Power optimized —Windows decides what will save the most power while still allowing the app to receive notifications and update periodically. This option may limit an app that uses a lot of power. Note: You can also manage background activity for apps from the battery settings. If you don't want to get notifications or updates for an app when you're not using it, you can set it so it won't run in the background. In the Background apps permissions section, under Let this app run in the background , select Never.
To allow or block desktop apps, use the settings in those applications. Note: How can you tell if an app is a desktop app? EXE or. DLL file, and they typically run on your device unlike web-based apps which run in the cloud. You can also find desktop applications in Microsoft Store. Under Background Apps , make sure Let apps run in the background is turned On. Under Choose which apps can run in the background , turn individual apps and services settings On or Off. Under Background Apps , make sure Let apps run in the background is turned Off.
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Want to know more? To know for sure set up this easy, free, network monitor so you can keep track of what programs are uploading or downloading in the background. It puts all the Windows 10 permissions in one easy to access interface and you can't even imagine how much stuff is being sent to and from Microsoft. Check it out here. Click on the start button or the magnifying glass icon and enter Restore Point - click on the Create a Restore Point link in the list that shows up. When the window below opens, click on the create button, enter a name for the restore point, and save it.
Windows 10 will let you set your WiFi connection to "metered" and won't in theory download gigabytes of updates if you are using a metered connection - like using your mobile phone wifi hotspot or your satellite phone connection. The settings for adjusting your WiFi connection appears. That takes care of Windows auto-updates but there may be other sneaky apps that will update in the background. Here's what you need to do. Now go down the list of items in the left menu bar and in the right column, turn off anything you don't want sneaking uploads and downloads in the background.
You'll be floored when you see what little data sucking creatures are hiding on your computer; especially if you have a Lenovo. We now go to the Schedule Tasks window where your computer releases those data parasites into the wild.
To open the schedule tasks window, Click the lower-left Start button or the magnifying glass icon and, enter schedule in the empty box and select Schedule tasks from the results. Click on a named action in the center column and in the right hand menu click "disable" - You could delete some actions - like sending customer satisfaction information to Lenovo - but it might not be a good idea to delete some of the actions under the Windows list.
Disabling an action will let you come back and enable it again if your computer freaks out. Don't go wild here, just get rid of marketing ploys like Customer Experience Programs etc.
Lenovo's Superfish scandal reveals that some hidden software uploads information about your computer activities without you knowing about it and displaying advertisements in your browsers with you paying for the advertisements in data-use.
Search the list for VisualDiscovery. If it is there, click the program and select Uninstall.