Eleven Forum
elevenforum.com › windows support forums › tutorials
Enable or Disable Background Apps in Windows 11 | Windows 11 Forum
November 21, 2025 - 3 In the right pane of App Privacy in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Let Windows apps run in the background policy to edit it. (see screenshot above) 4 Do step 5 (default), step 6 (always enable), or step 7 (always disable) ...
NinjaOne
ninjaone.com › home › blog › it ops › how to configure background apps in windows 11
Configure Background Apps in Windows 11 | NinjaOne
1 week ago - Once done, click OK to apply the changes. Restart the computer so the changes take effect. Alternatively, you can open an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell as an administrator and run the command gpupdate /force. ⚠️ IMPORTANT: Making the change using the Default for all apps drop-down menu enables or disables all background apps in your Windows 11 device.
Background apps feature missing.
Press Win + I to open Settings. Open the Apps tab in the left pane. Click on Apps and features or Installed apps (later versions) in the right pane. Locate the app for which you want to change the background permission. Click the three-dots menu beside the app name and click Advanced options. (Scroll down to the) Locate Background apps permissions section. Click the drop-down for Let this app run in the background and select e.g. Never - This should disable the app from running in the background. https://www.makeuseof.com/windows-11-disable-background-apps/#:~:text=Click%20on%20Apps%20and%20features,the%20Background%20apps%20permissions%20section . Please let me know if this helps. More on reddit.com
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June 6, 2022How do I turn my background apps on after somehow turning it off?
I was trying to fix a lag issue i was having with a game and it showed how to turn it off for windows 10 but I use windows 11, I somehow managed to turn background apps off but I can't figure out how to turn it back on no matter how many times i search… More on learn.microsoft.com
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February 11, 2024Windows 11 Background Apps Issue
I was on Chrome going to install the drivers and checked in the alt + tab menu to see if i could see the camera and it was still greyed out/black. Thank you for your response and help, but do you know if anything else could be causing it? ... Thank you for sharing detailed information about the issue you're experiencing with background apps in Windows 11... More on learn.microsoft.com
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October 10, 2024Is there a less painful way to identify and turn off background apps?
I can tell you an easy way to see what background stuff is running on your system, it's called task manager. Windows 11 task manager has a list called 'background processes', I'm looking at it right now, and can see things that are on but aren't open, things windows itself is running, and other stuff. The only drawback is it doesn't tell you more details then that, like the publisher or what user/service started it, but if you want anything more detailed process explorer can tell you that, and if the process/app is set to automatically start/restart it'll do that if you kill it. I've used it for years even before it showed background processes to kill problematic apps, though for a while process explorer was my go to until task manager added minor functions it was lacking. More on reddit.com
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June 2, 2024Videos
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Microsoft Support
support.microsoft.com › en-us › windows › manage-background-activity-for-apps-in-windows-4f32dffe-b97c-40e8-a790-3ca10373a1ef
Manage background activity for apps in Windows - Microsoft Support
Select the Start button, then select Settings > System > Power & battery > Battery usage. For an app that lets you manage the background activity, select More options > Manage background activity. On the settings page for that app, change the setting for Let this app run in the background.
Microsoft Support
support.microsoft.com › en-us › windows › windows-background-apps-and-your-privacy-83f2de44-d2d9-2b29-4649-2afe0913360a
Windows background apps and your privacy - Microsoft Support
Note: Desktop apps are typically ... using .EXE or .DLL files. Some desktop apps are also available in the Microsoft Store. Select Start , then select Settings > Privacy > Background apps. Under Background Apps, make sure Let apps run in the background is turned On...
Reddit
reddit.com › r/windows11 › background apps feature missing.
r/Windows11 on Reddit: Background apps feature missing.
June 6, 2022 -
Hello r/Windows11,
I appear to be missing the option that allows you to turn on background apps in windows 11.
I have gone to the Apps section of settings and clicked the 3 dots and clicked advanced options.
The background apps permissions section is completely missing.
After doing some googling I found a registry file on the microsoft answers website posted by a microsoft agent containing the following as a fix:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\BackgroundAccessApplications] "GlobalUserDisabled"=- [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search] "BackgroundAppGlobalToggle"=-
I tried this and rebooted and it's still not showing up in advanced options. I don't know how to fix it at this point. So, I thought since help posts are allowed on Mondays I would see if anyone had a solution?
Windows 11 home edition build 21H2 (22000.675) btw.
Top answer 1 of 2
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Press Win + I to open Settings. Open the Apps tab in the left pane. Click on Apps and features or Installed apps (later versions) in the right pane. Locate the app for which you want to change the background permission. Click the three-dots menu beside the app name and click Advanced options. (Scroll down to the) Locate Background apps permissions section. Click the drop-down for Let this app run in the background and select e.g. Never - This should disable the app from running in the background. https://www.makeuseof.com/windows-11-disable-background-apps/#:~:text=Click%20on%20Apps%20and%20features,the%20Background%20apps%20permissions%20section . Please let me know if this helps.
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Which apps are you trying to change this setting for? A lot of traditional apps made with win32 APIs don't support the background activity permission control.
DEV Community
dev.to › win11_verse › how-to-enable-or-disable-background-apps-in-windows-11-i34
How to Enable or Disable Background Apps in Windows 11 - DEV Community
November 5, 2024 - The simplest way to manage background apps in Windows 11 is through the Settings app. Open Settings : Press Windows + I to open the Settings menu. Go to Apps : In the left sidebar, select Apps.
