> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.conductor.is/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Ensure QuickBooks Desktop opens after reboot and Windows sign-in

> Keep QuickBooks Desktop ready after a reboot and Windows sign-in so Web Connector syncs faster.

<Info>
  This guide is provided by Conductor, the service that powers the QuickBooks
  Desktop integration for many business tools, including the one that sent you
  here.
</Info>

Keeping QuickBooks Desktop open 24/7 dramatically reduces sync times because the Web Connector no longer has to launch and close QuickBooks for every sync. This is essential on any machine that runs your connection, especially a shared Windows Server that hosts the company file, so that the computer returns to the optimal state after a restart, once a Windows user signs in.

<Info>
  The Windows computer must be powered on, online, and signed in to the user
  that runs QuickBooks Desktop and the Web Connector. For unattended reboots,
  ask your IT team to **configure that Windows user to sign in automatically**;
  otherwise, the computer can get stuck at the Windows sign-in screen.
</Info>

By default, the Web Connector already relaunches after reboot once you sign in to Windows. If it ever fails to do so, follow our [Web Connector reboot and Windows sign-in guide](/help/guides/ensure-web-connector-opens-at-startup) to diagnose and fix that first.

<Warning>
  **Important:** You should always leave QuickBooks Desktop running on the computer that hosts your Web Connector connection. There is no downside to keeping QuickBooks Desktop open: it keeps syncs fast and avoids the wear-and-tear of repeated launches.

  If you cannot stay signed in to the company file (for example, to avoid occupying a QuickBooks Desktop seat or blocking Single-user Mode elsewhere), you can leave QuickBooks open at the "No Company Open" screen, and QuickBooks will sign in and out automatically during each sync.
</Warning>

## Ensure QuickBooks Desktop opens after reboot and Windows sign-in

Most Windows PCs will launch QuickBooks Desktop after reboot once you sign in, as long as a shortcut to `QBW32.exe` lives in that Windows user's `Startup` folder. Follow the steps below so QuickBooks Desktop launches automatically after the computer restarts and the Windows user signs in.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign in with the Windows user that runs the connection">
    Make sure you are logged in to Windows with the user that should run QuickBooks Desktop and the Web Connector. If you are unsure which user to use, ask your IT team.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the Startup folder">
    Press `Win + R`, type `shell:startup`, and press **Enter**. File Explorer opens to:

    `%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup`

    Anything you place here launches automatically whenever this computer starts and this Windows user signs in.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Locate QuickBooks Desktop">
    Click **Start**, type "QuickBooks Desktop", then right-click the QuickBooks Desktop search result and choose **Open file location**. In the window that opens, right-click the QuickBooks Desktop shortcut again and choose **Open file location** so File Explorer jumps to the actual `QBW32.exe` program file.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create the startup shortcut">
    Right-click and hold `QBW32.exe`, drag it into the `Startup` folder you opened earlier, and release the mouse. Choose **Create shortcuts here** from the context menu to add a shortcut in the Startup folder.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Restart, sign in, and confirm">
    Restart the computer, sign in to Windows with the same user, and wait for QuickBooks Desktop to start automatically. Confirm it by opening **Task Manager → Details** and checking that `QBW32.exe` is running.
  </Step>
</Steps>

With these steps, QuickBooks Desktop will relaunch after reboot once the Windows user signs in, keeping the Web Connector connection fast and reliable. For the rest of the recommended setup, see our [ideal QuickBooks Desktop setup guide](/help/guides/ideal-qbd-setup).


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