Optimization

How to Fix Missing Background App Options on Windows 11 PC

Background apps permission option missing from the Settings app? Unable to manage background apps and services running on your Windows 11 PC? You’ve come to the right place. In this post, we have listed a few workarounds that will help you resolve this issue.

The background apps permission option is crucial on Windows or any OS, as it lets you manage how apps utilize system resources and remain active in the background. Windows allows you to configure the setting of how each app individually runs in the background and how it fetches new data and updates.

How to Manage Background Apps Permission on Windows 11?

Usually, you can find this option in Settings> Apps> Apps and Features.

Tap on the three-dot icon placed next to the app and select “Advanced options.” And that’s it!

This is where you can find the “Background Apps Permission” section.

You can use the drop-down menu to choose how you want to run a specific app in the background. You can pick between “Always,” “Never,” or “Power optimized.”

So, if you don’t see the “Background apps permission” section in the Settings, here are a few alternative methods you can try!

Also read: Why Closing Background Apps Is Bad?

How to Fix Background Apps Permission Option Missing on Windows 11

Method 1: Power and Battery Settings

Launch the default Settings app and switch to the “System” tab from the left menu pane.

Scroll down and select “Power and battery.”

Tap on “Battery Usage.”

You will now see a list of installed apps on the screen. Tap on the three-dot icon next to the app whose background activity you need to manage. Select “Manage Background Activity.”

And here you go! You will see the “Background apps permission” section in the advanced options.

Method 2: Use the Windows Task Manager

Press the Control + Shift + Escape key combination to open the Task Manager. Switch to the “Startup” tab.

Right-click on any app you need to disable at startup and select “Disable.” This way, you can prevent any app from automatically loading in the background each time you restart your device.

Method 3: Edit the Local Group Policy Editor

Here comes another method to resolve the “Background apps permission” option missing on Windows 11. You can use the local group policy editor to configure this setting.

NOTE: If you are using Windows Home Edition, you might not be able to access the Group Policy Editor on your device. The Group Policy Editor is only available on Windows 11 Professional, Enterprise, and Education Edition.

So, if you happen to own Windows 11 Professional, Enterprise, or Education edition, you can follow these steps to tweak the Local Group Policy Editor on your device.

Press the Windows + R key combination to open the Run dialog box. Type “Gpedit.msc” and hit Enter.

The Group Policy Editor window will now appear on the screen. Navigate to the following folder location:

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\App Privacy

Double-tap on the “App Privacy” folder. Now, double-tap on the “Let Windows apps run in the background” file placed on the right pane.

Select “Enabled” to allow apps to run in the background. Hit on the OK and Apply buttons to save the recent changes.

Method 4: Use the Registry Editor

Press the Windows + R key combination to open the Run dialog box. Type “Regedit” and hit Enter.

In the Registry Editor window, navigate to the following folder location:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

Right-click on the Windows folder and select New> Key. Name the new key “AppPrivacy.”

Double-tap on the “AppPrivacy” folder. Right-click anywhere on the right pane and select New> D-WORD. Name the new file as “LetAppsRunInBackground”. Enter “0” in the Value Data field. Hit on the OK button when done.

Reboot your device and navigate the Settings app to check if the issue was resolved.

Method 5: Repair the App

Launch the Settings app and head on to Apps> Apps and Features.

Right-click on the app whose “Background apps permission” section is missing, and select ”Advanced Options.”

Scroll down and hit on the “Repair” button.

After repairing all the troubled apps, reboot your device and check if it helped retain the “Background apps Permission” section.

Also read: How to Fix If Windows 11’s Built-In Apps Fail to Operate After an Upgrade.

And it’s a Wrap!

Here were a few simple solutions to fix the Background apps permission option missing on Windows 11. You can use any of the above-listed solutions to troubleshoot this glitch quickly. Do let us know which method did the trick for you. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

Follow us on social media – FacebookInstagram and YouTube.

Leave a comment