Overview
The launch_at_startup package enables Flutter desktop applications to automatically start when the user logs in on macOS, Windows, or Linux. It provides a simple API to check, enable, or disable auto-launch behavior across platforms. This is particularly useful for apps that need to run continuously in the background, such as system monitors, notification tools, or productivity utilities. The plugin integrates seamlessly with Flutter's desktop support and requires no native code changes. It leverages platform-specific mechanisms to manage startup entries reliably.
Use cases
- Background monitoring apps
- System utility tools
- Notification services
- Auto-starting productivity apps
- Persistent desktop applications
Key features
- Cross-platform startup control
- Simple enable/disable API
- Platform-specific implementation
- No native code required
- Supports macOS, Windows, and Linux
Suitable for
- Desktop apps needing auto-launch
- System-level utilities
- Apps requiring persistent presence
- Developers targeting multiple desktop OSes
- Tools that run without manual user intervention
Considerations
- Requires user permission on some systems
- May conflict with other auto-start apps
- Behavior varies slightly by OS
- Not suitable for mobile apps
- User may need to manually enable in system settings