How to Stop Apps From Running in the Background on Windows 10

When apps keep running in the background on Windows 10, they silently drain your battery, eat up RAM, and slow down your PC. This guide shows you several ways to stop them—from turning off background app permissions to disabling startup programs and killing stubborn processes. You don’t need any special tools; everything is built into Windows 10.

What You’ll Need

• A Windows 10 PC with administrator access (you’ll need it to change some settings).
• About 10 minutes of your time.

Step-by-Step

Method 1: Turn Off Background Apps in Settings

1. Click the Start button (Windows logo) and then click the gear icon to open Settings.
2. Click Privacy.
3. In the left sidebar, scroll down and click Background apps.
4. Under “Background apps,” you’ll see a toggle that says Let apps run in the background. Toggle it Off to disable background running for all apps at once.
5. If you prefer to keep some apps running (like Mail or messaging apps), leave the master toggle on and instead scroll through the list below it. Turn off the individual toggle for each app you don’t want running in the background.

Method 2: Disable Startup Programs

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Click the Startup tab (if you don’t see it, click “More details” at the bottom first).
3. Look through the list of programs that start with Windows. Each shows a “Status” (Enabled or Disabled) and a “Startup impact” (High, Medium, Low).
4. Right-click any program you don’t need at startup and select Disable. Focus on ones with “High” impact that you don’t use often.
5. Close Task Manager. The changes take effect the next time you start Windows.

Method 3: Use Battery Saver to Limit Background Activity

1. Click the battery icon in the system tray (bottom-right corner of your screen).
2. Click Battery settings.
3. Under “Battery saver,” click Battery saver settings.
4. Make sure Turn battery saver on automatically is enabled (you can set the battery level, e.g., 20%).
5. Check the box that says Lower screen brightness while in battery saver if you want that too.
6. When battery saver is on, Windows automatically prevents many apps from running in the background.

Method 4: Force-Stop a Stubborn App from Task Manager

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Go to the Processes tab.
3. Find the app that’s misbehaving (look under “Apps” or “Background processes”).
4. Click it once to select it, then click End task in the bottom-right corner.
5. If the app restarts itself, you may need to disable it from startup (Method 2) or uninstall it if it’s bloatware.

Method 5: Disable Background Apps via Registry (Advanced)

If you want to disable background apps for all users or via a script, you can use the Registry Editor. Be careful—this is an advanced method.

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\BackgroundAccessApplications.
3. On the right, look for a value named GlobalUserDisabled. If it doesn’t exist, right-click, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it GlobalUserDisabled.
4. Double-click it, set the value to 1, and click OK.
5. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC. This disables background apps for all users on the machine.

Common Mistakes

• Turning off all background apps: Some apps (like antivirus or backup tools) need to run in the background to work properly. Disabling them can leave you unprotected or cause sync issues.
• Forgetting to check the “Startup” tab: Even if you disable background apps, programs that launch at startup still consume resources. You need to disable them separately.
• Using Task Manager to end system processes: Ending a critical Windows process can cause instability or a crash. Only end processes you recognize as apps you installed.
• Expecting immediate RAM free-up: Disabling background apps prevents future background activity, but it won’t free up memory that’s already in use. You need to close the app manually for that.
• Ignoring the “Background apps” list in Settings: Some apps don’t appear in that list because they use services or scheduled tasks instead. You’ll need to use Task Manager or the app’s own settings.

Tips

• If you have a specific app that you rarely use but still want to keep, disable its background permission in Settings rather than uninstalling it.
• Check the “Startup impact” column in Task Manager. Disabling high-impact programs will give you the biggest performance boost.
• Use the Battery saver feature when on the go—it automatically limits background activity without you having to remember to turn things off.
• For Microsoft Store apps (like Mail, Calendar, Photos), you can also open the app itself, go to its settings, and look for a “Background data” or “Background refresh” option.
• If you’re on a desktop PC (no battery), you can still use the Settings method to stop apps from running in the background—it helps free up RAM and CPU.

Troubleshooting

I disabled background apps, but my PC is still slow.

Disabling background apps helps, but other factors like too many startup programs, insufficient RAM, or malware can also slow things down. Run a full antivirus scan, and check the Startup tab again. You can also open Task Manager and sort processes by CPU or Memory to see what’s using the most resources.

Some apps don’t appear in the “Background apps” list.

That list only shows apps from the Microsoft Store. Traditional desktop apps (like Steam, Discord, or Chrome) have their own background settings. For those, use the app’s own settings to disable background activity, or use Task Manager to end them when not in use.

I turned off background apps, but an app still runs.

Some apps use Windows services or scheduled tasks to run in the background, which bypass the “Background apps” setting. Open Task Manager and go to the “Services” tab to see what’s running. You can also check the app’s settings for a “Start with Windows” or “Run in background” option.

I disabled a startup program, but it still starts.

Some programs add themselves to the registry or use a scheduled task to start. Open Task Manager > Startup, and see if it’s listed there. If not, open the program’s settings and look for a “Launch at startup” option. You can also use the Registry Editor to remove the entry, but be careful—only remove entries you recognize.

After disabling background apps, my email or messages stop updating.

That’s expected. If you rely on real-time notifications from apps like Mail or WhatsApp, keep their individual toggles on in the Background apps settings. Alternatively, you can set them to update less frequently (e.g., every 30 minutes) in the app’s own settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly does “running in the background” mean?

It means the app continues to run processes even when you’re not actively using it—like checking for updates, syncing data, or sending notifications. This uses CPU, memory, and battery.

Will disabling background apps affect my notifications?

Yes. If you disable an app’s background permission, it won’t be able to fetch new data or show notifications until you open it. For messaging apps, you might miss messages until you manually open them.

Can I disable background apps for only one user?

Yes. The Settings method applies to the current user. If you want to disable for all users, use the Registry method described above.

Does disabling background apps save battery on a laptop?

Yes, it can significantly improve battery life, especially if you have many apps running. The effect is more noticeable on laptops than desktops.

Is it safe to disable all background apps?

It’s generally safe, but you might lose functionality like automatic updates for some apps. Avoid disabling your antivirus or security software, as they need to run in the background to protect you.

Why do some apps still appear in Task Manager after I disabled them?

Disabling background apps in Settings prevents them from starting automatically, but if you already have them open, they’ll still be running. You need to close them manually. Also, some apps have multiple processes; you may need to end all of them.

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