How-To Geek
Disable AutoPlay in Windows Vista
Windows Vista’s AutoPlay options are a great improvement over Windows XP in terms of flexibility, but unfortunately there are so many options that it can be confusing, especially since there’s no specific mention of USB Flash drives in the options.
Open your Control Panel, and then click on “Play CDs or other media automatically” to open the AutoPlay dialog.
Disable AutoPlay Globally
The quickest way to disable AutoPlay entirely is to just uncheck the box for “Use AutoPlay for all media and devices”, which should usually work.
Disable for a Single Type
You can choose a setting in the drop-down menu for a single type of drive, for instance Audio CD in this example. For this to work you’ll have to make sure to keep the global autoplay option on, and then choose the specific setting in the drop-down.
Disable for just Removable (flash) Drives
The problem here is that while there are settings for Audio CDs and DVDs, there’s nothing specifically for USB flash drives. Windows will determine the drive type based on the content it finds on the flash drive itself, so that’s what we’ll need to change.
In order to disable AutoPlay for the removable drives, you should change all of the following to Take no action: Software and games, Pictures, Video files, Audio files, and Mixed content.
Disable Through Group Policy
A number of readers have written in complaining that the option to disable autoplay isn’t working for them, so if you’d like to disable it entirely you can use the Group Policy editor on the Business and Ultimate versions of Vista.
Open up gpedit.msc through the start menu search box, browse to Windows Components \ AutoPlay Policies, and change the value of “Turn off Autoplay” to enabled.
You can choose whether to disable for just removable devices, or entirely. I’m not sure if that makes any sense, however.
Disable with Registry Hack
The Group Policy editor is not available on Windows Vista Home editions, so I’ve also included the registry tweak to disable AutoPlay entirely.
Download and unzip this registry hack and then double-click on the appropriate file.
- DisableAutoPlay.reg will disable autoplay entirely.
- DisableAutoPlayRemovable.reg will disable autoplay on removable devices.
Hopefully all your AutoPlay questions are now answered!
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Comments (21)
Programmer by day, geek by night, The Geek, also known as Lowell Heddings, spends all his free time bringing you fresh geekery on a daily basis. You can follow him on Google+ if you'd like.
- Published 08/18/07
I have Vista Ultimate. My Group Policy Object Editor does not have a folder headed “Windows Components”. I have one called “Windows Settings” but it is nothing like whats displayed in your above picture.
Thanks for these informations!
I want to know how to disable auto play in windows xp.
how about the opposite..I wouldlike to enable the entire autoplay..in my current settings I already enabledor checked the box ‘use Autoplay for all media devices’ however my autoplay is not working either..by the way I’m using vista home premium..any suggestions?
same problem here Davie… any suggestions ??
You also disable the Service via Computer Management
Service – Shell Hardware Detection
Disable/Enable – Enable
Description of Service – Provides AutoPlay notifications.
Notes: – Disabling this service will keep CD-ROMS/DVD-ROMS and other such devices from automatically working.
thnks but as I had checked my Service – Shell Hardware Detection, it is enabled however how come
my autoplay still not working?..kindly help me up guys..I still prefer my autoplay is working than it is not…any input will be appreciated
Registry hack; DisableAutoPlayRemovable.reg no longer work in vista sp1
Hi,
How do I add software programs in Autoplay? I wanted to add more options to Autoplay but only see windows applications. Isn’t there a way to increase the programs that autoplay shows in each group?
Hi, I’ve got Vista Home Basic and I’ve downloaded and executed your registry hack and ran both of the files but my USB devices still autoplay when plugged in. Can you tell me what could be the problem? cheers, Christy
@Davie
To enable AutoRun/AutoPlay
Modifying HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer to 91 (hex) worked for me.
In Vista Home Premium I have, there is no “Hardware and Sound” icon or any other icon that produces the screenshots you show.
Disabling AutoPlay in Vista Home Premium fixed a long – running problem with explorer.exe that caused any active window to pulse (or flicker)every second or so. It was very annoying.
@Spacegold: It sounds like you have the classic control panel view turned on. For the classic view just double click the Autoplay icon to get to the options this article shows.
I have a slightly different issue/request. I have disabled all autorun on my computer, using the autorun control panel. My philosophy is similar to firewall best practices. Block everything, and then enable what you actually need only. Well, I need for either a particular USB flashdrive to autorun, or all usb flashdrives to autorun. I have a usb logon key that apparently requires it. It worked fine before I disabled autorun. Trouble is, I see no way to only enable for USB flashdrives. In the control panel you can enable or disable based on content, rather than source. This does make sense, but it shouldn’t leave out the possibility to specify that on a per device level. You can enable for “Software and Games”… this would work but is the most dangerous of all!
Didn’t fix my problem – vista 64 ultimate. I suspect that after installing Core Paintshop Pro X2, it’s screwed my autoplay (problems happened at about the same time). Autoplay is turned on in the control panel, Vista recognises the CD/DVD etc. The service is started (I restarted it to force things) and registry keys look fine to me. So does group policy.
Kaptan – “Modifying HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer to 91 (hex) worked for me.”
I have several sub options in this folder, am I assigning the code change to one of them, or to the parent folder?
Dave
I want to do the same thing as Davie. I’m using Vista Home Premium.
I want to enable my autoplay, but the “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer” is not there!
I can get to “Policies” in Registry Editor, but it only has “Attachments” “NonEnum” and “System”. And my “Software” is in all Caps.
Is that bad? I don’t know what to do!
Autoplay is enabled in control panel.
Autoplay will appear for my Samsung mp3 player (YP-U3) but not my USB (4gb) or my External Hard drive USB.
Any suggestions????
many thanks, Em.
KAPTAN
excellent advice, after three days of struggling through different forums and downloading numerous useless registry fix programs, your advice did it for me. I owe you a beer.
Hi everyone!
First of all, I just want to joint with you.
And next time I’ll have something to share.
Thanks!
Ty Ung.
Thank you so much for your showing me “how to disable auto play in vista”.
It is importance to protect virus from auto run group…
Thanks Michel Bernier
That was a big help.
Enabled Service -> Shell Hardware Detection
and auto-play is working again.. yay..
can anyone please tell me how to enable the autoplay option for windows 7?
i have windows 7 home premium and even after enabling autoplay option in hardware and sound, i still don’t see the dialog box asking me what action to take wheneven i connect my external hard disk, usb or insert a disk in my superdrive.
it will be a load of help