How to Turn On or Off Background Apps in Windows 10
In Windows 10, you can choose which apps can receive info, send notifications, and stay up-to-date, even when you're not using them. Turning background apps off can help conserve power.
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off to let apps run in the background for your account or all users in Windows 10.
Contents
- Option One: To Turn On or Off Background Apps for Current User in Settings
- Option Two: To Turn On or Off Individual Background Apps for Current User in Settings
- Option Three: To Turn On or Off Individual Background Apps for Current User in Battery Settings
- Option Four: To Turn On or Off Background Apps for Current User using a REG file
- Option Five: To Turn On or Off Background Apps for Current User in Command Prompt
- Option Six: To Enable or Disable Background Apps for All Users in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Seven: To Enable or Disable Background Apps for All Users using a REG file
1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.
2 Click/tap on Background apps on the left side, and turn on (default) or off to Let apps run in the background under Background Apps on the right side. (see screenshots below)
3 When finished, you can close Settings if you like.
When you toggle the background setting for an individual app in Settings > Privacy > Background apps it changes the values of Disabled and DisabledByUser in a subkey in the registry key below specific to that app for the current user.
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\BackgroundAccessApplications\<app package name>
1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.
2 Click/tap on Background apps on the left side, and turn on (default) or off apps under Choose which apps can run in the background on the right side. (see screenshots below)
You will need to have background apps turned on in Option One or Option Three to be able to turn on or off individual apps that can run in the background.
If you do not see Microsoft Edge (or any app) listed, then reset the app. It should appear in this list afterwards.
3 When finished, you can close Settings if you like.
The downloadable .reg files below will modify the DWORD values in the registry keys below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\BackgroundAccessApplications
GlobalUserDisabled DWORD
0 = On
1 = Off
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search
BackgroundAppGlobalToggle DWORD
0 = Off
1 = On
1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_On_Background_Apps.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_Off_Background_Apps.reg
Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 If you like, you can now delete the downloaded .reg file.
1 Open a command prompt.
2 Copy and paste the commands below you want to use into the command prompt, and press Enter.
(Turn on background apps - default)
Reg Add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\BackgroundAccessApplications /v GlobalUserDisabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
Reg Add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search /v BackgroundAppGlobalToggle /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
OR
(Turn off background apps)
Reg Add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\BackgroundAccessApplications /v GlobalUserDisabled /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
Reg Add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search /v BackgroundAppGlobalToggle /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
3 You can now close the command prompt if you like.
You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option.
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions, but all editions can use Option Six to set this policy using a REG file instead.
1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor.
2 In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\App Privacy
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) below for what you would like to do.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below)
Not Configured[/B] is the default setting.
A) Select (dot) Enabled, select Force Allow in the Default for all apps drop menu, click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below)
A) Select (dot) Enabled, select Force Deny in the Default for all apps drop menu, click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below)
8 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option.
The downloadable .reg files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy
LetAppsRunInBackground DWORD
(delete) = Default
1 = Always enable
2 = Always disable
1 Do step 2 (default), step 3 (always enable), or step 4 (always disable) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Default_user_choice_for_Background_Apps.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Always_enable_Background_Apps_for_all_users.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Always_disable_Background_Apps_for_all_users.reg
Download
5 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
8 If you like, you can now delete the downloaded .reg file.
That's it,
Shawn
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