Program that opens programs, windows like they were before the reboot?

Is there a program that, after a reboot, starts all programs that were previously started, reopens all windows, positioned as they were before. So that restores the exact state it was in before the reboot? So does the same thing that hibernation does?

I don't know of a program to do that after a reboot, but (as you stated) your system state will be preserved when using sleep and hibernate modes during those times that they will suffice instead of a reboot.

I am a hobbyist programmer and the functionality that you are looking for is certainly possible, but the ~ 20 hours of development and testing it would take for me to build such an application is not possible right now.

Okey, thank you very much!

Sounds a lot like Mac OS or Linux is doing. Unless you need to change hardware between restarts, use Hibernation. I have an IDE+SATA to PCIe card in order to connect my older ATAPI (IDE) DVD-RW drives to my current computer (see 2nd system specs). Occasionally I need to connect a USB 3.0 to PCIe card, but there is no room. So I have to take out the IDE+SATA card to put the USB 3.0 card. I hate that I have to close all the running applications and open them again. Hibernation cannot be used in this case. Thankfully this card exchange is done once a week.

Unless you need to change hardware between restarts, use Hibernation.

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Well, after a few times or less hibernation the system runs worse than it does generally anyway, more problems occur. That's why a program doing such would be great.

If you want specific applications to load with Windows, put them in Startup, although it can slow down the system if you open too many every time.

Well, yes, I use a program to do that. But Startup and such kind of programs just .open the programs, not the windows / files being opened in the last session.

You can restore File Explorer windows from the last session in File Explorer Options.
Select/check File Explorer Options > View Tab > Restore previous folder windows at log-on

That is it.

Thank you. But I do not use the Win File Explorer.

He wants to open all the applications he had open before restart and each application to have open the last file it had open before closing. Much like hibernation. Why don't you just do a hibernation? It saves memory state to disk, powers off the computer and waits until you boot it again. Even if you remove the power for several days, your state is safely stored on disk. Upon booting, Windows checks if there are hibernating data on disk. If they aren't, it starts normally, otherwise it loads these data to memory and it is exactly like you left it before switching off. With all applications open and all files loaded in each application. Exactly what you are trying to accomplish. One known bug is that some wireless card lose connection. To fix it simply enable flight mode and then disable it.

Yes, yes, may be you missed that:

Well, after a few times or less hibernation the system runs worse than it does generally anyway, more problems occur. That's why a program doing such would be great.

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For apps that cannot be reopened automatically in this manner, try using the UI Automation capabilities of Microsoft Power Automate Desktop (PAD). It has an option that lets you record new Flows (somewhat similar to the Macro Recorder of Windows 3.0, but different...) that you can edit, either by using the built-in editing features or manually (e.g. by selecting Actions of a Flow and copy-pasting them to/from Notepad). You'd have to experiment, but the good news is that Power Automate Desktop is intuitive enough that you don't need any real programming skills to be able to learn how to use it. It is based on the former WinAutomation (that I had been using since the old Windows XP days...) by a company named Softomotive, a company that was acquired by Microsoft in 2020. There also exists a free version of Power Automate Desktop, available here:

Thank you very much for the links, program.


I am surprised by this statement (Reopen apps after Windows startup):

But on the second Tuesday of each month, at the latest, Windows updates, and thus, a reboot is due.

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A restart is much sooner, maybe even after only a few days necessary here (is it just me? Cannot imagine actually), since Win often or rather almost always does not run reasonably after some hibernations, it becomes slowly very quickly, some problems accumulates (which were eliminated by a restart).

I guess I do not use a single Win / Microsoft program. For example Firefox is not a problem, it automatically restores the last session. I assume it just is not possible to completely restore programs like Scriver, which can have different projects open and for each project have different windows with different positions / sizes. But may be with such record macro option...

Anyway, I will try Automate your desktop, many thanks again.

Donk said:

, since Win often or rather almost always does not run reasonably after some hibernations, it becomes slowly very quickly, some problems accumulates (which were eliminated by a restart).

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This is one of those reasons why I never use hibernation, always use S3 sleep instead. Shutdown only if the computer will not be used for more than a day or I need to open it up.

Donk said:

I guess I do not use a single Win / Microsoft program. For example Firefox is not a problem, it automatically restores the last session. I assume it just is not possible to completely restore programs like Scriver, which can have different projects open and for each project have different windows with different positions / sizes. But may be with such record macro option...

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The ability to record actions (mouse + keyboard) can be especially handy for this specific kind of purpose NOT because you can play back the recorded actions per se, but because you can quickly discover/retrieve (i.e. by choosing to edit an action after it has been recorded to a new flow and/or by copy-pasting the recorded actions to Notepad like I said) the much needed selectors from these recordings. These selectors are needed to select the specific UI elements you want to automate in some certain ways (through actions, that will be a part of your desktop flow that you are attempting to build from scratch until it does exactly what you want to achieve with it) with the UI Automation actions of Power Automate Desktop.

As you can probably see for yourself, the documentation is not that hard for most people with basic level of skills to read and understand. Either way, you could still always decide to... ehh... well, join the PAC. lol

This is one of those reasons why I never use hibernation, always use S3 sleep instead. Shutdown only if the computer will not be used for more than a day or I need to open it up.

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And it is not even faster (anymore) than a full start. With the old Notebook it was, but with the Lenovo it is not anymore.

Many thanks for the links. Yes, the program is quite extensive (hadn't expected that).

The forum. This is not even that small (for such a program).

By the way, it is not only inconvenient to restore the previous session, but also to close some programs (which should not be closed simply by shutting down Windows) one by one in order not to lose data.