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Windows background apps and your privacy

Control which apps can run in the background

  1. Select Start , then select Settings  > Privacy > Background apps.
  2. Under Background Apps, make sure Let apps run in the background is turned On.
  3. Under Choose which apps can run in the background, turn individual apps and services settings On or Off.

Stop most apps from running in the background

  1. Select Start , then select Settings  > Privacy > Background apps.
  2. Under Background Apps, make sure Let apps run in the background is turned Off.

Exceptions to the privacy settings

Desktop apps won’t appear in your Choose which apps can run in the background list and are not affected by the Let apps run in the background setting. To allow or block desktop apps, use the settings in those applications.

Note: How can you tell if an app is a desktop app? Desktop apps are usually downloaded from the Internet or with some type of media (such as a CD, DVD, or USB storage device). They’re launched using an .EXE or .DLL file, and they typically run on your device unlike web-based apps (which run in the cloud). You can also find desktop applications in Microsoft Store.