4 Solutions to Fix Too Many Background Processes in Windows 10 - MiniTool (2024)

  • Home
  • News
  • 4 Solutions to Fix Too Many Background Processes in Windows 10

By Alisa |Last Updated

English

  • 日本語
  • Deutsch

Windows 10 computer is slow down and there are too many background processes in Windows 10? Check the 4 methods in this tutorial to allow you reduce unwanted background processes in Windows 10, so as to make computer run faster and release more system resource for other programs.

If you open Task Manager in Windows 10, you will see a long list of background processes. Wonder whether it is possible to reduce some background processes in Windows 10 to fix computer slow problem and free up more system resources for running other programs.

Below we provide 4 methods to help your fix too many background processes Windows 10.

How to Fix Too Many Background Processes in Windows 10

Generally background processes are Microsoft software services and third-party software services. To reduce unnecessary background processes in Windows 10, you can stop those software services.

Solution 1. Reduce Background Processes Using Task Manager

You can press Ctrl + Shift + Esc keyboard shortcut to open Task Manager in Windows 10. In Task Manager window, you can tap Process tab to see all running applications and processes incl. background processes in your computer. Here, you can check all Windows background processes and select any unwanted background processes and click End task button to terminate them temporarily.

4 Solutions to Fix Too Many Background Processes in Windows 10 - MiniTool (2)

You can identify and end high-resource processes by checking their CPU and Memory usage rate in Task Manager. You can end those unnecessary third-party software and services which consume the most computer resources. But, you should pay attention not to end vital system processes in Task Manager.

Video Guide:

Solution 2. Strip Down Windows 10 Startup Processes

Many system tray startup programs like antivirus software are listed under Background processes in Task Manager. You can also use Windows Task Manager application to remove some system tray software from the Windows startup. This is also a way to fix too many background process in Windows 10.

Step 1. You can press Windows + X key and choose Task Manager to open it. (Related: Task Manager Not Responding)

Step 2. Tap Startup tab, and select any system tray program you don’t want to include in Windows startup and click Disable to remove it from Windows startup.

4 Solutions to Fix Too Many Background Processes in Windows 10 - MiniTool (3)

Tips:

Revitalize Your PC with MiniTool System Booster: Unleash Lightning-Fast Startup Optimization!

Solution 3. Disable Third-Party Software Services from Windows Startup

Under background process in Task Manager window, you may find many third-party software services. If you right-click one service and click End task button, it will temporarily disable it, and the service will turn on again next time you restart your computer.

To make sure that they don’t start again when computer restarts, you need to go to Windows Services to disable them.

Step 1. To open Windows services, below are two easy ways:

  • In Task Manager window, find the software service you want to disable under Process Expand and right-click the target service and choose Open Services.
  • You can press Windows + R, type msc in Run dialog, and hit Enter to open Windows Service Manager.

Step 2. Then you can find and double-click the service to open its Properties dialog, and select Disabled option in the drop-down list next to Startup type.

Step 3. Click Apply button and click OK to apply the changes. This should help you reduce background processes Windows 10.

4 Solutions to Fix Too Many Background Processes in Windows 10 - MiniTool (4)

Forgot Windows 11 Password | How to Reset Windows 11 PasswordIf you forgot Windows 11 password, you can check the 6 solutions in this post to reset/bypass Windows 11 password. Also learn how to change Windows 11 password.Read More

Solution 4. Free up Resources Windows 10 through System Configuration

You have a quick way to disable all non-Microsoft services to fix too many background processes Windows 10, namely, to use Windows System Configuration tool.

Step 1. Press Windows + R on the keyboard, type msconfig, and hit Enter to open System Configuration window.

Step 2. Tap Services tab, and click Hide all Microsoft services to check it.

Step 3. Then you can click Disable all button, and click Apply and OK button to disable all non-Microsoft services.

4 Solutions to Fix Too Many Background Processes in Windows 10 - MiniTool (6)

Verdict

With the 4 solutions above, you can fix too many background processes in Windows 10 and free up more system resources for your computer.

About The Author

Alisa

Position: Columnist

Alisa is a professional English editor with 4-year experience. She loves writing and focuses on sharing detailed solutions and thoughts for computer problems, data recovery & backup, digital gadgets, tech news, etc. Through her articles, users can always easily get related problems solved and find what they want. In spare time, she likes basketball, badminton, tennis, cycling, running, and singing. She is very funny and energetic in life, and always brings friends lots of laughs.

4 Solutions to Fix Too Many Background Processes in Windows 10 - MiniTool (2024)

FAQs

How do I stop unnecessary background processes in Windows 10? ›

Select Start , then select Settings > Apps > Apps & features. Scroll to the desired app, select More options on the right edge of the window, then select Advanced options. In the Background apps permissions section, under Let this app run in the background, select Never.

How do I fix too many background processes running? ›

In Task Manager window, you can tap Process tab to see all running applications and processes incl. background processes in your computer. Here, you can check all Windows background processes and select any unwanted background processes and click End task button to terminate them temporarily.

