Before diving into the differences between Autoruns 64 and Autoruns 64a, let's take a brief look at what Autoruns is and how it works. Autoruns is a free utility that provides a detailed view of all programs and services that are set to run at startup on a Windows system. It scans the registry, file system, and other system areas to gather information about all startup entries, including:
: The 32-bit (x86) version, which usually auto-launches the 64-bit version on compatible systems. autorunsc.exe autorunsc64.exe : Command-line versions used for scripting and automation. Microsoft Learn Which one should you use? For almost all standard users, autoruns64.exe
Windows on ARM has introduced a few new ASEPs specific to ARM64 ecosystem components (e.g., certain type of scheduled tasks for ARM64-optimized background apps). An emulated x64 Autoruns might not enumerate these correctly because the COM object interfaces for those tasks may not be fully emulated.
To ensure compatibility and optimal performance on all systems, Microsoft provides dedicated executables for each of these architectures.
The core distinction is target processor architecture: , whereas autoruns64a.exe is compiled specifically for 64-bit ARM-based processors (ARM64) . Deciphering the Sysinternals Naming Convention autoruns 64 vs autoruns 64a
If you attempt to open the ARM version on a standard Intel or AMD workstation, Windows will fail to interpret the binary instructions. You will typically receive a system popup saying or an error asserting that the file is not a valid Win32 application. Running autoruns64.exe on an ARM64 Device
Run this on any standard Windows 10/11 system running on Intel or AMD hardware. What is Autoruns64a.exe?
Download the full Autoruns Suite from Microsoft, then just launch the correct file for your hardware. All versions have identical features.
The differences between Autoruns 64 and Autoruns 64a have practical implications: Before diving into the differences between Autoruns 64
Most modern Windows 10/11 laptops and desktops powered by Intel Core or AMD Ryzen/Radeon processors.
The "c" denotes the Console/Command Line interface version. These lack a GUI entirely and output pure text or CSV data directly to the command prompt or terminal window, making them ideal for automated administration scripts. Why Using the Correct Architecture Matters
| Feature | Autoruns 64 (x64) | Autoruns 64a (ARM64) | |---------|------------------|----------------------| | | AMD64 / Intel 64 | ARM64 (e.g., Snapdragon) | | Runs on x64 Windows | ✅ Native, best performance | ❌ Won’t start (invalid image) | | Runs on ARM64 Windows | ✅ Via emulation (Prism) | ✅ Native, no emulation | | Registry/WOW64 access | Full native x64 registry view | Full native ARM64 registry view | | Driver scanning | Sees x64 kernel drivers | Sees ARM64 kernel drivers | | Memory footprint | ~3–4 MB | ~2.5–3 MB | | Startup speed (ARM64 host) | ~1.2 seconds (emulated) | ~0.6 seconds (native) |
If you are using an ARM64 device, using will ensure you have the full picture of your startup configuration. autorunsc
Can you run autoruns64.exe on an ARM64 device? Yes, thanks to Windows 11's built-in x64 emulation. However, doing so introduces several disadvantages compared to using the native autoruns64a.exe :
Download fresh copies from live.sysinternals.com/autoruns64.exe and live.sysinternals.com/autoruns64a.exe . These are always the latest versions.
: The 64-bit (x64) graphical interface version optimized for standard Intel and AMD systems.