Windows App to Stop Apps Running in Background Saves Battery

That sinking feeling when you check your laptop’s battery and see it’s draining twice as fast as it should is all too common. You’re not doing anything intensive, yet something is silently eating away at your power. Often, the culprit is the built-in Windows app to stop apps running in background—or more accurately, the settings that control them. These are apps that continue to sync, fetch data, and send notifications even when you’re not actively using them, and taming them is one of the quickest ways to reclaim your battery life and boost performance.
While you don’t download a single “app” for this, Windows provides a powerful suite of built-in controls that function as a dedicated manager. Learning to use them is the key.

Table of Contents

At a Glance: What You’ll Learn

Master the Controls: Pinpoint the exact settings in Windows 11 and Windows 10 to manage background app permissions.
Choose Wisely: Understand the difference between “Power optimized” and “Never” to make smart decisions for each app.
Find the Culprits: Use the Battery settings to see which apps are the biggest power hogs.
Go Beyond the Basics: Learn advanced methods using the Registry and Group Policy Editor for total control.
Handle Traditional Apps: Discover why .EXE programs don’t show up in these settings and what to do about them.

First, What Exactly Is a “Background App” in Windows?

Before diving into the settings, it’s crucial to know what you’re controlling. In the world of Windows, not all apps are created equal. The background app settings primarily target Microsoft Store apps (also known as UWP apps). These are modern apps designed to run efficiently on a variety of devices, from tablets to desktops.
Think of your Mail, Calendar, Weather, or News apps. They are designed to run in the background to:

Fetch new emails or appointments.
Update a live tile in your Start Menu.
Send you a notification about a breaking story or severe weather alert.
This is useful, but the cost is a constant drain on your battery and system resources. Traditional desktop programs—the ones you install from a downloaded .EXE file like Google Chrome, Adobe Photoshop, or Steam—behave differently and are generally not managed by these specific settings. We’ll cover how to handle those later.
While we’re focusing on the built-in Windows tools here, understanding the general principles is key. For a complete overview across all devices, our main guide on How to stop background apps covers the full spectrum.

The Modern Approach: Managing Background Apps in Windows 11

What is a background app in Windows explained.

Windows 11 streamlined background app management, giving you more granular control on a per-app basis. Instead of a single master switch, you decide the fate of each app individually.

Step-by-Step Guide for Windows 11

Open Settings: Press Win + I or right-click the Start button and select Settings.
Navigate to Apps: In the left-hand pane, click on Apps, then select Installed apps.
Find Your Target: Scroll through the list to find the app you want to manage. Click the three-dot icon (...) next to it and choose Advanced options.
Set Your Permission: Under the “Background apps permissions” section, you’ll find a dropdown menu with three choices.

Understanding Your Three Choices

Option	What It Does	Best For
Always	The app can run in the background without restriction, syncing data and sending notifications at any time.	Apps you rely on for real-time updates, like a primary messaging or VOIP app. Use this option sparingly.
Power optimized (Recommended)	This is the default. Windows intelligently decides when the app can run based on your system’s power status and your usage patterns.	Most apps. It’s a great balance for mail, calendar, and social media apps where you want updates but don’t need them instantly.
Never	The app is completely blocked from running in the background. It will only work when you have it open and active.	Apps you only use interactively, like a photo editor, calculator, or a simple game. This is the best choice for saving battery.
Practical Snippet: Let’s say you use the Microsoft Photos app to occasionally view pictures, but you notice it’s consuming battery. You don’t need it to do anything when it’s closed. Navigate to its advanced options and switch the permission to “Never”. It will still work perfectly when you open it, but it won’t be able to do anything behind your back.

The Classic Method: Controlling Background Apps in Windows 10

Windows 10 offers a more straightforward, centralized approach. You get a single dashboard with a master switch to disable everything at once or individual toggles for each app.

Step-by-Step Guide for Windows 10

Open Settings: Press Win + I to open the Settings app.
Go to Privacy: Click on the Privacy category.
Find Background Apps: In the left-hand menu, scroll down and select Background apps.
Here, you’ll see two levels of control:

The Master Switch: At the top, a toggle labeled “Let apps run in the background.” Turning this Off is the nuclear option—it prevents all Microsoft Store apps from running in the background. This is the quickest way to maximize battery life if you don’t rely on any app notifications.
Individual Toggles: Below the master switch is a list of all your Store apps. You can leave the master switch On and selectively turn off individual apps that you don’t need updating in the background.
Case Snippet: A user on a limited data plan noticed their usage was high even when they weren’t actively browsing. By navigating to the Background apps page, they found that apps like the Microsoft Store, News, and various pre-installed games were constantly syncing. They toggled these specific apps to “Off,” immediately reducing their data consumption without affecting core apps like Mail and Calendar.

