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Disable Background Apps on Windows 11 Easily

How to Disable Background Apps on Windows 11

In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the process of disabling background apps on your Windows 11 device. This feature allows you to control which applications can run in the background and consume system resources.

Step 1: Accessing Settings

To start, navigate to your desktop and click on the search bar. Type "Settings" in the search field, and then select the "Settings" app from the search results.

Step 2: Navigating to Apps Section

Once you are in the Settings app, look for the left sidebar and click on "Apps". Then, select "Installed apps" at the top of the page.

Step 3: Viewing Installed Applications

This will display a list of all installed applications on your computer. You can scroll through this list to find the specific app you want to modify.

Step 4: Accessing Advanced Options

To disable background apps, click on the three dots beside the application and select "Advanced options". This will bring you to a new page with more detailed settings.

Step 5: Modifying Background App Permissions

On this page, look for the section labeled "Background app permissions". You will see a dropdown arrow with three options: "Always", "Power optimized", and "Never". Select the desired option to control when the app can run in the background.

Understanding Background App Permissions Options

If you want to learn more about what each of these options means, you can refer to the official Windows documentation for detailed explanations. In brief:

  • "Always" allows the app to run in the background at all times.
  • "Power optimized" limits the app's ability to run in the background when your device is running on battery power or when system resources are constrained.
  • "Never" completely disables the app from running in the background.

Important Note

Please be aware that some installed applications may not allow you to turn off background permissions. This is usually due to system requirements or compatibility reasons.

By following these steps, you can take control of which apps are allowed to run in the background on your Windows 11 device. Remember that this feature is intended to help optimize system performance and conserve battery life.

Feature Disable Apps
Description The "Disable Apps" feature allows users to temporarily or permanently disable apps on their Android device, without having to uninstall them. This feature is particularly useful for apps that are pre-installed on the device and cannot be uninstalled.
Background The "Disable Apps" feature was introduced in Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) as a way to provide users with more control over their apps. Prior to this, users had limited options for managing pre-installed apps, which often took up storage space and ran in the background without permission.
How it works When an app is disabled, it is no longer visible on the device's home screen or in the app drawer. The app's icon is also removed from the Google Play Store. Additionally, any background processes or services associated with the app are stopped, which can help conserve battery life and improve overall system performance.

Disable Background Apps on Windows 11 Easily
Windows 11, like its predecessors, allows apps to run in the background and consume system resources. While this feature can be useful for some applications, it can also lead to battery drain and slower performance. Fortunately, disabling background apps on Windows 11 is a straightforward process that can help you regain control over your computer's resource usage.

Why Disable Background Apps?
There are several reasons why you might want to disable background apps on Windows 11:
  • Battery life: Background apps can consume battery power even when you're not actively using them.
  • Performance: Background apps can slow down your computer by consuming CPU, memory, and other system resources.
  • Security: Some background apps might be malicious or unnecessary, posing a security risk to your computer.

How to Disable Background Apps on Windows 11
To disable background apps on Windows 11, follow these steps:
  1. Go to the Start menu and click on the "Settings" icon (looks like a gear).
  2. In the Settings app, navigate to the "Apps" section.
  3. Click on "Background apps" from the left-hand menu.
  4. Under the "Choose which apps can run in the background" section, toggle off the switch for each app you want to disable.
  5. Alternatively, you can toggle off the "Let apps run in the background" switch at the top of the page to disable all background apps at once.

Additional Tips
  • You can also use the Windows 11 registry editor to disable background apps. However, be cautious when editing the registry as it can cause system instability if not done correctly.
  • Some apps might require background permissions to function properly. Be sure to review each app's settings before disabling its background access.

Conclusion
Disabling background apps on Windows 11 is a simple process that can help you conserve battery life, improve performance, and enhance security. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily disable background apps and regain control over your computer's resource usage.

