How To Set Background App Permissions for All Users on a Shared Windows 11 PC

In many workplaces, a shared Windows 11 computer is used by different team members, each logging in with their own account. Over time, you might notice the computer slowing down significantly. One of the main reasons behind this issue is the excessive number of applications running in the background. In this guide, we’ll show you how to use the Local Group Policy Editor to set background app permissions for all user accounts, helping your shared PC regain its smooth performance.

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

To manage background app permissions, you need to access the Local Group Policy Editor:

1. Open Windows Search: Click on the search icon in the taskbar or press `Windows key + S`.
2. Enter the Command: Type `gpedit.msc` in the search bar and press Enter.
3. Launch the Editor: Select “Edit group policy” from the search results to open the “Local Group Policy Editor” window.

2. Navigate to Background App Settings.

Once the Local Group Policy Editor is open, follow these steps to find the relevant settings:

1. Expand the following path in the left-hand menu:
   – `Computer Configuration` > `Administrative Templates` > `Windows Components` > `App Privacy`
2. On the right side, locate and double-click the “Let Windows apps run in the background” option to open its settings window.

3. Configure Background App Permissions.

In the settings window, you can configure how background apps are managed for all users:

1. Enable the Policy:
   – Select the “Enabled” option in the top-left corner.
   – This setting will apply to all user accounts, preventing individual users from changing the background app permissions.
2. Choose the Default Setting:
   – The “Default for all apps” dropdown provides three options:
   – User is in control (Not recommended)
   – Force allow
   – Force deny (Recommended)
   – Select “Force deny” to prevent all apps from running in the background, which can free up system resources and improve performance.

4. Set Exceptions for Specific Apps (Optional).

If you need to allow or deny specific applications to run in the background, follow these steps:

1. Get the Application Package Names:
   – Open “Windows PowerShell”.
   – Run the command: `Get-AppxPackage | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Name`.
   – This command will list the package names of all installed Windows applications.
2. Specify App Permissions:
   – Enter the relevant package names into the provided text boxes for “Force allow” or “Force deny” to fine-tune your background app policy.

5. Conclusion: Maintain High Performance on Shared PCs.

By configuring background app permissions through the Local Group Policy Editor, you can standardize settings across all user accounts on a shared Windows computer. This prevents unnecessary background processes from slowing down the system and ensures the PC remains fast and responsive. If your organization struggles with slow computers, implementing this method can make a noticeable difference!

6. Demo Video.

You can watch the following demo video by select the subtitle to your preferred subtitle language.