Stop Meta PC app running at startup

This question gets asked a zillion times on this forum and on Reddit.  The simplest fix is to go to your window search and enter Services.  Then scroll down to the oculus runtime services, right click on it, select Stop, then properties, and change the startup to Manual.

Next time you restart your PC the oculus runtime and its associated services won’t be running.  If you need to run these just use task manager services, scroll down to oculus runtime services, right click on it, and select Start.

I actually do all this automatically using the Oculus Tray Tool and if you do a bit of googling you’ll find user bat files that also allow you to turn these on/off.

Anyway, I hope this helps.  Cheers 

I found a s*h*i*t*t*y solution.

1 - Go to the start menu shortcut: (In my case it was here)

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Meta Quest Link

2 - Right click on the shortcut - Meta Quest Link, and select Properties.

3 - In the shortcut tab, set Run to minimised then click OK.

Now after a restart, it should no longer pop up.

These steps must be run after every oculus software update.

Once they find out we have this solution they will try and find a way to block it, so it can be used in the meantime.

Easiest way to stop it from starting up on pc start is to launch services Either typing services in search bar or (Windows Key + R) typing in services and then hit OK, find Oculus 

and change the option from automatic to manual start-up. If it's already running and you do not want it to be running, you can stop it from here also.

On my system the service normally starts when I first launch the Meta Link App during the "Check the status of you Meta Quest App" phase. Usually takes longer the first time I launch because the pause for the service to start.

At least in my case, no need to start it with the Debug Tool first.

Both Oculus services set to Manual startup.

I can't believe there's 7 pages, and not one answer.

To disable it from startup, click your start menu and search for Services, look for Oculus VR Runtime Service, right click or double click it, a window opens up. In this window, you will see Startup Type, set it to Manual (if you disable it, the app may not open.)

You can use this method for almost any app you don't see in your task manager.

Meta, you know EXACTLY what you're doing. Please respect your customers and stop INTENTIONALLY removing key functionality from your software.

This is not a bug. This is spyware.

There is a Microsoft app you can download called Autoruns. Search google for it. Download and run Autoruns64.exe as an administrator. Use the search bar in the top of the app and search for Oculus. Uncheck each entry. 

Hello there, I'm brand new to VR, only had my headset a few days. I have found the Meta Quest Link app quite annoying in many ways, and this auto startup issue was definitely of them!

Curiously, I have two computers, an HP OMEN desktop and a laptop of the same brand, and the MQLink app only did the auto-launch-on-startup thing on the desktop, the laptop hasn't exhibited this phenomenon.

Anyway, in the end I did find EuroCan's solution solved the issue, however I think their instructions could have been a little clearer. So I've re-iterated them here, and included some screenshots.

1. Assuming you have a shortcut to the Meta Link Quest app on your Start Menu, if you right click that shortcut, and select "Open File Location" it should take you to the Start Menu folder where the shortcut is stored.
For me it's at this address:
"C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\0ptional Programs\Meta Quest Link"
(Note: "0ptional Programs" is a custom folder I created myself, you will probably find the folder one level up, at something like:
"C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Meta Quest Link")

2. Right clicking on the shortcut should tell you where the program launches from, for me it directs to here:
"C:\Program Files\Oculus\Support\oculus-client\OculusClient.exe"
However, you don't really need that info. Just set that File Explorer window to the side.

3. Open your "Run" function however you like best (Win+R being a favourite) and enter "shell:startup" into it. Or just navigate to:
"C:\Users\[Administrator]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"
(Replace [Administrator] with your account username as necessary.)

[Please note that:
"C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu"
and
"C:\Users\[Administrator]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu"
are different folders. Don't get them confused.]

4. Right click the Meta Quest Link shortcut in your Start Menu, select copy, then paste it into the "Startup" folder.

5. Open "Settings" navigate to "Apps (Uninstall, defaults)" and on the bottom at the left is  the "Startup" menu.

6. You should now see "OculusClient.exe" listed, with the "on/off" toggle available. Toggle it off.

7. Restart your computer.

8. Be at peace, until the next update screws everything up again.