Windows 10 apps have permission to run in the background to update their live tiles, get new data, and receive alerts. The apps running in the background can affect the performance of your computer. The background apps can drain the battery, system resources, and data usage.
You don’t want to drain your laptop’s battery or slow your PC. So to improve PC performance, you need to stop background apps from running in Windows 10.
There can be various ways to stop the app from running in the background. You can use Privacy Settings, Registry Editor, Group Policy Editor, and system settings. Therefore in this article, we will discuss all these methods to stop background apps in Windows 10.
Additionally, use Advanced System Optimizer if you face a system issue such as invalid registry entries, slow processing PC, cluttered disk storage etc. It is a third party software which turns out to be a complete package for Windows PCs. It comprises multiple powerful modules to protect malware and fix the common system errors on your computer.
Method 1: Privacy Settings
To disable background apps from running to misuse system resources, follow these steps:
Step 1: Press Windows and I to launch the Settings app.
Step 2: Now navigate to Privacy.
Step 3: Locate Background apps.
Step 4: So, on the Background app page, go to “Choose which apps can run in the background.” You will get a list of apps, and you turn the toggle off to disable the apps from running in the background.
If you want to disable all the apps from running in the background, you can disable the toggle switch beside Let apps run in the background.
Note: Before you start disabling the app, you might want to know which app uses how much system resources. Press Ctrl, Shift, and Esc key to get Task Manager. On the Task Manager window, click the App History tab. Now you can see data usage over a certain period.
Also Read: Best Hard Drive Recovery Software For Windows 10, 8, 7.
Method 2: System Settings
Battery saver mode could really help you when your laptop is nearly out of juice. However, you can allow the mode to kick in, even if the battery level is fine.
Step 1: Press Windows and I to launch Settings.
Step 2: On the Settings window, click System.
Step 3: Under System, locate Battery.
Step 4: Navigate to the Battery Saver section.
Step 5: Under Battery Saver, locate Battery saver status until the next charge. Turn the feature on. Until the feature is enabled, the app will not run in the background.
Note: This method is only good for Microsoft Store apps.
Also Read: Best Video Capture Software for Windows 10 in 2020.
Method 3: Registry Editor
To disable background apps by using Registry Editor, follow these steps:
Step 1: Press Windows and R key and type regedit and press enter to launch Regedit.
Step 2: Now locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then click Software.
Step 3: Under Software, click Policies.
Step 4: Now navigate to Microsoft-> Windows.
Step 5: Locate AppPrivacy.
Note: If you can’t locate the AppPrivacy key, then you have to create one. To do that, right-click on the right side of the pane(blank space). You click New->DWORD(32-BIT) value. Rename it “LetAppsRunInBackground.”
Once it is created, double click on it to change the value data to “2.” Click OK.
If you want to enable it anytime, you need to change the value of “LetAppsRunInBackground” DWORD to 0.
You need to restart your computer to complete the process.
Also Read: How to Capture Scrolling Screenshot on Windows 10, 8, 7 (Laptop & Desktop).
Method 4: Local Group Editor
If you are using Windows Pro, Education, or Enterprise versions of Windows, you can use Group Editor to disable background apps.
Step 1: Press Windows and R key together, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter to open Group Policy Editor.
Step 2: Now, go to Computer Configuration, then locate Administrative Templates.
Step 3: Under Windows Components, click App Privacy.
Step 4: Click on this option to get several options on the right pane. Locate “Let Windows apps run in the background” and double click it.
Step 5: You will get a Let Windows app run in the background window. Locate Enabled option from the upper left corner. Once you click Enabled, you will get access to options to appear. You can click Default for all apps, Uses is in control.
Click the drop-down menu and choose Force Deny, click Apply and then OK. Use this method to learn how to stop all background processes in Windows 10.
So, these are some of the methods to stop background apps from running on Windows 10. Use any of these methods to conserve battery, system resources, data usage and more.
Additional Tip
Bonus Tips:
Now you know how to stop background apps from running, let’s know a few things more about disabling the background apps.
When you disable background apps, it doesn’t stop actual apps from working. You can launch the apps and use them. By disabling these apps, you can stop them from downloading data, draining the battery, using RAM, while you are not using the apps. So, you learned how to close background apps in Windows 10 and how to optimize your computer.
However, disabling some essential apps such as the alarm clock will disable the alarm, if you have set any of them.
When you disable these apps, you will not receive notifications from them.
Frequently Asked Questions-
Should I turn off background apps on Windows 10?
Yes, you should turn off background apps on Windows 10, which are making your computer slow. We have stated the different methods above to understand how to stop programs from running in the background in Windows 10. But make sure to leave the background apps such as antivirus, driver updater, and system optimizer turned on.
How do I turn off programs running in the background?
If you are wondering how to turn off background apps in Windows 10, we have the answer. The simple process of turning off the programs in the background is by going to the Task Manager. Another way to permanently disable the startup programs is – Start Menu> Settings> Apps> Startup.
How do I keep apps running in the background?
If you want to keep a few apps running in the background, it is possible. Like how to stop background apps in Windows 10, you can leave a few turned on in the Apps’ Settings. The apps which require constant scanning for the system are needed to be turned on for background check at all times.
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