How to Stop Apps Running in Background in Windows 11

Background apps can drain the battery and slow down the system. Here’s how to disable or stop background apps in Windows 11.

As with any operating system, in Windows 11, too, a few apps run in the background even when you don’t use them actively. These can be both system apps or the ones you installed manually.

As you might expect, as long as apps run in the background, they use system resources and might drain the laptop battery unnecessarily. To speed up the system and improve the battery life, you must disable unnecessary apps from running in the background.

The good thing is Windows 11 makes it easy to stop background apps. Let me show you how.

Table of contents:

1. Why do apps run in the background?
2. How to disable background apps from settings
3. How to disable background apps from battery settings
4. How to stop background apps using Group Policy
5. How to stop background apps using Registry

Why do apps run in the background?

There are a variety of reasons why apps run in the background in Windows 11. These reasons include but are not limited to checking for updates, running app-specific tasks, to show notifications, to respond to user actions, and more.

For example, if you installed WhatsApp in Windows 11, it runs in the background so that it can show a notification when you receive a new message.

How to disable background apps from settings

You can disable background apps directly from the Windows 11 settings app. All you have to do is find the app and modify the background settings from the advanced options page. Here’s how to do it.

1. Press “Start + I” to open Settings.
2. Click “Apps” on the sidebar.
3. Go to the “Installed Apps” page.
4. Click the “Menu (…)” icon on the right side of the app name.
5. Choose “Advanced options.”
6. Choose “Never” from the “Let this app run in background” dropdown.
7. Close the Settings app.
8. With that, you disabled an app from running in the background.

Do the same for other background apps. Remember that if you don’t see the “Advanced Options” option for an app, it doesn’t support disabling background permission.

How to disable background apps from battery settings

On laptops, Windows 11 keeps track of apps running in the background and draining the battery. You can use the battery settings page to disable battery-draining background apps. Here’s how.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Click “System” on the sidebar.
3. Go to the “Power & Battery” page.
4. Expand the “Battery usage” section.
5. Click the “Menu (…)” icon next to the app name.
6. Choose the “Manage background activity” option.
7. Select “Never” from the “Let this app run in background” dropdown.
8. Do the same for other apps in the list.
9. Close the settings app.
10. With that, you’ve disabled apps from running in the background.

If you don’t see the “Manage background activity” option in the app menu, that specific app doesn’t support managing background activity.

How to stop background apps using Group Policy

Windows 11 Pro users can stop background apps using GPO. i.e., the Group Policy Editor. This is particularly useful if you want to manage multiple users at the same time. Let me show you how.

1. Press the “Start” key.
2. Search and open “Edit Group Policy.”
3. Go to the “Computer configuration -> Administrative templates” folder.
4. Go to the “Windows components -> App privacy” folder.
5. Double-click the “Let Windows apps run in the background” policy.
6. Select “Enabled.”
7. Press the “Apply” & “Ok” buttons.
8. Close the Group Policy Editor.
9. Reboot Windows.
10. With that, you’ve disabled background apps in Windows 11.

How to stop background apps using Registry

We can use the “LetAppsRunInBackground” value to stop background apps using the Registry. Let me show you.

1. Press the “Start” key.
2. Search and open “Registry Editor.”
3. Go to the following folder. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
4. Right-click on the “Windows” folder.
5. Select “New -> Key.”
6. Set “AppPrivacy” as the name.
7. Right-click on the “AppPrivacy” folder.
8. Select “New -> DWORD Value.”
9. Set “LetAppsRunInBackground” as the name.
10. Double-click on the value.
11. Type “2” in the Value Data field.
12. Press “Ok.”
13. Close the Registry Editor.
14. Reboot Windows.
15. With that, the background apps are disabled in Windows 11.

After rebooting, Windows 11 will no longer allow apps to run in the background.

—

That is all. It is that simple to stop apps running in the background in Windows 11.

I hope this simple and easy Windows how-to guide helped you.

If you are stuck or need help, send an email, and I will try to help as much as possible.