Turn On or Off Background Apps in Windows 10  

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    Turn On or Off Background Apps in Windows 10

    Turn On or Off Background Apps in Windows 10

    How to Turn On or Off Background Apps in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Performance & Maintenance
    24 Sep 2020
    Designer Media Ltd

    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






    OPTION ONE

    To Turn On or Off Background Apps in Settings


    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.

    Turn On or Off Background Apps in Windows 10-background_apps_settings-1.png






    OPTION TWO

    To Turn On or Off Individual Background Apps in Settings


    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.

    Turn On or Off Background Apps in Windows 10-background_apps_settings-2.png






    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 using a REG file


    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.


     2. To Turn On Background Apps

    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


     3. To Turn Off Background Apps

    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.






    OPTION FIVE

    To Turn On or Off Background Apps in Command Prompt


    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.






    OPTION SIX

    To Enable or Disable Background Apps for All Users in Local Group Policy Editor


    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

    Turn On or Off Background Apps in Windows 10-background_apps_gpedit-1.jpg

    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.


     5. To Allow Users to Turn On or Off Background Apps for their Accounts

    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.


     6. To Always Enable Background Apps for All Users

    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)


     7. To Always Disable Background Apps for All Users

    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)

    Turn On or Off Background Apps in Windows 10-background_apps_gpedit-2.jpg

    8 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.






    OPTION SEVEN

    To Enable or Disable Background Apps for All Users using a REG file


    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.


     2. To Allow Users to Turn On or Off Background Apps for their Accounts

    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


     3. To Always Enable Background Apps for All Users

    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


     4. To Always Disable Background Apps for All Users

    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






  1. Posts : 23,195
    Windows 10
       #1

    Thanks for the info

    Any idea if there is a limit to how many apps can do this?
    In 8 (unless I am misreading it) you can only get 7 apps to run like this in the background
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Hey Paul,

    There's no exact details on how many yet, but I would assume that it would depend on your system specs and if the installed app supports running in the background or not. If all both check out, then Windows 10 would at least automatically have them listed here.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 23,195
    Windows 10
       #3

    Thanks for info, that makes sense

    The limit in 8 did seem odd to me
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 256
    Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
       #4

    Some apps are still appearing in task manager even off but they don't appear when I disable superfetch. I want superfetch on but what else can I do so they don't appear in task manager?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Hello Edward, :)

    Which apps are still running in the background even though turned off for this?

    If you haven't already, see if restarting the computer after turning them off may help.

    If you have Fast Startup turned on, then you might see if temporarily turning it off, restarting the computer, then turning fast startup back on may help.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 256
    Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
       #6

    Brink said:
    Hello Edward, :)

    Which apps are still running in the background even though turned off for this?

    If you haven't already, see if restarting the computer after turning them off may help.

    If you have Fast Startup turned on, then you might see if temporarily turning it off, restarting the computer, then turning fast startup back on may help.
    Hi Thanks for the reply. The apps that are showing are settings, weather, photos, groove and movies & TV apps. but they don't appear immediately after startup. I'll try the fast startup option :)
    Last edited by Edward; 27 Apr 2016 at 10:38.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 256
    Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
       #7

    Hi Brink, :) They appeared again and I noticed they usually appear when the display is turned off and than on but the good thing is that when they are appearing in task manager in RAM they open faster. Another thing why is Movies and TV app is not on the list which can be turned on or off?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Since those are default system apps, I'm betting they are being loaded and used by something. I'm not sure why the Movies & TV app isn't listed. It's not on my system either.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 429
    Windows 10 Fast Ring
       #9

    The latest screen shot of background apps as of Fast Ring 14976:
    Turn On or Off Background Apps in Windows 10-background-apps-screen.jpg
      My Computer


 

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