Use Electron's native loginItem API for start-at-login instead of the auto-launch package#33999
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hayaksi1 wants to merge 1 commit into
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Use Electron's native loginItem API for start-at-login instead of the auto-launch package#33999hayaksi1 wants to merge 1 commit into
hayaksi1 wants to merge 1 commit into
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… auto-launch package The auto-launch npm package failed to actually launch the app at login on macOS — its LaunchAgent plist path resolution for .app bundles is fragile and isn't refreshed across app updates — while still reporting the option as enabled, so "start at login" appeared to work but didn't (element-hq#32303). It is also unmaintained and required a local @types/auto-launch patch. Replace it with Electron's built-in app.setLoginItemSettings / app.getLoginItemSettings. On Windows the login item points at the stable Squirrel Update.exe (--processStart) rather than the versioned executable so it survives updates; openAsHidden / --hidden carry the start-minimised preference. The public AutoLaunch API (getState / setState / AutoLaunchState) is unchanged, so callers are unaffected. Drops the auto-launch dependency, its @types/auto-launch devDependency, and the associated patch.
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Problem
The
auto-launchnpm package failed to actually launch the app at login on macOS — itsLaunchAgent plist path resolution for
.appbundles is fragile and isn't refreshed across appupdates — while still reporting the option as enabled. So "start at login" looked like it worked
but didn't (#32303). The package is also unmaintained and required a local
@types/auto-launchpatch to build.
Fix
Replace
auto-launchwith Electron's built-inapp.setLoginItemSettings/app.getLoginItemSettings:openAtLogin, withopenAsHidden/--hiddencarrying the start-minimisedpreference.
Update.exe(--processStart)instead of the versioned executable, so it survives app updates.
The public
AutoLaunchAPI (getState/setState/AutoLaunchState) is unchanged, so callersare unaffected. This also lets us drop the
auto-launchdependency, the@types/auto-launchdevDependency, and the
patches/@types__auto-launch.patchworkaround.Tests
auto-launch.test.ts(Vitest, 6 passing) covers the state matrix (disabled / enabled / minimised)and the platform-specific
setLoginItemSettingsoptions for Windows vs macOS/Linux.Fixes #32303
Notes: Fixes "start at login" silently not working on macOS by using Electron's native loginItem API instead of the unmaintained auto-launch package.
Checklist
public/exportedsymbols have accurate TSDoc documentation.