MakeUseOf
makeuseof.com › home › windows › how to disable background apps in windows 11
How to Disable Background Apps in Windows 11
October 6, 2023 - Similarly, changes to the BackgroundAppGlobalToggle turn off the toggle for background apps in Windows search, thus limiting its background access. If you need to turn on background apps for the current user, then save the following script as enable_background_apps.reg and run it as administrator.
GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › techtips › restore-win-missing-background-apps
How to Restore Missing Background Apps in Windows 11? - GeeksforGeeks
July 23, 2025 - Step 2: Click on the Enable button & then select Apply to make the changes. Registry Editor is a Windows tool that allows adjusting settings related to app permissions. You can use Regedit to change app permission i.e. to enable or disable background apps in Windows 11.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › answers › questions › 4059172 › how-do-i-turn-my-background-apps-on-after-somehow
How do I turn my background apps on after somehow turning it off? - Microsoft Q&A
February 11, 2024 - You can check using the tutorial below to see if you may have used one of the options to turn off or disable background apps, and turn it back on or enable it again if so. https://www.elevenforum.com/t/enable-or-disable-background-apps-in-windows-11.923/
Quora
quora.com › How-do-I-stop-an-app-from-running-in-the-background-on-Windows-11-without-modify-advanced-settings-start-up-option-or-background-activity-settings-The-app-doesnt-have-advanced-features-or-pop-up-in-startup
How to stop an app from running in the background on Windows 11 without modify, advanced settings, start up option, or background activity settings - Quora
October 20, 2025 - You can decide which apps will run in the background, and which won't. ... Select Start , then select Settings > Privacy > Background apps. Under Background Apps, make sure Let apps run in the background is turned On.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › answers › questions › 3967816 › windows-11-background-apps-issue
Windows 11 Background Apps Issue - Microsoft Q&A
October 10, 2024 - **1. Disable Game Mode.**Windows 11's Game Mode can prioritize gaming performance, but it might cause background applications to behave unexpectedly. Try disabling it: Open Settings. Go to Gaming > Game Mode. Toggle off Game Mode. 2. Disable Hardware Acceleration. Hardware acceleration can sometimes cause issues with video rendering, especially in apps like Chrome and Discord. Here's how to turn it off:
Reddit
reddit.com › r/windows11 › is there a less painful way to identify and turn off background apps?
r/Windows11 on Reddit: Is there a less painful way to identify and turn off background apps?
June 2, 2024 -
My Googling about how to turn off background apps has yielded this advice:
"To disable background apps in Windows 11, open the Settings app and navigate to the Apps tab. Then, select the app you want to disable, go to Advanced options, and choose "Never" under Background Apps Permissions."
There are like 10 thousand apps in the Apps tab. The thought of selecting every app, one by one, and going through all the rigamarole that is required to turn off background permissions makes me want to hurl myself out a window. It is simply an unthinkable task. (It makes one wonder if this is perhaps by design.)
Is there no other way to accomplish the goal?? Please be my hero and advise. Many thanks.
(Also, even if I could just view a list of what apps are running in the background, that would be helpful.)
How-To Geek
howtogeek.com › home › windows › how to disable background apps in windows 11
How to Disable Background Apps in Windows 11
November 11, 2023 - Press the Start menu and click the "Settings" icon, or use the Windows+i key combination to open the Settings app. Navigate to the "Apps" tab in the left pane and click "Installed apps."
Microsoft Community
techcommunity.microsoft.com › microsoft community hub › communities › products › windows › windows 11
How to Disable Background Apps Windows 11 | Microsoft Community Hub
September 22, 2021 - Disable Background Apps in the Settings app 1. Launch the Windows Settings app. 2. Click "Apps" on the left sidebar, then "Apps & features." 3.
GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › techtips › disable-background-apps-in-windows-11
How to Disable Background Apps in Windows 11? - GeeksforGeeks
July 23, 2025 - ... Step 1: Open Task Manager, To open Task Manager, right-click at the taskbar, or press Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Step 2: Go to the Startup tab on the Task Manager window then find the app which runs in the background and has to be disabled.
Winaero
winaero.com › home › windows 11 › windows 11 disable background apps
Windows 11 Disable Background Apps
August 11, 2021 - Find the Background Apps Permissions section and choose the value you want. By default, Windows 11 sets the Power Optimized mode. It allows Windows to manage how apps work in the background. For example, the system will automatically turn off all apps once you enable power-saving mode to preserve the battery.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › answers › questions › 3747696 › i-cant-manage-background-apps-on-windows-11
I can't manage background apps on windows 11 - Microsoft Q&A
April 28, 2025 - Once you proceed back into any game (doesn't matter which) you're now automatically muted by the system until you reopen this overlay tab (Window Squares+G), which removes you from gaming. Window's 11 forums say you can change background app permissions, however none of the forums are updated ...
WinTips.org
wintips.org › home › how to disable background apps in windows 11.
How to Disable Background Apps in Windows 11. - WinTips.org
December 31, 2024 - Under the Background apps permissions, click on the drop-down menu and select the Never option. 5. That's it. You have now restricted the most battery-hungry app from running in the background. Follow the same steps to disable any other apps that use a lot of battery power and don't need to be running in the background. If you want to turn off all background apps in Windows 11, you can easily adjust a registry setting on your computer.
Lifewire
lifewire.com › stop-background-programs-windows-11-7775515
How to Stop Programs Running in the Background in Windows 11
September 15, 2023 - Search Windows for gpedit.msc, or execute that command through the Run dialog box (WIN+R). From the left pane, navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > App Privacy.
YouTube
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How to Disable Background Apps on Windows 11 - 3 Ways
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Published August 16, 2023