How To Disable Background Apps on Windows 11/10 (FAST & EASY)
Learn how to disable background apps on Windows 11 and 10. Improve your PC performance, extend battery life, and boost privacy with our step-by-step guide.
Key Takeaways
If your Windows computer is slowing down or your laptop battery is draining faster than usual, background applications might be the culprit. Many programs are configured to run silently even when you aren't actively using them. Disabling these background apps gives you full control over your system's resources and can be done quickly in just a few clicks.
Why You Should Disable Background Apps
Restricting which programs are allowed to run in the background provides three major benefits for your PC:
FAQ
Can I turn off all background apps at once on Windows 11?
Unlike Windows 10, which features a master toggle in the Privacy settings to disable all background apps simultaneously, Windows 11 requires you to change the background permissions individually. You must go into your Installed Apps and set the background permission to Never for each specific app you want to restrict.
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Disabling background apps improves PC performance, extends battery life, and increases privacy.
On Windows 11, disable apps individually by navigating to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, selecting Advanced options, and changing background permissions to Never.
If a Windows 11 app is missing the "Advanced options" button, it does not natively run in the background.
On Windows 10, manage individual apps or use a master toggle to disable all background apps via Settings > Privacy > Background Apps.
Continue optimizing your system's performance by checking out this next tutorial.
Benefit
Description
Improve Performance
Stops unused apps from eating up valuable RAM and CPU power, leaving more resources for the programs you are actually using.
Extend Battery Life
Reduces the amount of work your system is doing, which prevents laptop batteries from draining unnecessarily.
Increase Privacy
Prevents apps from silently running in the background and creepily collecting data on you without your immediate knowledge.
How to Disable Background Apps on Windows 11
To stop apps from running in the background on Windows 11, follow these simple steps:
Click the Windows button on your taskbar, type Settings, and press Enter to open the Settings app.
In the left-hand menu, click on Apps.
Select Installed Apps from the main pane.
Scroll through the list and locate the application you want to restrict (for example, Microsoft Bing).
Click the three dots next to the app's name.
Click on Advanced options.
Scroll down to the Background app permissions section.
Click the dropdown menu and change the setting to Never.
Once set to "Never," that specific app will no longer be allowed to run in the background. You can repeat this process for any other installed apps you want to restrict.
What if I don't see "Advanced options"?
If you click the three dots next to an app and the "Advanced options" button does not show up, you don't need to do anything. This simply means that the application does not natively run in the background, so there are no background permissions to disable for that specific program.
How to Disable Background Apps on Windows 10
The process is slightly different if you are running Windows 10. Rather than adjusting apps one by one through the "Installed Apps" page, Windows 10 groups these settings together.
Click the Windows start button and open Settings.
Click on Privacy.
Scroll down the left-hand menu and select Background Apps.
From this page, you can use the master toggle to turn off background apps completely, or you can go through the list and toggle permissions on and off for individual applications.
Keep Learning
Now that you have full control over your background apps, you can continue optimizing your Windows PC. If you want to keep learning and improving your system's performance, check out this tutorial next:
Will stopping apps from running in the background uninstall them or delete my data?
No. Changing an application's background permissions to Never simply prevents it from silently consuming RAM, CPU, and battery power while you aren't actively using it. The app remains fully installed on your system, your data is safe, and you can still open and use the program normally at any time.
Where can I find more ways to optimize my Windows computer's performance?
Managing your background applications is just one effective way to speed up your system, save battery life, and protect your privacy. If you want to continue improving your PC's performance, you can watch this recommended optimization tutorial to keep learning.
