How to disable Ubisoft Connect autostart and tame its overlay in your games

¿How to disable Ubisoft Connect auto-start? If Ubisoft Connect keeps opening when it shouldn't, kicking you out of the game, or displaying annoying ads, you might want to stop it and adjust its launch and overlay. The good news is that there are direct solutions on both Windows and Steam/Proton., and you don't need fancy tools or to spend an entire afternoon setting things up. Plus, there are specific guides for playing on PC via Ubisoft Connect that can help you understand how the client integrates across different platforms.

In some recent Ubisoft titles that use Connect, the client may launch itself mid-match, regaining focus, and causing the game to minimize. Even disabling the overlay in the game, sometimes the problem persists., so let's look at methods that really work and how to apply them step by step.

Why Ubisoft Connect launches automatically and how the overlay affects it

Within the Ubisoft ecosystem, many games integrate their own Connect facility. When you run the game from Steam with Proton (Linux), that client is installed inside the game's own prefix, with its own separate settings. This explains why, even if you've changed settings in a separate version of Connect, the behavior within the prefix is ​​different.

By default, The Ubisoft Connect overlay is usually enabled.This layer can generate intrusive notifications, affect the performance of some titles, and, in specific scenarios, force window focus changes. This is what causes the feeling that Connect is "getting in the way" without permission.

If you have Ubisoft Connect installed separately on Windows, you can disable global overlay and launch options with the system. The problem on Steam/Proton is that you can't disable the overlay from the in-game overlay itself., and each prefix (each game) maintains its own settings.

It is possible to launch the Connect client within the prefix and change the settings manually, but there is a catch: The Ubisoft account within the prefix is ​​automatically associated with your Steam ID., so if you launch Connect in isolation, you might have to log in manually. Plus, with multiple games, you'll end up losing track of which ones you've touched the settings for. Before we go any further, if you're a Ubisoft fan: Ubisoft confirms a new Rayman project with Montpellier and Milan

Effective method on Steam/Proton: edit settings.yaml inside the prefix

The quickest and cleanest way to do this in Steam/Proton is to directly access the Connect configuration file that is saved in each prefix. This way you avoid starting the client, skipping logins and dealing with each game surgically., without going around in circles.

The file path is this (set the ID to the corresponding game): In each prefix you will see its own settings.yaml with Connect preferences.

.../compatdata/<GAMEID>/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/Local/Ubisoft Game Launcher/settings.yaml Make sure to replace by the corresponding game ID

Open the file with your favorite text editor. Inside you will find different configuration keys Ubisoft Connect, including those related to overlap and notifications. We don't need to touch everything; we'll focus on what we need to stop overlap.

Locate the overlay section and its activation flag. Look for an entry like this (be careful with the bleeding):

overlay:
  enabled: true

Now change the value to false respecting the structure exactly. Indentation in YAML matters; don't move spaces or tabs to avoid reading errors by Connect.

overlay:
  enabled: false

Save the file. The next time you start the game, the overlay should not load.When you launch the title, you may see a prompt asking if you really want to disable the overlay, as some social features are limited.

What is lost? Mainly, invitations and certain Connect social options within the game. What remains the same? In tests conducted with Assassin's Creed Mirage, Cloud saves and achievements have continued to work correctly, so for most users it is an advantageous exchange.

Keep one more thing in mind: With each update of the game or the Connect client itself, the file may be rewritten.If the overlap reappears, repeat the change. Those who want to avoid doing it manually over and over again can automate it with a small script (for example, one that replaces the corresponding line in all prefixes).

If you have several Ubisoft games under Proton, an orderly strategy is advisable: keep a list of GAMEIDs you play so as not to forget any prefixes, or create a script that iterates through the compatdata folders and edits each settings.yaml detected.

Disable Autostart in Windows (Standalone Client)

For those playing on Windows using the regular Ubisoft Connect client, you can also prevent it from waking up with the system. The setting is within the Connect itself and there is no mystery, although there are a couple of extras worth checking out.

