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Automatically run Synergy 1 or Synergy 3 on start-up

Updated

Written for Synergy 3 (v3.7.2) and Synergy 1 (v1.21.4), checked 3 October 2026.

Synergy 3

Synergy 3 starts automatically when you log in, with no setup needed. If it isn't running after you log in, contact our support team.

To use Synergy 3 on the login screen too, before anyone logs in, go to Local settings and turn on Run on the login screen. This is available on Windows and macOS. It isn't available on Linux, which doesn't let apps control the login screen.

On macOS, FileVault can stop Synergy 3 starting at the login screen. For the details, see: How to run Synergy 3 at login on macOS

Synergy 1

Synergy 1 starts sharing as soon as it opens, as long as it was running when it last closed. So to have it connect after every restart, make sure it opens at start-up and leave it running when you shut down.

Windows

The background service starts Synergy 1 for you when the computer starts, as long as it was running when you shut down. Check that it's turned on:

  1. Open Synergy 1 and go to Edit > Preferences.
  2. On the Advanced tab, check Use background service (daemon) (it's on by default).
  3. To also control the login screen and UAC prompts, check Always run as system (work at login screen and UAC).
  4. Click Save.

macOS and Linux

  1. Add Synergy 1 to your login items: macOS or Linux.
  2. Optionally, keep the window out of the way: go to Preferences (on macOS, in the Synergy menu; on Linux, Edit > Preferences), and on the Window tab, under When the application starts, choose Send to background. Click Save.

For the connection to come back by itself

  1. Give both computers a static IP address, so the address set in Synergy 1 doesn't change each time a computer restarts.
  2. Keep the computers on the same network. If you move either computer to a different location, you will need to reconfigure Synergy 1.
  3. Don't have a VPN connection active.

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