Which background processes can I end? ›

End these Windows Task Manager processes to make your PC run faster
  • How to open Task Manager. Opening your task manager in Windows is super easy. ...
  • End ctfmon.exe. ...
  • End OneDrive.exe. ...
  • End LockApp.exe. ...
  • End NewsAndInterests.exe. ...
  • End GrooveMusic.exe. ...
  • There's one more thing you can do. ...
  • Read More.
Apr 13, 2023

Is it OK to disable all startup programs? ›

You don't need to disable most applications, but disabling the ones you don't always need or ones that are demanding on your computer's resources can make a big difference. If you use the program every day or if it's necessary for the operation of your computer, you should leave it enabled on startup.

How to stop all background processes in Windows 10 cmd? ›

Go to Search. Type cmd and open Command Prompt. Once there, enter this line taskkill /f /fi “status eq not responding” and then press Enter. This command should end all processes deemed unresponding.

How many background processes is normal Windows 10? ›

Windows 10 will average at some 100–150 processes when no other software is installed, so long as you meet the recommended specifications in terms of RAM capacity.

How do I clear background processes in Windows? ›

Close programs running in the background in Windows
  1. Press and hold the CTRL and ALT keys, and then press the DELETE key. The Windows Security window appears.
  2. From the Windows Security window, click Task Manager or Start Task Manager. ...
  3. From the Windows Task Manager, open the Applications tab. ...
  4. Now open the Processes tab.

What is a normal amount of background processes? ›

You could see 70 or 80 processes running immediately after boot, or you could see 200. The longer you use a computer, the more processes will be added. As you can see in the image below, one of our computers has 285 processes running after a few hours of normal use.

How do I know what background processes should be running? ›

To check background processes on a computer, you can use the following methods:
  1. Using the Task Manager: Open the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and go to the “Processes” tab. ...
  2. Using the Command Prompt: Open the Command Prompt (Start menu > type “cmd” and select it) and type “tasklist” and press Enter.
Feb 1, 2023

What is the difference between background processes and Windows processes? ›

The Windows processes are the programs and system processes that are necessarily needed so that the operating system could run and function properly. The Background processes, on the other hand, are the programs that are needed by the applications installed on the computer.

How much RAM should be used at idle? ›

RAM is utilized by a computer and a percentage of the RAM is in use at all times. In this article, I will explain how much RAM usage is normal. On average, your RAM usage should be 50% or lower with nothing open at all. With an internet browser open with a few tabs, about 75% RAM usage is normal.

How to speed up Windows 10? ›

Tips to improve PC performance in Windows
  1. 1. Make sure you have the latest updates for Windows and device drivers. ...
  2. Restart your PC and open only the apps you need. ...
  3. Use ReadyBoost to help improve performance. ...
  4. 4. Make sure the system is managing the page file size. ...
  5. Check for low disk space and free up space.

What programs can I disable at startup Windows 10? ›

In Windows 10 or 11, go to Settings > Apps > Startup to view a list of all apps that can start up automatically and determine which ones should be disabled. You can sort the list by name, status, or startup impact.

Which apps should I disable from startup in Windows 10? ›

These commonly-used startup programs are safe to disable on your Windows 10/11 computer:
  1. 1: Cortana. ...
  2. 2: Microsoft Edge. ...
  3. 3: Google Chrome. ...
  4. 4: Microsoft Team. ...
  5. 5: Chat. ...
  6. 8: iTunes Mobile Device Helper/iTunesHelper. ...
  7. 9: QuickTime. ...
  8. 10: Adobe Reader.
Sep 8, 2023

How do I disable unnecessary programs that run automatically on startup? ›

Go to Task Manager by clicking the Windows icon, select the settings icon (gear symbol), then type Task Manager in the search box. 2. Select the Startup tab. Highlight any progam you don't want to start automatically, then click Disable.

Should I close all background processes Windows 10? ›

Avoid ending system processes if possible, and be cautious when terminating system processes: you may disable necessary components of your system. You may need to restart your computer to restore full functionality. If you are unfamiliar with the listed processes, follow these rules: - Do not end EXPLORER.

How do I see what apps are running in the background Windows 10? ›

Using the Task Manager: Open the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and go to the “Processes” tab. This view will show all the processes currently running on your computer, including those in the background.

How do I see what apps are running in the background? ›

Process to see what Android apps are currently running in the background involves the following steps-
  1. Go to your Android's “Settings”
  2. Scroll down. ...
  3. Scroll down to the "Build number" heading.
  4. Tap the "Build number" heading seven times – Content write.
  5. Tap the "Back" button.
  6. Tap "Developer Options"
  7. Tap "Running Services"

How do I stop Windows 10 from automatically updating my background? ›

Here are the steps:
  1. Open the Group Policy Editor by typing "gpedit.msc" in the Start menu search bar and pressing Enter.
  2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Configure Automatic Updates.
  3. Set the policy to "Disabled".
Aug 23, 2023

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Twana Towne Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 6631

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (64 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Twana Towne Ret

Birthday: 1994-03-19

Address: Apt. 990 97439 Corwin Motorway, Port Eliseoburgh, NM 99144-2618

Phone: +5958753152963

Job: National Specialist

Hobby: Kayaking, Photography, Skydiving, Embroidery, Leather crafting, Orienteering, Cooking

Introduction: My name is Twana Towne Ret, I am a famous, talented, joyous, perfect, powerful, inquisitive, lovely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.