autoplay from the left panel.
    Autoplay

  4. Toggle the switch to Turn off the Autoplay
    Turn off autoplay

  5. Now, you can toggle it again to turn it on.


Disable the AutoRun Feature using Registry Setting

The following table shows the values which control which drive will have AutoRun disabled for:

1drives of unknown type
4removable drives
8fixed drives
10network drives
20CD-ROM drives
40RAM disks
80drives of unknown type
FFall kinds of drives

To disable AutoRun for multiple drives, just add their corresponding values. For example, if you want to disable AutoRun for removable and fixed drives, you add 4 and 8. Thus, set the value to 12.

Note: Backup your registry keys before moving further, so that you can restore them in case of any failure.

1. Open Registry Editor by pressing Windows + R key combination, type in regedit and press Enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, click on Yes to continue.

3. Now, go to

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows
\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

4. If the above key doesn’t exist, create it.

5. In right-side pane, look for and create a new DWORD value if not exist NoDriveTypeAutorun and set the value as described in above table.

How to Disable the AutoRun Feature

6. Lastly, close Registry Editor and restart your system

  10 Best Registry Hacks for Windows

Disable AutoPlay using Group Policy Editor

Another method to disable Autoplay or Autorun is using the Group Policy Editor. However, this method does not apply to the Home version of Windows 10 since Group Policy Editor is unavailable on it.

  1. In the Windows search bar or the Run Command Box, type gpedit to open the Local Group Policy Editor.gpedit
  2. Under Computer Configuration, navigate to Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> AutoPlay Policies. AutoPlay Policies
  3. Then, on the right-hand side under the Settings double-click on Turn off Autoplay.Turn off the Autoplay
  4. Finally, click on Enabled bullet option and Apply & OKEnabled

Disable the AutoRun in WIndows 10 FAQS

1. How do I stop Windows 10 from automatically opening USB?

To stop Windows 10 from automatically opening USB, you have to disable the AutoPlay feature of the Windows 10. For that follow any of the methods explained in this guide.

2. Is Autorun INF always a virus?

NO, normally autorun.inf is not a virus or malware. It contains the information of what action to be taken whenever a CD/DVD or a USB drive is detected in a system.

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