How to Disallow Apps Run in The Background on Windows 10 PCAll Windows 10 Universal Apps have permission to run in the background by default. Apps in Windows 10 run in the background to keep the information updated and check for latest activity associated with that app. These apps often consume a lot of memory and may slow down your PC, they often drain battery power a lot. Show
Here show several ways to turn off apps running in the background:
How to Turn Off the Background Apps in SettingsTo prevent desktop apps from running in the background, you can close or exit that app when you aren't using it. Besides, disable individual apps run in the background can helpfully to conserve power. Here's how: Step 1: Open the Settings app, click the Privacy icon.  Step 2: Click on Background apps in the left side, and turn on(default) or off apps under Let apps run in the background on the right side. If you want an app to continue performing these functions, you should allow it to continue running in the background. Disallow Apps to Run Background Task in Battery Saver SettingsBattery saver feature can help conserve your PC's battery by limiting background activity and adjusting hardware settings in a tablet and laptop PC. There are 2 options to enable Battery Saver: Option 1: in the quick-actions area at the bottom of the Action Center. Here you can quickly turn Battery Saver on and off at will. Once the Battery Saver mode is enabled, apps won't be allowed to run in the background unless manually add them to the Always allowed list here. Option 2: in the Settings app. Step 1: Open the Settings app, then click on the System icon. Step 2: Click Battery in the left side, and click on Battery usage by app link in the right side. You'll see a list of apps and how much battery each one is using relatively. This can help you choose which apps to allow or which apps to disallow. Step 3: Select an app from the list, turn off Managed by Windows, and then select or clear the Allow app to run background tasks check box. (Note that some apps can't be changed.) Learn more see how to turn on/off and configure battery saver in Windows 10. How to Disable Programs Run At Startup in Task ManagerSome programs are set to launch when you boot up your computer. To prevent these background apps from automatically loading when you sign in, you can disable apps run in Task Manager Startup. Step 1: Open Task Manager. Right-click on the Taskbar, then select Task Manager from that menu. Step 2: In Task Manager, click the Startup tab to see what runs at startup. If there's any app running automatically in the background that you don't need, click Disable to remove it from this list. Related ArticlesManaging background apps is a great way to enhance your device’s power consumption. This can lead to better performance and more importantly better battery life on mobile devices. However, Windows 11 has made it somewhat difficult to manage the background activity of your installed programs and apps when compared to Windows 10. A new bug seems to take away these settings completely with no way to bring them back. If you’ve been facing a similar issue, then here’s how you can fix it on your system. Can you control background app functionality on Windows 11? And How to.Yes, you can control how background apps behave on Windows 11 to a certain extent. You can do so using the Settings app. Simply open the Settings app and click Apps. Now click Installed apps and find the desired app you wish to restrict or allow from the list on your screen. Click the
3-dot( You can now control the app’s background functionality using the drop-down menu for Background app permissions. However, you won’t have the ability to control the background app functionality for all apps on Windows 11. For certain desktop apps and programs, you will need to control their background permissions using respective app settings within the program or app. You can fix missing background app options on Windows 11 by checking your settings. Chances are that this option has been disabled using Group Policy Editor or the Registry Editor. Let’s get started. Method 1: Enable background apps using Group Policy EditorLet’s ensure that background apps are enabled in your Group Policy Editor. Follow the steps below to help you along with the process. Press Now type in the following and press Enter. You can also click OK if needed.
Navigate to the following path using the left sidebar.
Find and double click Let Windows apps run in the background on your right. Click and select Enabled. Now use the drop-down menu to select User is in control. Finally, click OK. Press Type in the following and press
Use CMD to execute the following command.
Group Policy will now be updated on your system. Once done, restart your PC for good measure and background app options should now be available in the Settings app. Method 2: Enable background apps using Registry EditorIf you do not have access to the Group Policy Editor then you can try enabling background app options using the Registry Editor. Use the steps below to help you along with the process. Press Now type in the following and press Enter.
Navigate to the following path. You can use the left sidebar or paste it into the address bar at the top.
