Two species of background apps
The first species is Store apps — UWP applications installed from the Microsoft Store. They ask for a background permission, and when it is granted they can sync, update tiles and raise notifications even when you never opened them. Windows 11 grants this permission intelligently by default (Power managed), but each app can be switched to Always or Never individually.
The second species is classic Win32 programs: Steam and Epic helpers, Adobe updaters, printer toolbars, chat clients. They have no background permission to revoke — they simply start with Windows and sit in the notification area. Identifying them is easy: Task Manager → Startup apps shows the full list with publisher names and the impact each one had on recent boots.
- Store apps — Mail and Calendar, Weather, Xbox, Cortana leftovers — with background permission granted
- Classic tray apps — Steam, Epic Games Launcher, Adobe updaters, Spotify, Telegram, Discord
- Vendor helpers — printer utilities, sound-card control panels, graphics driver trays
- Signed-in chat and sync clients that keep network connections open around the clock
Denying background permission to Store apps
Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps, find the app, click the three dots next to it and choose Advanced options. Scroll to Background apps permissions and set it to Never — from that moment the app suspends completely when you close it and stops syncing, updating tiles or pushing notifications. Windows 11 keeps this setting per app, so a noisy neighbor can be silenced without touching the rest.
Do not be surprised if some apps have no such setting at all: classic desktop programs never show it, and Microsoft has been quietly removing the per-app toggle from some system components in recent builds. When the toggle is missing, the app either runs only when open, or it is a desktop program you deal with through startup control instead. On Pro and Enterprise editions, a single Group Policy — Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → App Privacy → Let Windows apps run in the background — can force-deny it for all Store apps at once.
Classic apps: the startup route and staying in control
For Win32 programs, Task Manager → Startup apps (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) is the instrument: select the entry, click Disable, and the program stops launching at boot. Be deliberate about what you cut — GPU driver trays and audio control panels are harmless enough, while helper apps for cloud drives or peripherals may do real work you want. A monthly review of the list keeps the boot lean as new installers keep adding themselves back.
Two habits multiply the effect. Battery saver — Settings → System → Power & battery — pauses background activity while active, which covers everything the per-app switches missed. And when you uninstall a background-heavy app rather than just disable it, its leftovers often stay behind: the scan in Kleaner PRO shows caches and application remnants with sizes, so the disk gets just as clean as the process list. Stopping apps is a one-time job; keeping the machine quiet is a routine.
Questions and Answers
Why can't I find Background apps permissions for some apps?
Only Store (UWP) apps carry that setting — classic desktop programs never do, and Microsoft has removed the toggle from some system components in recent Windows 11 builds. Control desktop apps through Startup apps instead.
Do background apps really slow down a PC?
Modestly, on most machines: they cost RAM, background CPU and battery life. The effect is largest on low-RAM laptops and older hardware, where trimming them visibly improves responsiveness and battery runtime.
Will stopping background apps break my notifications?
For Store apps set to Never, live tiles and push notifications stop while the app is closed, and mail may sync less often. The change is per app and reversible at any time.
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