For the Power User: Advanced Control Methods

Sometimes, the standard settings aren’t enough, especially if you’re a system administrator or a tinkerer who wants absolute control. These methods are powerful but carry risks, so proceed with caution.

Tweak the Registry to Disable All Background Apps

The Windows Registry is the central database for system settings. A quick edit here can disable background apps for all users on the machine.
Warning: Editing the registry can cause system instability if done incorrectly. Always back up your registry before making changes.

Open the Start Menu, type regedit, and press Enter. Grant it administrator permissions.
Navigate to the following key in the left-hand pane:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
Right-click the Windows key, select New > Key, and name it AppPrivacy.
Select the new AppPrivacy key. In the right-hand pane, right-click an empty space and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Name the new value LetAppsRunInBackground.
Double-click LetAppsRunInBackground and change its Value data to 2.
Click OK and restart your computer. This will disable background apps for all user accounts. To reverse it, change the value to 0 or delete the LetAppsRunInBackground value.

Use Group Policy Editor (Pro/Enterprise/Education Editions)

If you’re using a professional version of Windows, the Group Policy Editor offers a safer, more straightforward way to enforce this setting.

Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
Navigate to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > App Privacy.
In the right pane, find the policy named “Let Windows apps run in the background.”
Double-click it, select Enabled, and then under the “Options” section, choose “Force Deny” from the “Default for all apps” dropdown.
Click Apply and OK. This change takes effect after a restart or by running gpupdate /force in Command Prompt.

Quick Answers to Common Questions

Windows 11: Modern approach to managing background applications for better performance.

Q: Should I just turn off all background apps?

A: Not necessarily. While it’s a quick way to save battery, you’ll lose functionality. Your Mail app won’t notify you of new emails, your Calendar won’t alert you to upcoming events, and your Weather app won’t have the latest forecast ready. A better approach is to be selective. Use the “Never” setting for apps you don’t need notifications from and “Power optimized” for the rest.

Q: Why isn’t Google Chrome or my antivirus in the background apps list?

A: This is the most common point of confusion. The “Background apps” settings are almost exclusively for Microsoft Store (UWP) apps. Traditional desktop programs (like Chrome, Firefox, Steam, Discord) manage their own background processes. To control them, you need to check:

The app’s own settings: Many programs have a “Run on startup” or “Continue running in background when closed” option in their settings menu.
Task Manager’s Startup tab: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, go to the “Startup” or “Startup Apps” tab, and disable programs you don’t need launching when you log in.
System Tray: Check the icons near your clock. Right-clicking these often gives you an option to exit the program completely.

Q: What’s the real difference between “Power optimized” and “Never”?

A: “Power optimized” is a smart compromise. Windows watches your habits and saves power by bundling background tasks together and running them at efficient times. “Never” is an absolute block. The app cannot perform any task in the background. It is functionally “asleep” until you open it. For maximum battery savings, “Never” is the winner, but “Power optimized” is often good enough for most apps without sacrificing too much convenience.

Your Action Plan for Reclaiming Battery Life

Stop guessing and start managing. You don’t need a third-party app to stop apps running in background; the best tools are already built into Windows.

Identify the Offender: Start by going to Settings > System > Power & battery > Battery usage. This screen shows you exactly which apps have consumed the most power over the last 24 hours or 7 days. Note the top 3-5 culprits.
Take Action (Windows 11): Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps. For each power-hungry app you identified, click the three dots, go to Advanced options, and change its background permission to “Power optimized” or “Never.”
Take Action (Windows 10): Go to Settings > Privacy > Background apps. Find your culprits on the list and simply toggle them to Off. If you want a fresh start, turn off the master switch at the top and then re-enable only the few essential apps you need.
Tackle Desktop Apps: For any traditional programs draining your battery (like browsers or launchers), open their internal settings and look for options related to startup or background activity. Also, clean up your startup list in Task Manager.
By following this targeted approach, you’re not just blindly disabling features. You’re making informed decisions to tune your PC for the perfect balance of functionality and efficiency, ensuring your battery lasts when you need it most.

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Turthledeep

Hi, I’m creator of Best App Review. As a tech enthusiast, I’m passionate about finding and sharing the best apps to help you work smarter, live better, and stay productive. Through honest reviews and hands-on testing, I aim to guide you in choosing the right tools for your needs. Let’s explore the world of apps together!