Background Running Apps Consuming Battery: How to Identify and Fix Them

Have you ever noticed your laptop battery draining quickly even when you’re not actively using it? One common reason is background apps that keep running without your knowledge. These apps use system resources, stay connected to the internet, and silently consume your battery life. Let’s explore how to identify such apps and fix the issue to improve your device’s performance and extend battery life.

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Why Do Background Apps Drain Battery?

Apps running in the background continue to update, sync, or monitor system activity even when you’re not directly using them. This can include web browsers, messaging apps, email clients, or even built-in utilities. These apps can eat up battery power, especially if your power settings are not optimized.

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How to Check Which Apps Are Consuming More Battery

To begin, follow these steps:

• Press Win + I to open Settings
• Click on System → Power & Battery
• Under Battery Usage, click “Battery usage per app”
• Now Sort by: Background

You will now see a list of apps consuming battery in the background. This helps you quickly identify which app is causing the problem.

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Fix 1: Stop Chrome or Other Browsers From Running in the Background

Google Chrome is one of the most common apps that continues running even after you close it. To fix this:

1. Open Google Chrome
2. Click the three dots (⋮) at the top right
3. Go to Settings → System
4. Turn off “Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed”

This simple step can save a significant amount of battery, especially if you use Chrome often.

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Fix 2: Restrict Specific Apps From Running in the Background

If you find a specific app consuming too much power in the background, here’s how you can stop it:

1. Press Win + I to open Settings
2. Go to Apps → Installed apps
3. Search the app from the list
4. Click the three dots (⋮) next to the app name → choose Advanced options
5. Under Background app permissions, set “Let this app run in background” to Never

This will prevent the app from working in the background unless you open it manually.

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Fix 3: Use Best Power Efficiency Settings

If the above steps don’t help much, you can adjust your overall power mode to conserve battery:

1. Open Settings with Win + I
2. Go to System → Power & Battery
3. Under Power Mode, select “Best Power Efficiency” when using battery

This setting limits high-power background processes and reduces screen brightness and other performance features to save energy.

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Bonus Tips for Battery Health:

• Close unused browser tabs and apps
• Turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when not needed
• Reduce screen brightness
• Use Battery Saver Mode during travel or work hours

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Final Thoughts

Keeping your device optimized doesn’t have to be difficult. A few clicks can help you find which background apps are draining your battery and stop them. Whether you’re a student, a home user, or a business owner, managing background tasks can improve battery life and overall performance.

By following the simple steps above, you can extend your device’s battery and enjoy better efficiency.