Disable background apps: on Windows 11, 10, 7, and 8

Some apps have the ability to run background processes on your computer: they can send notifications, download or upload data, etc. This quick tutorial will teach you how to stop apps from running in the background in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

How to stop Windows apps from running in the background?

The procedure of how to stop your Windows apps from running in the background is the same for Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10. 

1) Click on the Start menu > and head to Settings > Privacy > Background apps > Let apps run in the background. Here, you will find all apps allowed to run background processes. To stop a background app, you simply have to toggle its corresponding switch to the Off position:

By disabling unnecessary background apps, performance and battery life can be significantly improved.