Q1: How do I disable background apps on Windows 11?A1: To disable background apps on Windows 11, go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and toggle off the "Background apps" switch for each app you want to disable.
Q2: What are background apps in Windows 11?A2: Background apps are applications that continue to run in the background even when you're not actively using them, consuming system resources and potentially impacting performance.
Q3: Why would I want to disable background apps on Windows 11?A3: You may want to disable background apps to conserve battery life, free up system resources, or prevent unwanted data usage. Additionally, disabling background apps can help improve overall system performance.
Q4: How do I know which apps are running in the background on Windows 11?A4: To see which apps are running in the background on Windows 11, go to Task Manager (Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and click on the "Background processes" tab. This will show you a list of all apps currently running in the background.
Q5: Can I disable all background apps at once on Windows 11?A5: No, there is no built-in option to disable all background apps at once on Windows 11. You'll need to toggle off each app individually in Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
Q6: Will disabling background apps affect my ability to receive notifications?A6: Disabling background apps may prevent some apps from sending notifications, as they require background processing to function. However, many modern apps use alternative notification systems that don't rely on background processing.
Q7: Can I disable background apps for specific users on Windows 11?A7: Yes, if you're using a multi-user setup on Windows 11, you can disable background apps for specific users by going to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users, selecting the user account, and toggling off "Background apps" under "App permissions".
Q8: Will disabling background apps improve my Windows 11 battery life?A8: Disabling background apps can help conserve battery life on laptops and tablets running Windows 11, as it reduces the number of resources being consumed by idle apps.
Q9: Can I re-enable a disabled background app on Windows 11?A9: Yes, you can re-enable a disabled background app at any time by going back to Settings > Apps > Apps & features and toggling the "Background apps" switch back on for that specific app.
Q10: Are there any third-party tools available to help manage background apps on Windows 11?A10: Yes, there are several third-party tools and apps available that can help you manage background apps on Windows 11, providing additional features such as automated background app management and more detailed resource usage tracking.


Rank Pioneers/Companies Contribution
1 Microsoft Introduced the concept of background apps in Windows 10 and provided built-in features to manage them.
2 Tweaking.com Developed software tools, such as Tweaking.com's "Background Apps" tool, to help users manage background apps in Windows 10 and later versions.
3 CCleaner (Piriform) Included features in their CCleaner software to disable background apps and improve system performance.
4 Glary Utilities Offered tools within their Glary Utilities software suite to manage startup programs, including background apps.
5 Autoruns (Sysinternals) Provided detailed insights into applications running in the background and allowed users to manage them effectively.
6 Should I Remove It? Developed software that helps identify unnecessary background apps, suggesting which ones can be safely disabled or removed.
7 Winaero Published extensive guides and tips on managing background apps in Windows 11, including tweaks for disabling them.
8 TheWindowsClub Offered tutorials, software recommendations, and troubleshooting guides to help users manage background apps efficiently.
9 Ten Forums Served as a community-driven platform where users could share tips, ask questions, and receive advice on managing background apps in Windows 11.
10 Windows Report Provided news, reviews, and guides on the latest Windows features, including how to optimize system performance by managing background applications.


Step Description Technical Details
1 Press the Windows key + I to open Settings. Windows Key (VK_LWIN) + I keystroke combination opens the Settings app, which is a Modern/Metro-style application hosted in the SystemSettings.exe process. The "I" key corresponds to the U+0049 Unicode character code, triggering the opening of the Settings app through the Windows Registry's association with the Microsoft.Windows.Settings URI scheme.
2 Click on "Apps" from the left menu. The click event is processed by the SystemSettings.exe process, which then navigates to the Apps page within the Settings app. This corresponds to a change in the NavigationView control's SelectedItem property, triggering a state change that renders the Apps page UI.
3 Click on "Apps & features" from the right menu. The click event is processed by the SystemSettings.exe process, which then navigates to the Apps & features page within the Settings app. This corresponds to a change in the NavigationView control's SelectedItem property, triggering a state change that renders the Apps & features page UI.
4 Find the app you want to disable background activity for and click on it. The ListView control within the Apps & features page displays a list of installed applications. When an item in the list is clicked, the corresponding ApplicationModel.Package object is retrieved from the Windows Software Development Kit's (SDK) package catalog. The selected app's package ID is then used to retrieve its settings and permissions.
5 Toggle the switch next to "Background apps" to Off. The ToggleSwitch control within the AppSettings page is bound to the BackgroundActivityEnabled property of the ApplicationModel.Package object. When toggled off, the Windows Runtime (WinRT) API sends a notification to the app's process, informing it that background activity has been disabled. This prevents the app from running in the background and receiving notifications.