- MSI Center (User Scenario) can force settings and open Afterburner or overwrite profiles.
- The "MSIAfterburner.exe /s" task silently applies profiles; it doesn't always display the interface.
- For temperature/OSD limits it is a good idea to keep Afterburner running in the background.
- RTSS requires OSD to be active and may be affected by other overlays or antivirus.
If MSI Afterburner appears upon startup even though you've unchecked the "Start with Windows" setting, don't worry: you're not alone. This has happened to more than one person after a clean install. Windows 11 or after tinkering with other utilities from the brand. The behavior may be due to scheduled tasks, modules from other programs (such as MSI Center), or settings that are not obvious at first glance., and it is advisable to review them calmly to regain control of the Boot.
On the other hand, the opposite also happens: you want it to run at startup so that your profiles (temperature limit, fan curve, clock, voltage) are applied, and it doesn't. Even having the logo icon Windows activated and viewing a scheduled task type «MSIAfterburner.exe /s», the app doesn't seem to open. In between, RTSS (RivaTuner Statistics Server) sometimes does not appear in the tray or does not start, despite being installedIn this article, we've compiled all these real-life cases and explained what's happening and how to fix it without further ado.
Why does MSI Afterburner start by itself even if you disable "Start with Windows"?
The most common cause today is an interaction with MSI Center. This utility hub for motherboards, portable and peripherals includes modules such as “User Scenario” that apply power and performance profiles. This module can touch GPU parameters (including overclocking) and cause Afterburner to open or its own settings to be overwritten at startup, even if you didn't ask it to.
A case in point: After a clean install of Windows 11, with "Start with Windows" unchecked in Afterburner, the program would still occasionally open upon startup. Upon investigation, the culprit was the module. MSI Center User Scenario. To the uninstall said module (no need to remove the entire MSI Center), the behavior returned to normal and Afterburner settings stopped being overridden.
In addition to MSI Center, you need to consider scheduled tasks and optimize boot. Afterburner can create a task with the command "MSIAfterburner.exe /s" to silently apply profiles at login. If the task was created in a previous installation or duplicated for some reason, you may feel like the program is "opening itself" or that something is being applied in the background even though you don't see it on screen.
Another source of confusion is the window control itself. If you have the Windows logo icon activated in the interface (top right) and you close with the XThe program will close completely, but upon restart, it will restart because you left it checked. However, if you only minimize Afterburner, it will remain in the background and will remain so on subsequent restarts as long as autostart is enabled.
How to completely disable autostart (if you don't want it)
First of all, check out MSI Center. Open the hub and uninstall or disable the "User Scenario" module. If you had it enabled, this module can apply profiles that interfere with Afterburner and, on some computers, force the program to open or modify GPU settings upon startup.
In MSI Afterburner, open Settings > General and make sure the Autostart option is unchecked. Also check the Windows logo icon in the main window (top right): If it's blue, it's enabled; tap to turn it off.
Go to Windows Task Scheduler (Taskschd.msc) and look in Task Scheduler Library to see if there is anything called MSI Afterburner, or an entry that runs it. «MSIAfterburner.exe /s». If you don't want any kind of application at startup, disable or delete it. Beware of duplicates if you have reinstalled the program.
The Task Manager > Home tab, verify that MSI Afterburner is not enabled. If it appears, disable it from there.Finally, check your user's startup folder (shell:startup) to make sure there are no residual shortcuts.
Do I need to open MSI Afterburner to apply the OC on startup?
It is important to distinguish here. Afterburner can apply profiles at startup using its silent mechanism (that scheduled task with «/s») without displaying the interface. For values such as clock, voltage, or power limit, this is usually sufficient. You don't need to open the window every time so that these settings are applied after boot.
However, there are users who use Afterburner to impose a specific temperature limit on the GPU. In that scenario, The effect may depend on Afterburner being running., as some logic (such as monitoring or custom fan curves) relies on the program's service/resident. If you notice that the temperature limit isn't being respected except when Afterburner is open, leave it running in the background with "Start with Windows" and "Start minimized" enabled.
Practical conclusion: For static overclocking and basic parameters, the silent application at startup is sufficient; for profiles that require active monitoring (temp/fan/OSD), keep Afterburner running in the system tray.
And remember: enabling the Windows logo in the interface and pressing minimize (not close with the X) leaves the program “preloaded” on every startup. If you want to have it in the background without any disturbance, that's the right way..
MSI Afterburner does not start with Windows even if it is activated.
If the opposite is happening to you (you want it to start and it won't), go through this list. First, in the main window, activates the Windows logo icon (it should appear blue). Then, go to Settings > General and check "Start with Windows" and "Start minimized."