Open Ubisoft Connect and go to your preferences (menu icon or your avatar, depending on the version). On the General tab, uncheck the option "Run Ubisoft Connect when Windows starts". By the way, you can disable background execution if you don't want it to remain resident.

While you're at it, check out the overlay section. There you can disable the overlay globally or per game. In case it's giving you trouble. This reduces pop-up warnings and potential focus conflicts while you're playing.

As a complementary measure, go to the Windows Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and enter Start. If Ubisoft Connect is shown as enabled, disable it from here as well., this way you make sure that no straggler entry invokes it.

Important: Ubisoft games may require Connect to be available to work. Disabling Windows startup does not prevent the game from opening when needed.; simply prevents the client from loading unnecessarily every time you turn on your PC.

Steam/Proton alternative: change settings from the prefix's own Connect

There is another way, although it is less practical. It consists of starting Ubisoft Connect within the prefix of each game and, once in its interface, touching the preferences (disable overlay, notifications, etc.).

The drawback is twofold: You may be asked to manually log in to that Connect instance. And you'll have to repeat the process for each prefix that requires it. You'll end up with a jumble of instances and settings that's easy to forget.

So when the goal is to remove the overlay and avoid scares during the game, Direct editing of settings.yaml is much faster, more reliable and replicable., especially if you automate the process.

Practical advice, common questions and typical problems

Before touching anything, create a copy of the file. Back up settings.yaml (copy it to settings.yaml.bak) in case you need to restore the previous state. It's a quick, one-minute precaution that saves you a headache.

Pay attention to the syntax. YAML is indentation sensitiveAvoid inserting tabs where there are spaces or misaligning levels. If Connect doesn't read the file properly, it may regenerate it or ignore your changes.

If you don't see any changes after editing, check these possibilities: Incorrect file location, write permissions, and game launched with another prefixOn Linux systems, make sure you're editing the settings.yaml for the exact GAMEID that corresponds to the problematic title.

With multiple libraries or installations, such as Steam Flatpak, the base path may vary. Find the game's compatdata folder inside the Steam directory you use. and from there follow the path to pfx/drive_c/…/Ubisoft Game Launcher. If in doubt, locate the settings.yaml file by name using your file browser.

On what you lose by removing the overlay: Online invitations and certain social features may be disabledIf you depend on them, try them out in a specific game first and decide if they're worth it for you. Many users prefer stability and screen mute to those features.

If the app insists on restoring the overlay after every update, prepare an automated solution. A script that opens each settings.yaml and forces enabled: false in the overlay will allow you to fix it in seconds for your entire Ubisoft library under Proton.

When a game asks you on startup if you want to disable the overlay, just confirm. This is an informational notice because some Connect integrations will not be available., not an error. If it appears every time, check that the file isn't being rewritten.

If you also want to reduce Connect's presence in Windows, combines disabling autostart with disabling its overlap on the client. This way, even if the game launches when required, it will run more “lightly” and discreetly.

In the case of multiple accounts, remember: Each prefix and each Connect installation can maintain its own sessionAvoid mixing settings thinking that a global change in Windows will be reflected in Proton, because that's not the case.

For those who want to take a closer look: If you notice micro-pauses or performance losses coinciding with Connect notificationsTurning off the overlay often helps. It's not a universal guarantee, but in several titles the experience clearly improves.

Finally, and in case you were wondering: This setting does not affect your cloud saves or achievements. In the tested cases, it can alter how you receive invites or how you interact with friends during the game, so decide based on your usage.

If Ubisoft Connect opened at the wrong time or its overlay took your focus away from you in the middle of combatYou can now disable it both from Windows (preventing automatic startup) and, more importantly, from Steam/Proton by editing the settings.yaml of each prefix to disable the overlay. It's a quick, reversible change that will restore peace of mind to your gaming sessions. Now you know How to disable Ubisoft Connect auto-start But if you need more information we leave you its official Web.