How to disable background apps on Windows PC

Shaant Minhas

man running windows laptop

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While background apps running on your Windows carry out essential tasks and functions, they can quickly drain your Windows battery. In this article, we’ll learn how you can disable the background app and save your laptop’s fast-declining battery. 

So let’s dive in.

How to disable background apps on Windows PC

The most straightforward way to disable your background apps on Windows is to use the Settings app. To get started, follow the steps below:

  1. Open the Settings menu by clicking on the Windows key + I shortcut. Alternatively, head to the Start menu search bar, type in ‘settings,’ and select the best match.
  2. Head to Apps > Installed apps.
  3. Choose the app you’d like to disable, click on the three dots, and then select Additional options.
  4. From here, scroll down to the Background apps permission section, click on the drop-down menu, and select Never.

disable app

That’s it—your background apps should be disabled if you’ve followed the above steps to the point.

Disabling the background app from Battery & power menu

Alternatively, you can use the Battery & power menu section to disable your background apps. Initially designed to report on your battery and power consumption settings, you can also use the Battery & power section to disable your background apps. Here’s how:

  • Launch the Settings menu.
  • From the System settings, select the Power & battery option.
  • Click on the Battery usage.
  • Then click on the drop-down for Battery levels and select Last 7 days.
  • Now, click on the three-dots menu beside the app name to change the background app permission and select Manage background productivity.
  • Finally, click the drop-down under the Background apps permissions section and select Never.

power and battery settings

Your background apps will get disabled as soon as you do this.

On Windows 10

If you’re on Windows 10, you can use the Privacy Settings of your Windows and save your background resources from getting wasted. Follow the following steps to get started:

  • Head to Settings and click on Privacy > Background apps.
  • From there, click on ‘Choose which apps can run in the background’ section, and toggle off the apps you’d like to restrict.

That’s it; as soon you’ve completed the apps, the process will start up again for you, making you terminate the app as more quickly it gets completed.

Disabling background apps in Windows

As we’ve just shown, turning off background apps doesn’t have to be complicated. Hopefully, you learned how to disable your background apps in Windows and saved yours have any problems from now on.