Open Task Scheduler and confirm that the MSI Afterburner entry exists. Check that the task is enabled and that the trigger is "On login" and, if your system requires it, it runs with the highest privileges. Some computers have UAC or policies that may prevent launching if the task doesn't have that flag.
If you rely on the Startup folder (shortcut in shell:startup), be aware that the shortcut itself will open the normal window. To display it minimized, use the "Run: Minimized" option in the shortcut propertiesIt's not essential if you already use the "Start Minimized" option in Afterburner, but it sometimes helps.
When you're coming from a clean install of Windows 11 or have migrated profiles, it's easy to end up with inconsistent entries. Reinstall Afterburner and RTSS from their bundled installer, checking only what you need, so that the scheduled task and permissions are regenerated.
RTSS (RivaTuner) does not appear or does not open despite being installed
RTSS is responsible for the On-Screen Display (OSD) and functions such as frame limits. Although it is usually installed with Afterburner, It runs as a standalone process (RTSS.exe) and displays its own icon (a purple screen) in the system tray.
If you only see the airplane and not the RTSS icon when you open or minimize Afterburner, check these steps: first, make sure RTSS is actually installed. In the bundled installer, you may accidentally uncheck it. If it's installed, try opening it manually from its folder (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\RivaTuner Statistics Server\RTSS.exe).
In RTSS, go to its options and check if it has "Start with Windows" enabled and that it is not in blocked startup mode. Some settings or policies may prevent it from autostarting.Also check if your antivirus or Windows Controlled Folder Protection is blocking it from running.
Another point: the RTSS overlay may remain hidden if the OSD is not enabled in Afterburner. Go to Settings > Monitoring tab and On-Screen Display tab. activate the elements you want to display and assign a hotkey to toggle the OSD. Without the OSD active, RTSS may run, but you won't notice it.
Conflicts with other overlays (Steam, GeForce Experience, Xbox Game Bar) may prevent the OSD from appearing or the process from continuing. Temporarily disable those overlays to rule out interference. If none of this works, reinstall RTSS (version 4.6.2 is compatible with Afterburner 7.2.3) and check that the RTSS.exe process appears in Task Manager.
Correct use of the Windows icon, minimize and close
The Afterburner interface includes an icon of the Windows logo in the upper right area. When it's blue, it indicates the program will start with Windows. If that's your goal, leave it enabled and, instead of closing with the X, press minimize so it "lives" in the tray.
If you close with the X, Afterburner turns off completely. This does not prevent it from running again the next time you boot the system. If the icon is enabled, the startup mechanism will still be there. Therefore, if you want to prevent it from running, disable the icon and disable the startup mechanism from Settings or Task Scheduler.
Good practices: avoiding conflicts and maintaining stability
Don't mix overclocking tools. If you use Afterburner, Avoid activating MSI Center modules that touch the GPU (as "User Scenario"). Running two tuning logics on the same graphics card at startup often results in overlapping values or strange behavior.
Save your profiles in Afterburner and activate only what you need at startup. For profiles that require constant monitoring (fan curve, OSD), leave the program in the background. For static overclocks, consider silent boot without an interface.
If your primary goal is a strict temperature limit, observe the actual behavior of your GPU. If the limit is not respected until you open Afterburner, assume you need the resident process and enable it with minimized startup. Not all parameters persist equally across all models or drivers.
On systems with aggressive UAC or corporate policies, set the Afterburner scheduled task to "Run with highest privileges." This prevents silent crashes at startup. that leave you without the program despite having everything marked.
Rapid diagnosis, from less to more
If Afterburner opens by itself or doesn't start when it should, follow this logical order. It will save you time and random testing:
- MSI Center: Disables or uninstalls the “User Scenario” module if present.
- Afterburner: Check the Windows icon (blue = active) and the Start with Windows / Minimized settings.
- Task Scheduler: Checks the existence of the task “MSIAfterburner.exe /s”, its status and permissions.
- Windows Start: Look at Task Manager > Startup and the shell:startup folder for any remaining shortcuts.
- RTSS: Verify that RTSS.exe is running, the OSD is enabled, and that there are no conflicting overlays.
- clean reinstall: If the weirdness persists, reinstall Afterburner + RTSS, and reconfigure from scratch.
As you can see, the key is to separate the scenarios: When it starts by itself accidentally, there is usually another module in chargeWhen it doesn't start even though it should, it's usually due to a setting or a task that isn't running under the correct conditions. Master the Windows icon in the interface, remember to minimize it to keep it resident, control the Task Scheduler, and avoid mixing in utilities that compete for the GPU. With these four pillars, Afterburner will behave exactly the way you want it to every time you start it.
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