Windows
Linux
Services & Processes
Services
Windows wmic startup / msconfig Startup equivalent in Linux
Shows all services and programs configured to start automatically when the system boots.
Windows
→
wmic startup / msconfig Startup
Linux equivalents
systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled
systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled
systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled
Overview
What this command does
Shows all services and programs configured to start automatically when the system boots.
Migration tip: Desktop autostart apps (visible in your session after login) are managed separately in
~/.config/autostart/ and /etc/xdg/autostart/.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
systemd commands are mostly distribution-neutral, but package names and service unit names can differ.
| 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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