# Can't auto start apps on scratchpads

**URL:** <http://forum.hypr.land/t/cant-auto-start-apps-on-scratchpads/1155>\
**Category:** Bugs / FRs / Support\
**Tags:** question, hyprland, config\
**Created:** [November 29, 2025, 2:13pm UTC](http://forum.hypr.land/t/cant-auto-start-apps-on-scratchpads/1155 "2025-11-29T14:13:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![korobert](http://forum.hypr.land/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/5e9695/32.png) [@korobert](http://forum.hypr.land/u/korobert)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2025, 2:13pm UTC](http://forum.hypr.land/t/cant-auto-start-apps-on-scratchpads/1155/1 "2025-11-29T14:13:47Z")

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> **Hyprland version**
>
> ```auto
> ~ ❯ hyprctl version
> Hyprland 0.52.1 built from branch v0.52.1 at commit 967c3c7404d4fa00234e29c70df3e263386d2597 clean (version: bump to 0.52.1).
> Date: Sun Nov 9 23:31:36 2025
> Tag: v0.52.1, commits: 6564
> 
> Libraries:
> Hyprgraphics: built against 0.3.0, system has 0.3.0
> Hyprutils: built against 0.10.2, system has 0.10.2
> Hyprcursor: built against 0.1.13, system has 0.1.13
> Hyprlang: built against 0.6.3, system has 0.6.6
> Aquamarine: built against 0.9.5, system has 0.9.5
> 
> no flags were set
> 
> ```

Hi.

My system is latest Omarchy;  
I try set to auto start few apps on the scratchpads, but never works properly. Usually 1 app open on the right scratchpad the rest just goes to workspace 2. I tried several solution, but still not works. I can’t find any solution in the hyprland wiki or just i cant understand, and even grok can’t give me the right settings.

here is my conf:

> **autostart.conf**
>
> #Extra autostart processes  
> #exec-once = uwsm-app – my-service
> 
> #KDEconnect:
> 
> exec-once = /usr/bin/kdeconnectd&!  
> exec-once = /usr/bin/kdeconnect-indicator&!
> 
> #Focus monitor
> 
> exec-once = hyprctl dispatcher focusmonitor 1
> 
> #auto start apps
> 
> #exec-once = [workspace 2 silent]doublecmd  
> exec-once = [workspace 2 silent] $TERMINAL -e yazi  
> exec-once = [workspace 2 silent] ghostty  
> exec-once = [workspace 3 silent] brave  
> #exec-once = [workspace 1 silent] omarchy-launch-webapp “[https://grok.com](https://grok.com)”
> 
> exec-once = [workspace special:signal silent] signal-desktop  
> exec-once = [workspace special:email silent] omarchy-launch-webapp “[Proton Mail](https://mail.proton.me/u/0/inbox%E2%80%9D)  
> exec-once = [workspace special:email silent] omarchy-launch-webapp “[Proton Mail](https://mail.proton.me/u/1/inbox%E2%80%9D)  
> exec-once = [workspace special:grok silent] omarchy-launch-webapp “[https://grok.com](https://grok.com)”
> 
> #exec-once = hyprpm reload
> 
> #Auto connect proton vpn  
> #exec-once = /home/korobert/.config/waybar/scripts/vpn-toggle.sh

Thank you for any help.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vaxry](http://forum.hypr.land/user_avatar/forum.hypr.land/vaxry/32/3_2.png) [@vaxry](http://forum.hypr.land/u/vaxry)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2025, 11:24pm UTC](http://forum.hypr.land/t/cant-auto-start-apps-on-scratchpads/1155/2 "2025-11-29T23:24:17Z")

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on current latest git exec rules only work if the process never forks, browsers almost always do. In the next release, this will be fixed, but it still won’t make server-style apps work because that’s impossible to do (e.g. an app that doesn’t launch itself a new window, but says “oh it’s already running” and asks a different process to open a window)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![korobert](http://forum.hypr.land/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/5e9695/32.png) [@korobert](http://forum.hypr.land/u/korobert)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2025, 12:49pm UTC](http://forum.hypr.land/t/cant-auto-start-apps-on-scratchpads/1155/3 "2025-11-30T12:49:28Z")

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Hi. thank you the quick answer. 👍

Also Thank You your hard work with Hyprland! It is amazing!  
I am working in IT ( unfortunately not coding ) but i still live to use it!  
Thank you!