How to Speed Up Windows 10 by Putting Programs to Sleep?

In our ever-evolving digital era, the need for seamless interoperability across various devices has never been more paramount. Enter UWP, or Universal Windows Program. For the uninitiated, a UWP is a cutting-edge application architecture designed by Microsoft to be compatible across a wide range of its Windows devices—be it your traditional personal computers, nifty tablets, state-of-the-art smartphones, or even the Internet of Things (IoT) gadgets. While this universality offers immense convenience, it does come with a caveat. UWP apps have the capability to operate quietly in the background on Windows 10, regardless of whether they’ve been actively launched or are currently idle. On the surface, this might sound advantageous—after all, it ensures your apps are perpetually updated, primed to send timely notifications, and always in sync with the latest data. However, there’s a flip side to consider: these background processes can gradually consume system resources, potentially slowing down your device. But fret not! In this risewindows article, we’ll unveil how you can harness the power of Windows 10 to put these programs to sleep, effectively optimizing your system’s performance and ensuring a smoother user experience.

While the ability to run apps in the background is undeniably beneficial, it comes at the expense of consuming significant system resources, encompassing CPU, RAM, Internet bandwidth, and even battery longevity. Recognizing this, Windows 10 has provisioned the capability to curtail the operation of background UWP apps. Simply put, there’s potential to boost your computer’s performance by restricting or ceasing apps from persistently operating in the backdrop.

Windows 10 thoughtfully provides the flexibility to determine which apps are permitted to run in the background. This autonomy ensures you can facilitate specific software to function behind the scenes without resorting to external third-party tools. In this risewindows guide, we’ll delineate a range of strategies to place apps in a dormant state, ensuring they remain inactive until you consciously choose to engage with them.

For conventional desktop applications, the Windows Taskbar is the gateway to induce sleep mode. Conversely, for UWP apps, this can be efficiently achieved via the Settings application.

How to sleep or stop apps from running in the background using Settings?

Use the following steps to put the app in sleep mode or stop running in the background:-

Step 1: Press the Windows + I keys to launch the Settings app.

Step 2: Select the Privacy category on the Settings page that appears.

Step 3: Find the “Background apps” tab on the left side of the screen by scrolling down.

Step 4: Disable the toggle next to Let apps run in the background in the “Background Apps” section on the right side of the “Background Apps” section.

The background program feature will be removed once you’ve finished the above-mentioned procedures. Any app you use will immediately enter sleep mode after you close it. This implies that you don’t need to restart or put the programs in sleep mode.

Step 5: Turn the toggle On next to “Let apps run in the background” if you want a specific app to be put into sleep mode. Turn the toggle for a particular app to Off under the “Choose which apps can run in the background” section. For instance, we have “3D Viewer” set to Sleep mode because we hardly ever use it.

How to disable Desktop programs from running in the background using Task Manager?

Unfortunately, only UWP programs can be put in Sleep mode with the help of the Settings app. We can use Task Manager to stop conventional Windows programs from running in the background.

Step 1: Go to the Task Manager option from the context menu that opens after right-clicking on the Windows Taskbar.

Alternatively, you can launch the Task Manager by simultaneously pressing Ctrl, Shift, and Esc.

Step 2: Select the Startup tab in the Task Manager window that shows up on your screen.

Step 3: Choose the applications you want to disable from background execution, and then click on the Disable button.

How to disable Desktop programs from running in the background via Microsoft Configuration Manager?

The following steps make the third method to disable desktop programs from running in the background via Microsoft Configuration Manager:-

Step 1: Open the Run dialog box.

To open the Run dialogue box, press the Windows + R keys.

Step 2: Then, type the following in the Run box and press Enter on the keyboard or the OK button to launch System Configuration window: –

MSConfig

Step 3: Uncheck the box next to Load startup items and choose the radio button for “Selective startup” in the System Configuration window that appears.

Step 4: Click on Apply.

Step 5: Click on OK.

The methods outlined above provide effective ways to put both desktop applications and UWP apps into sleep mode or prevent them from running in the background on Windows 10. By taking these measures, you stand to significantly optimize system resources, encompassing CPU, RAM, Internet bandwidth, and battery longevity, ensuring a more efficient and responsive computing experience.

Conclusion

In this digital age, while UWP apps promise a seamless experience across various Windows devices, they can also inadvertently bog down system performance by running in the background. Windows 10, however, offers an efficient solution, enabling users to put these apps to sleep. By proactively managing these background operations, users can optimize system resources, streamline performance, and enjoy a smoother computing experience. This risewindows guide has equipped you with strategies to harness the full potential of your device, ensuring it remains agile and responsive.