Now check for AppPrivacy under Windows. Follow one of the sections below depending on your current setup. If the AppPrivacy key exists on your systemClick and select App Privacy. Double click LetAppsRunInBackground on your right, Set its Value data: to 0. Click OK once you’re done. Close the Registry Editor and restart your PC. Once your PC restarts, background app options should be available as intended on your system. If the AppPrivacy key does not exist on your systemRight-click Windows and select New. Click Key. Name your new key AppPrivacy. Now right click on an empty area on your right and select New. Select DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name your new value LetAppsRunInBackground. Double click your newly created value and set its Value data: as 0. Click OK. Close the registry editor and restart your PC. Background options should now be enabled and in your control on your PC. Method 3: Stop or allow an app to run in the backgroundLet’s ensure that you can stop and allow apps in the background. It could be that these settings are managed by your workplace organization especially if the PC was issued by them. In such cases, you might not be able to manage background permissions for apps depending on the privileges available to you. Follow the steps below to help you along with the process. Press Click Installed apps. Now scroll the list to find the following.
Click the 3-dot
( Check for a drop-down menu under the Background app permissions section. If you can access this drop-down menu then background app options are available on your system. They might, however, be unavailable for the program or app you’re currently trying to manage. If this section is completely missing from the Settings app for all types of apps on your system, then you might need to resort to one of the more drastic measures listed below. Method 4: Check your disk for errorsIf background app options are still missing from your Windows 11 PC then it’s time to check your installation for errors and bugs. Use the steps below to run a disk scan on your PC. Press Click Restart now beside Advanced startup. Click Troubleshoot once your PC restarts in Recovery mode. Click Command Prompt. Type in the following command and press Enter. Replace c: with a different drive letter depending on your current boot drive.
Once you’ve scanned and repaired your disk. Type in the following command and press Enter.
Use the following command to close Command Prompt once done.
Restart your system and check the background app options again. If corrupted system files or disk errors were the cause of your issue, then it should now have been fixed. Method 5: Repair your Windows imageYou can also try repairing your Windows image to see if that enables background app permissions for you. Follow the steps below to help you along with the process. Press Type in the following and press
Now use the following command to check and repair your Windows 11 image.
Wait for the process to complete, this can take some time depending on available resources and bandwidth. Once done, restart your PC for good measure. If a corrupted Windows image was causing your background app options to go missing, then the issue should now be fixed. Last ResortsIf by this time you haven’t been able to fix your issue then it’s time for some drastic measures. We recommend you backup all the important data on your PC before proceeding with the guide below. Let’s get started. Fresh install Windows 11 using a new ISOAt this point, we recommend you attempt a re-install Windows 11 on your system. It could be that you’re facing installation issues after updating from Windows 10 or the leaked version of Windows 11. In such cases, fresh installing Windows 11 on your PC using a fresh ISO can help fix most issues. This is a known working fix that seems to work for many users. We recommend you use this comprehensive guide from us to format and install Windows 11 on your system. Once installed, we recommend you set up Windows as intended however, start with a local account. If background options show up in your local account you can start using your Microsoft account as needed. Revert to Windows 10If Windows 11’s fresh installation did not fix your issue or isn’t an option for you, then we recommend you try reverting to Windows 10 instead. This is recommended for users with older PCs and users that bypassed requirements to install Windows 11. Background options are likely missing from your system due to a compatibility issue. In such cases reverting to Windows 10 can help fix most issues and provide compatibility for all your hardware components. Windows 10 is still supported by Microsoft and will be supported till Oct 2025. This means that you should be able to keep using Windows 10 on your system for a few years before you stop receiving security updates for your system. Use this guide from us to revert to Windows 10 on your system. Simply replace the Windows 11 ISO from the guide with the Windows 10 ISO linked below. You should then be able to fresh install Windows 10 on your system and follow the OOBE to set up your PC as needed.
We hope this post helped you restore your background app options on Windows 11. If you face any issues or have any more questions, feel free to reach out using the comments below. Should I turn off background app activity?This uses your phone's battery and your data. While background apps refreshing don't drain your resources as much as screen brightness and cellular connection, stopping apps from refreshing can help conserve your battery and data for when you really need them.
What does it mean when an app has background activity?"Allow background activity", under Battery, refers to whether apps are allowed to run in the background (when you're not using them onscreen, or the app is not visible to you) or not.
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