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. Answer from crlcan81 on reddit.com
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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.)

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Are there any apps you should let run in the background, even if they drain the battery?

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androidauthority.com
androidauthority.com › home › mobile › android os › how to stop android apps running in the background
How to stop background apps from killing your battery
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Ten Forums
tenforums.com › performance-maintenance › 174174-bad-idea-disable-apps-running-background.html
Is it bad idea to disable apps from running in the background? Solved - Windows 10 Forums
February 12, 2021 - Hello, I reinstalled Windows and I am setting up background apps. I usually turn this off. But I noticed it in OOSU10 shut up - privacy tool. That you shouldn't turn this off. But there was no important reason to not do it. I know that, since some build: it is no longer recommended to uninstall ...
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Apple Community
discussions.apple.com › thread › 254108787
Should I leave apps open in background? - Apple Community
September 1, 2022 - Why cost myself with that battery drainage ? As I said above, if you don't notice any significant lag when you open the app when it has Background App Refresh set to off, just leave it off. I agree with you, there's nothing to be gained by leaving it on in most cases.
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Rick's Daily Tips
ricksdailytips.com › home › why you should disable (most) background apps in windows 10
Why you should disable (most) background apps in Windows 10
March 26, 2021 - You should now see a Settings screen listing all the apps that are currently running in the background. 3 – If you want to disable ALL those background apps in one fell swoop simply toggle the “Let apps run in the background” setting to Off.
Find elsewhere
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Quora
quora.com › Why-should-you-disable-background-apps-in-Windows-10
Why should you disable background apps in Windows 10? - Quora
You should now see a Settings screen listing all the apps that are currently running in the background. 3 – If you want to disable ALL those background apps in one fell swoop simply toggle the “Let apps run in the background” setting to Off.
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Lifewire
lifewire.com › stop-apps-from-running-in-the-background-on-android-4777510
Stop Apps Running in Background on Android Easily
June 24, 2025 - On Pixel phones, turn off Allow background usage; on Galaxy phones, choose Restricted to save battery. Developer options show all running apps so you can stop them if they're using too much memory.
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Android Authority
androidauthority.com › home › mobile › android os › how to stop android apps running in the background
How to stop background apps from killing your battery
May 16, 2025 - Like Google, some Samsung and HUAWEI phones include OS options to manage background apps. If you don’t have access to a proprietary built-in option, there are good apps that help. The perennial favorite is Greenify, which offers fine controls over apps and places them in hibernation. If you have a rooted phone, you’ll have even more control, but it works well with standard devices, too.
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Norton
us.norton.com › blog home › cleaning › how to stop apps from running in the background: iphone and android
How to stop apps from running in the background: iPhone and Android
2 days ago - To close all apps running in the background, select Off. To disable specific apps, toggle the switches next to each app. The Background App Refresh window in iPhone settings. If you have a Samsung Galaxy, you can limit background activity in ...
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Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › answers › questions › 2152685 › how-do-i-disable-unnecessary-background-apps-and-s
How do I disable unnecessary background apps and services to improve system performance? - Microsoft Q&A
January 29, 2025 - Make sure you select Show hidden icons , so you don’t miss any programs. Even after you check the notification area, you might still miss some programs that run automatically at startup. Here’s how you can find all the programs that start automatically, and stop the ones that you don’t want to start automatically when Windows starts. ... Select the Start button, then select Settings > Apps > Startup .
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Izoate
izoate.com › home › blog › 5 recommended methods to disable background apps in windows 11: 2025 guide
5 Recommended Methods to Disable Background Apps in Windows 11: 2025 Guide - Izoate
November 20, 2025 - If you’re not actively gaming or using Xbox-integration features, these services are often idle and can be turned off with little risk. While Edge may preload pages or sync content, if you rarely use such features, you can disable the background service without losing everyday browsing functionality. In Windows 11, Cortana is mostly dormant unless specifically launched. Disabling its background activity typically won’t affect normal system operations. If you don’t rely on syncing text messages or calls between devices, this app’s background process is optional.
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Apple Community
discussions.apple.com › thread › 256083090
How do I stop apps from running in the ba… - Apple Community
June 18, 2025 - You can turn it completely off, or you can go down the list and turn off specific apps. ... You can always force close an app if it continues to run in the background, though apps suspended, should not be running in the background unless there is an issue with the app.
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Quora
quora.com › How-do-I-stop-unnecessary-programs-running-in-the-background
How do I stop unnecessary programs running in the background?
... Win+R, type services.msc → ... changing). ... Settings → Privacy & security → Background apps (or Apps → Apps & features → More settings) → Turn off background permission for specific apps....
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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 - Inside Startup, you can sort apps by Startup impact and pick which inessential apps to disable during startup. Yes, it’s okay to turn off background apps on a device. In some cases, it’s even recommended to improve system performance and conserve battery life on portable devices.
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Apple Community
discussions.apple.com › docs › DOC-13491
Do not close iPhone and iPad 'background' apps
November 5, 2025 - Unfortunately, this is a myth that is not true in almost all situations.You should only close an app in the quick-launch (App Switcher) screen if it is "misbehaving" - not working right, or if it is using energy (as per Settings/Battery) and you don't need it at the present time.
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Asurion
asurion.com › connect › tech-tips › conserve-phone-data-by-turning-off-the-background-refresh
How to turn off Background App Refresh on iPhone and background data on Android | Asurion
1 month ago - Learn what Background App Refresh is plus how to stop apps running in the background on your iPhone and Android to help save battery and data.