PowerPoint (M365) launches itself in the background about 10 minutes after I log in

Question

PowerPoint (M365) launches itself in the background about 10 minutes after I log in

David George 10

Whenever I try to shutdown my PC (Win11 23H2), it is prevented by PowerPoint - despite me not having run PowerPoint.

When I start up my PC and check running processes in task manager, PowerPoint appears in the list after the system has been on for a little while - despite me not running it, it not being included in startup apps or task scheduler, and it not displaying an icon in the system tray. I've checked the event viewer, and this information event occurred about 10 minutes after system boot:

User's image

Does anyone have any idea why PowerPoint is running?

Varant Ghougassian 40 Reputation points

2024-08-24T14:26:01.11+00:00

I came across this thread because I was having the exact same issue and it started right around May for me. It took me two months to realize that it had nothing to do with PowerPoint itself or a Microsoft Update.

My issue was a bit fringe, but I'm leaving it here in case anyone is having the same issue. I use a Streamdeck for macros and I installed the PowerPoint plugin for it. The plugin was causing the process to operate on startup and even after closing PowerPoint. After removing the plugin, PowerPoint no longer runs in the background or prevents Windows shutdown.
Roger Rhoades 0 Reputation points

2024-09-14T13:53:03.3366667+00:00

That solved my problem! Thanks!
Jiajing Hua 18,065 Reputation points Moderator

2024-09-16T00:47:54.1066667+00:00

Hi @Varant Ghougassian

Thank you for sharing, it opened our minds
Joshua Sutherland 5 Reputation points

2024-10-13T14:35:40.26+00:00

@Varant Ghougassian this issue has been plaguing me for MONTHS, if not years at this point. I couldn't for the life of me figure it out. As I sat down at my computer this morning to start working on something, PowerPoint just randomly popped up, so I started down the rabbit hole. Again.

I noticed that there actually was a PowerPoint process running, and after tracing it, found that it went back to... the Stream Deck. So glad to have found the issue, and to (hopefully) no longer have PowerPoint acting as though it has a mind of it's own.
Brian Kelly 0 Reputation points

2024-10-31T16:41:39.3766667+00:00

Thank you @Varant Ghougassian - that did the trick for me as well!

3 answers

Your answer

Varant Ghougassian 40 Reputation points

2024-08-24T14:26:01.11+00:00

I came across this thread because I was having the exact same issue and it started right around May for me. It took me two months to realize that it had nothing to do with PowerPoint itself or a Microsoft Update.

My issue was a bit fringe, but I'm leaving it here in case anyone is having the same issue. I use a Streamdeck for macros and I installed the PowerPoint plugin for it. The plugin was causing the process to operate on startup and even after closing PowerPoint. After removing the plugin, PowerPoint no longer runs in the background or prevents Windows shutdown.
Roger Rhoades 0 Reputation points

2024-09-14T13:53:03.3366667+00:00

That solved my problem! Thanks!
Jiajing Hua 18,065 Reputation points Moderator

2024-09-16T00:47:54.1066667+00:00

Hi @Varant Ghougassian

Thank you for sharing, it opened our minds
Joshua Sutherland 5 Reputation points

2024-10-13T14:35:40.26+00:00

@Varant Ghougassian this issue has been plaguing me for MONTHS, if not years at this point. I couldn't for the life of me figure it out. As I sat down at my computer this morning to start working on something, PowerPoint just randomly popped up, so I started down the rabbit hole. Again.

I noticed that there actually was a PowerPoint process running, and after tracing it, found that it went back to... the Stream Deck. So glad to have found the issue, and to (hopefully) no longer have PowerPoint acting as though it has a mind of it's own.
Brian Kelly 0 Reputation points

2024-10-31T16:41:39.3766667+00:00

Thank you @Varant Ghougassian - that did the trick for me as well!

Answer 1

Gman62 10

I had the exact same symptoms - powerpoint running in the background on shut down. Removing the streamdeck plugin solved my issue, thanks!

Answer 2

Jiajing Hua 18,065 Moderator

Hi @David George

Did you can open PowerPoint presentations or run PowerPoint properly?

Any error messages or error codes, please share with us.

Have you installed any updates to Office or Windows recently?

On June 11, both Office and Windows will have updates rolled out. KB5039212 is for Windows to update to Build 22631.3737. For Microsoft 365 Apps, such as Current Channel, the latest version is 2405 (Build 17628.20144)).

If updates were installed, it is recommended to temporarily roll back the version of Office and uninstall the Windows update.

Besides, I suggest you perform an Online-Repair for Office to have a check.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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David George 10 Reputation points

2024-06-13T09:18:13.0266667+00:00

Hi, thanks for your answer.There are no error codes that I have seen - PowerPoint just quietly loads itself in the background and then when I try to shutdown Windows tells me that PP has stopped it from doing so (in the normal way that many open apps will affect shutdown).

Office did update yesterday - but after I posted this query. Most recent Windows update was last week, but I in the beta channel with build 22635.3720. Again, this issue pre-dates that update.

I have run repair on Office 365 and the issue persists.
Jiajing Hua 18,065 Reputation points Moderator

2024-06-17T09:08:46.13+00:00

Hi @David George

Thanks for your back.

Please go to PowerPoint > Account > Manage Settings under Account Privacy, then disable optional connected experiences to have a check.

You may close all Office app:

Go to Registry Editor, locate to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\PowerPoint, then rename the PowerPoint key. (This registry key will be recreated after open PowerPoint.)

Please note: Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Before you modify it, please remember to back up the registry for restoration in case problems occur.

Here is an article about how to back up and restore the registry in Windows: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/322756

If the steps do not work, it's recommended to open a support ticket with Microsoft Support to help review your problem, such as using Process Monitor to track the activities of PowerPoint, and help you test remotely. Thanks for your understanding.
David George 10 Reputation points

2024-06-17T11:26:45.9666667+00:00

Thanks for trying to help again. I've tried both of those things and PowerPoint is still launching itself in the background!

I'll either open a support ticket or do my periodic Windows reinstall.
Jiajing Hua 18,065 Reputation points Moderator

2024-06-19T08:14:51.2133333+00:00

Hi @David George

We are also very concerned about your issue, welcome to share the outcome of the issue with us in the future.

Answer 3

You can check the following options:

Check Sign-in Options: Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and turn off the option "Use my sign-in info to automatically finish setting up my device and reopen my apps after an update or restart". This setting can sometimes cause apps to reopen after a restart.
Perform a Full Shutdown: Try performing a full shutdown by clicking on the Start menu > Power > holding down the Shift key while clicking on “Shut down”. This can sometimes resolve issues with apps preventing shutdown
Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter: This tool can help fix issues that might be causing PowerPoint to open automatically. Access it via Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Windows Update.
Check for Office Updates: Ensure that your Office suite is up to date. Sometimes, bugs in the software can cause unexpected behavior like this.
Investigate Background Processes: Since you’ve noticed an event in the Event Viewer, investigate further to see if it provides more details on why PowerPoint is starting. Look for any related errors or warnings that occur around the same time.
Safe Mode: Boot your PC in Safe Mode to see if PowerPoint still launches itself. If it doesn’t, the issue might be with a third-party application or service that’s causing PowerPoint to open.
Repair Office Installation: Use the Online Repair feature for Microsoft Office. This can fix issues with Office apps by restoring them to their default state.
Create a New User Profile: Sometimes, user profile corruption can cause strange issues. Creating a new user profile and transferring your files over can resolve these problems.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. Thank you.

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PowerPoint (M365) launches itself in the background about 10 minutes after I log in

3 answers

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