How To Reduce Background Apps

June 13, 2026
| No Comments

How to Reduce Background Apps Step by Step

Introduction

Does your computer feel slow even when you’re not doing much? You might have too many apps running in the background without realizing it.

Background apps can use:

  • Memory (RAM)
  • CPU power
  • Battery life
  • Internet bandwidth

The good news is that reducing background apps is safe, simple, and beginner-friendly.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to reduce background apps step by step using built-in Windows settings. You don’t need advanced technical knowledge, and most changes only take a few minutes.

This guide is perfect for:

  • Beginners with little or no computer experience
  • Anyone with a slow or laggy PC
  • Anyone trying to improve performance and responsiveness

By the end, your computer should feel smoother, faster, and less cluttered.

This post is part of my Speed Up Your PC Series, where I walk you through simple, beginner-friendly ways to improve your computer’s performance.
👉 View the full guide here: How to Speed Up Your PC: Beginner’s Complete Guide

What You’ll Need

Before getting started, here’s what you’ll need:

  • A Windows computer
  • About 10–20 minutes
  • Administrator access (usually already enabled)

👉 No additional software is required.

Why Background Apps Matter

Many apps continue running even after you close them. Over time, too many background apps can:

  • Slow down your computer
  • Increase startup times
  • Drain laptop battery life
  • Use unnecessary system resources

👉 If your PC is already running slowly, you may also want to read:
How to Speed Up a Slow Computer

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open the Start menu

Click the Start button in the bottom-left corner of your screen.

2. Open Settings

Click the gear-shaped Settings icon.

3. Open Apps settings

Click Apps from the Settings menu.

4. Open Installed Apps

Click Installed apps (or Apps & Features depending on your Windows version).

👉 You should now see a list of installed programs.

5. Identify apps you rarely use

Look through the list carefully.

👉 Focus on apps that:

  • Start automatically
  • Run constantly
  • Aren’t necessary

6. Open Startup settings

Go to:
Settings → Apps → Startup

7. Review startup apps

Look at which programs launch automatically when Windows starts.

👉 High-impact apps may slow your PC significantly.

8. Disable unnecessary startup apps

Turn off apps you don’t need starting automatically.

⚠️ Leave antivirus and important system apps enabled.

👉 If you want a detailed walkthrough, read:
How to Disable Startup Programs

9. Open Task Manager

Press:
Ctrl + Shift + Esc

👉 A window showing running processes will appear.

10. Check running background processes

Click the Processes tab.

👉 You should see apps using:

  • CPU
  • Memory
  • Disk usage

11. Close unnecessary apps

Select apps you don’t need and click End Task.

⚠️ Avoid ending processes you don’t recognize.

12. Restart your computer

Reboot your PC after making changes.

👉 Your computer may feel faster after restarting.

13. Test your PC performance

Open a few programs and browse normally.

👉 You should notice:

  • Faster responsiveness
  • Less lag
  • Smoother multitasking

What to Expect

During this process, you may notice:

  • Programs closing immediately
  • Some apps reopening after restart
  • Temporary screen flickering when ending tasks

After cleanup, your PC should:

  • Use fewer system resources
  • Start faster
  • Feel more responsive overall

Common Problems and Simple Fixes

Problem: Unsure what apps are safe to disable

Fix:

  • Leave antivirus and Windows-related apps enabled
  • Only disable apps you recognize

Problem: An app keeps reopening

Fix:

  • Check Startup settings again
  • Restart your PC after changes

Problem: PC is still slow

Fix:

You may also need to:

Problem: Accidentally closed something important

Fix:

  • Restart your computer
  • Windows usually restores essential processes automatically

Quick Tips for Beginners

✅ Performance Tips

  • Keep startup apps to a minimum
  • Restart your PC regularly
  • Close apps when you’re finished using them

🔒 Safety Tips

  • Avoid ending unknown system processes
  • Keep antivirus software running
  • Download apps only from trusted sources

⚠️ Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

  • Disabling every startup app
  • Ending random processes in Task Manager
  • Ignoring apps using high memory or CPU

How Background Apps Affect PC Performance

Too many background apps can:

  • Slow gaming performance
  • Reduce battery life
  • Cause overheating
  • Make multitasking difficult

👉 Physical maintenance also matters. Dust buildup and overheating can reduce performance over time.

Learn more here:
How to Clean Dust From Your PC

Continue the Speed Up Your PC Series

Want to improve your computer’s performance even more? Continue with these beginner-friendly guides:

Keep Your PC Running Smoothly

Reducing background apps works best alongside regular maintenance.

👉 Continue here:
PC Maintenance for Beginners: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Conclusion

That’s it—you’ve successfully reduced unnecessary background apps on your PC!

You:

  • Reviewed startup programs
  • Closed unnecessary background tasks
  • Reduced system resource usage
  • Improved overall performance

Even small changes like these can help your computer feel noticeably faster and smoother.

Join the Conversation

Did reducing background apps improve your PC’s speed?
Do you still have questions about Task Manager or startup apps?

Feel free to leave a comment and share your experience—I’d be happy to help!

Uncategorized