AutoRun feature in Windows 10 controls what actions the system takes when a CD drive is inserted or USB drive is mounted in your computer. The instructions are saved in autorun.inf file in root directory of the storage media.
AutoPlay is another feature which is part of AutoRun feature and instead of running installation program, it prompts user to play videos, pictures or music in the default applications defined for the file type in Windows settings.
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If the AutoRun feature annoys you, you can disable AutoRun features by making changes in your Windows settings, Registry Settings, and the Local Group Policy Editor.
Disable Autoplay Using Windows 10 Settings
The easiest way to disable the AutoPlay in Windows 10 is through Windows settings.
Firstly, click on Windows icon and choose Settings
From the Settings menu select Devices
Then, choose Autoplay from the left panel.
Toggle the switch to Turn off the Autoplay
Now, you can toggle it again to turn it on.
Disable the AutoRun Feature using Registry Setting
The following table shows the values which control which drive will have AutoRun disabled for:
1 | drives of unknown type |
4 | removable drives |
8 | fixed drives |
10 | network drives |
20 | CD-ROM drives |
40 | RAM disks |
80 | drives of unknown type |
FF | all kinds of drives |
To disable AutoRun for multiple drives, just add their corresponding values. For example, if you want to disable AutoRun for removable and fixed drives, you add 4 and 8. Thus, set the value to 12.
Note: Backup your registry keys before moving further, so that you can restore them in case of any failure.
1. Open Registry Editor by pressing Windows + R key combination, type in regedit and press Enter.
2. If prompted by UAC, click on Yes to continue.
3. Now, go to
\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
4. If the above key doesn’t exist, create it.
5. In right-side pane, look for and create a new DWORD value if not exist NoDriveTypeAutorun and set the value as described in above table.
6. Lastly, close Registry Editor and restart your system
Disable AutoPlay using Group Policy Editor
Another method to disable Autoplay or Autorun is using the Group Policy Editor. However, this method does not apply to the Home version of Windows 10 since Group Policy Editor is unavailable on it.
- In the Windows search bar or the Run Command Box, type gpedit to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
- Under Computer Configuration, navigate to Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> AutoPlay Policies.
- Then, on the right-hand side under the Settings double-click on Turn off Autoplay.
- Finally, click on Enabled bullet option and Apply & OK
Disable the AutoRun in WIndows 10 FAQS
To stop Windows 10 from automatically opening USB, you have to disable the AutoPlay feature of the Windows 10. For that follow any of the methods explained in this guide.
NO, normally autorun.inf is not a virus or malware. It contains the information of what action to be taken whenever a CD/DVD or a USB drive is detected in a system.
0x4 + 0x8 = 0xC