Windows wmic startup / msconfig Startup equivalent in Linux
Shows all services and programs configured to start automatically when the system boots.
wmic startup / msconfig Startup
systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled
systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled
systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "wmic startup / msconfig Startup" is used to list programs set to run at startup. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled". Shows all services and programs configured to start automatically when the system boots. This reference is grouped under Services & Processes → Services.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows wmic startup / msconfig Startup maps to systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled for this task. Treat this as a workflow mapping rather than a character-for-character syntax translation.
Portable across the compared distros
The Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch rows use the same command in this mapping. Package availability or defaults can still vary, so check the installed tool version when an option behaves differently.
For the broader concept behind this mapping, read Linux services and processes.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
List programs set to run at startup
Shows all services and programs configured to start automatically when the system boots.
systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled
All enabled system services
ls ~/.config/autostart/
User desktop autostart apps
ls /etc/xdg/autostart/
System desktop autostart apps
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled
ls ~/.config/autostart/
sudo systemctl disable snapd.service
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows: wmic startup get caption,command
# Enabled system services:
systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled
# Desktop apps that start on login:
ls ~/.config/autostart/
# Disable a slow startup service:
sudo systemctl disable snapd.serviceReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled | All enabled system services |
ls ~/.config/autostart/ | User desktop autostart apps |
ls /etc/xdg/autostart/ | System desktop autostart apps |
systemctl is-enabled servicename | Check if a specific service is enabled |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
The command "systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled" is the same in all three rows, while package or base details differ: Debian/Ubuntu uses apt + systemd; Fedora uses dnf + systemd; Arch uses pacman + systemd.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | apt + systemd | systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled |
Same systemctl/journalctl syntax on systemd-based Debian and Ubuntu systems. |
| Fedora | dnf + systemd | systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled |
Same command syntax; service names can differ by package. |
| Arch | pacman + systemd | systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled |
Same command syntax; enable services explicitly after package installation. |
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