How to Configure Background Apps in Windows 11 Managing background apps in Windows 11 is all about finding the right balance between performance and functionality. On one hand, they keep apps responsive and services running smoothly. On the other, they consume CPU cycles, memory, and battery power. In this video, we'll walk you through the key methods to enable or disable background apps in Windows 11. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne's IT Video Hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this. Prerequisites for Configuring Windows 11 Background Apps To configure background apps effectively, you'll need administrative access, Windows 11 Pro, enterprise, or Education editions. Group Policy isn’t available on Windows 11 Home. And finally, a backup of your Group Policy settings or Registry, since some changes apply instantly. 3 Methods for Configuring Windows 11 Background Apps Method 1: Using the Settings App For one-off configurations, the Settings app is the fastest route. Press Win + I to open Settings. Go to Apps > Installed Apps. Find the application, click the three-dot menu, then choose Advanced Options. Under Background apps permissions, you’ll see three options: Always – Allows the app to run in the background until changed. Power optimized – Windows automatically decides when the app can run. Never – Prevents the app from running in the background. Keep in mind this option only appears for apps that support background activity. If the setting isn't there, the app doesn't run in the background. Method 2: Using the Group Policy Editor When you’re managing multiple devices, Group Policy is more efficient. Open Run with Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and launch with admin privileges. Navigate to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > App Privacy. Find Let Windows apps run in the background and configure it. You have three main choices here. Force Deny disables all background apps. Force Allow enables all background apps. User in control lets individual users decide per app. If you want granular control, you can input an app’s Package Family Name, which you can retrieve using this PowerShell command. Get-AppxPackage | Select Name, PackageFamilyName Check out our blog for the full run-through. Method 3: Using the Registry Editor For scripting or policy deployment where Group Policy isn’t an option, you can use the Registry. Launch Run (Win + R), type regedit, and open it with administrator privileges. Navigate to this path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\ Microsoft\Windows Create a new key called AppPrivacy. Inside it, create a DWORD (32-bit) Value named LetAppsRunInBackground. The values here determine the behavior: 2 disables all background apps. 1 enables them. 0 allows users to control them via Settings. After setting your preferred value, press OK and restart your computer. Configuring background apps in Windows 11 is a balancing act. Disable too many and you risk breaking workflows. Leave everything running and you may run into performance issues or battery drain. For more information, check out our official blog post on how to configure background apps in Windows 11 linked in the description below. Be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne's IT Video Hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this.