{"id":18742,"date":"2025-09-18T12:18:20","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T12:18:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/?p=18742"},"modified":"2025-09-18T12:18:20","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T12:18:20","slug":"how-to-stop-apps-from-running-in-the-background","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/how-to-stop-apps-from-running-in-the-background\/","title":{"rendered":"Boosting System Performance by Stopping Background Apps"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is your system slowing down even when you\u2019re not actively using many apps? One of the main culprits could be background processes. Knowing <\/span><b>how to stop apps from running in the background<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is crucial for improving speed, conserving battery, and reducing security risks. This guide is tailored for IT managers, security professionals, and business users who want to enhance device performance without compromising stability.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Why Background Apps Affect System Performance<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Background apps continuously consume system resources such as CPU cycles, memory, and network bandwidth. While some are necessary (like antivirus or cloud sync tools), others can drain power and slow down systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Key issues caused by background apps:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduced battery life on laptops<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Higher CPU and memory usage<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sluggish system performance<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Potential security vulnerabilities<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Controlling which apps run in the background helps ensure that only essential processes are active, improving efficiency and stability.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to Stop Background Apps on Windows<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Windows systems often have multiple apps configured to run in the background. You can disable them through Settings, Task Manager, or Group Policy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Using Windows Settings<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Press <\/span><b>Windows + I<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to open <\/span><b>Settings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go to <\/span><b>Privacy &amp; Security &gt; Background Apps<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Select the app you want to restrict.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Toggle <\/span><b>Let this app run in background<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to <\/span><b>Off<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><b>Using Task Manager<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Press <\/span><b>Ctrl + Shift + Esc<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to open <\/span><b>Task Manager<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go to the <\/span><b>Startup<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tab.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Right-click unnecessary apps and choose <\/span><b>Disable<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><b>Using Group Policy Editor (Windows Pro\/Enterprise)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Press <\/span><b>Windows + R<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, type <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">gpedit.msc<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and press Enter.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Navigate to <\/span><b>Computer Configuration &gt; Administrative Templates &gt; Windows Components &gt; App Privacy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set <\/span><b>Let Windows apps run in the background<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to <\/span><b>Disabled<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These steps will help IT admins ensure critical systems don\u2019t run unnecessary processes that waste resources.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to Stop Background Apps on macOS<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mac systems also allow background processes, which can be managed via Login Items, Activity Monitor, or Energy Saver settings.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Removing Login Items<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Click the <\/span><b>Apple Menu &gt; System Settings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Navigate to <\/span><b>General &gt; Login Items<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Select unwanted apps and click <\/span><b>Remove (-)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><b>Monitoring in Activity Monitor<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open <\/span><b>Activity Monitor<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from <\/span><b>Utilities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check CPU, Memory, and Energy tabs.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Highlight unnecessary processes and click <\/span><b>Quit Process<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><b>Using Energy Saver Settings<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go to <\/span><b>System Settings &gt; Battery &gt; Energy Saver<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Turn off <\/span><b>Enable Power Nap<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and similar background functions.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This prevents non-essential background tasks from draining your Mac\u2019s performance and battery.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Disabling Background Apps on Mobile Devices<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Background app activity is also common on mobile platforms like iOS and Android, impacting battery and data usage.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>On iPhone\/iPad<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go to <\/span><b>Settings &gt; General &gt; Background App Refresh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Turn off <\/span><b>Background App Refresh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for individual apps or all apps.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><b>On Android<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go to <\/span><b>Settings &gt; Apps &gt; See all apps<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Select the target app and tap <\/span><b>Battery<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose <\/span><b>Restricted<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><b>Don\u2019t allow background activity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is useful for professionals who rely on mobile devices for business tasks and need to maximize battery life and security.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Benefits of Stopping Background Apps<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Limiting background activity offers several operational advantages for both personal and enterprise systems:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Improved performance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Frees up RAM and CPU resources.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Extended battery life:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Reduces power drain on laptops and mobile devices.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Lower network usage:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Stops unnecessary background data transfers.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Enhanced security:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Minimizes attack surface by limiting active processes.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Better system stability:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Reduces app conflicts and system crashes.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For IT managers, this can translate to fewer helpdesk tickets and more reliable systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Advanced Techniques for Enterprise Environments<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For organizations managing multiple devices, manual steps aren\u2019t scalable. Instead, use centralized policies or management tools.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Using Windows Group Policy and Intune<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Configure background app permissions via Group Policy Objects (GPOs).<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use Microsoft Intune to enforce application restrictions and power policies across devices.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Using Mac MDM (Mobile Device Management)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deploy profiles to disable unnecessary login items.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automate power and energy settings across enrolled Mac devices.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Centralized control ensures consistent performance improvements across the organization.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Monitoring Background Processes Regularly<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even after disabling background apps, new software installations may add new processes. IT teams should routinely monitor background activity to maintain performance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Best practices:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schedule monthly Task Manager and Activity Monitor checks.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use system monitoring tools like Sysinternals, Nagios, or JAMF.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintain an allowlist of critical background services.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This proactive approach prevents performance degradation over time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Common Mistakes to Avoid<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While stopping background apps is helpful, some common errors can cause disruptions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Disabling security software:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Antivirus and firewalls must remain active.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Removing system services:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Critical OS services should not be stopped.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Not testing changes:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Always verify app behavior after disabling it.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure users understand which processes are essential before disabling them to prevent unintended downtime.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>FAQs About Stopping Background Apps<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>1. Will stopping background apps improve performance significantly?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, especially on systems with limited RAM or older CPUs. It frees up system resources and can noticeably speed up performance.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>2. Can I stop all background apps safely?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not all. Essential services (antivirus, backup, OS tasks) should remain active. Focus only on unnecessary third-party apps.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. How often should I review background apps?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Review them monthly or after installing new software to ensure only necessary processes are running.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>4. Does stopping background apps affect updates?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some apps may not update automatically when disabled. Enable them temporarily when you need updates.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>5. Are there risks in disabling background services?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. Disabling essential system processes can break features or security. Always research the function of an app before disabling it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Final Thoughts<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing <\/span><b>how to stop apps from running in the background<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is an essential performance and security practice for IT teams, cybersecurity professionals, and everyday users. By controlling which processes stay active, you can significantly improve speed, extend battery life, and minimize potential vulnerabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Start Enhancing Your Device Security and Performance<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empower your team to keep devices optimized, protected, and secure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/signup\/\"><b>Sign up on Itarian now<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and get access to enterprise-grade IT management and security tools to streamline your operations.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is your system slowing down even when you\u2019re not actively using many apps? One of the main culprits could be background processes. Knowing how to stop apps from running in the background is crucial for improving speed, conserving battery, and reducing security risks. This guide is tailored for IT managers, security professionals, and business users&hellip; <span class=\"readmore\"><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":18752,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ticketing-system","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18742","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18742"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18742\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18772,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18742\/revisions\/18772"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}