@aksarben: From your description I assume your setup is:
Environment > Window > Workspaces > Automatically save workspace on exit
Environment > Windows > Miscellaneous > Show Login dialog on startup and when the last session is closed = Off
With that setup, WinSCP restores the previous workspace on startup automatically.
But it won't connect any session.

It would connect a session only if:
– You explicitly selected the workspace or session on an initial Login dialog (assuming your have the latter option On).
– You have started WinSCP with workspace/session name on its commandline

Afaik, nothing has changed about this behavior in any recent version of WinSCP.

If you have a different experience, we will need more detailed step-by-step instructions for reproducing the problem. Some screenshots might help too.

You may also find this of interest:
Options >> Preferences ... >> Environment/Window >> Miscellaneous

Reconnecting:
Options >> Preferences ... >> Transfer/Endurance >> Automatic reconnect

Remembering the previously used directories:
Session >> Sites >> Site Manager ... >> (select a site in the left pane)
>> Edit >> Advanced ... >> Environment/Directories >> Remember last used directory

I install updates as soon as I learn off them, so I assume my previous version was 5.19.3 (?)

SCENARIO:

1. I launch the app, and enter the master password.

2. The app creates a new session, with the local folder in the left pane, and the host folder in the right pane.

3. I later disconnect the session, so the host folder into disappears, but the right pane stays open, and the app is still running.

4. I later click the X at the top right of the window, and get the usual confirmation dialog, asking, Terminate session XXX and close application?

5. I click the OK button, and app terminates gracefully, with no error message shown.

6. When I later re-launch the app (Step 1 above), it starts normally. At this point I expect it to show root folder of both the local and remote panes (my default). Instead, the right pane shows the remote folder that was displayed before I disconnected the previous session.

I don't recall this happening before the latest version upgrade. Is my memory faulty, or is this behavior new?

Can you please be more specific about the situation, in which WinSCP automatically reconnects session and previously did not? What version were you using before?

I've never had problems with WinSCP updates until now.

I just installed version 5.19.4, and to my dismay, it automatically reconnects closed sessions when I launch the program.

I HATE applications that think they're smarter than I an, and do things I didn't request.

Even worse, I can't find a way to turn off this behavior.

How can I disable automatic reconnects?