How to Manage Background Apps While Gaming

It’s common to open a game, settle in, and forget that many other programs are still quietly running in the background. Music players, browsers, update tools, chat apps, and launchers often stay active even when you’re not using them. They’re not doing anything wrong, but they are still using small portions of your computer’s memory and processing power.

When you’re gaming, especially on a PC, it helps to give your game as much of the system’s attention as possible. Managing background apps is simply the habit of checking what else is running and gently closing or pausing the things you don’t need at that moment. This is one of the basic practices covered in the broader performance and system optimization guide, and it’s something you can do in under a minute before you start playing.

What “background apps” really means

Background apps are programs that stay open even when their windows are minimized or hidden. You might not see them on your screen, but they are still active.

Some common examples include:

• Web browsers with several tabs open
• Streaming or music applications
• Game launchers you’re not currently using
• Chat programs and messaging apps
• Cloud storage tools syncing files
• Automatic updaters and small utility programs

Each one uses a small amount of memory (RAM) and processing power (CPU). On their own, this is usually fine. But together, they can quietly compete with your game for system resources.

Why people manage background apps before gaming

This isn’t about reacting to something going wrong. It’s about creating a clean, focused environment for your game.

People usually do this because:

• They want the game to have more memory available
• They prefer fewer distractions while playing
• They want their system to feel smoother during long sessions
• They like keeping their PC organized and intentional

Think of it like clearing your desk before starting a project. You’re not fixing anything — you’re just removing clutter so the main task gets full attention.

Opening Task Manager

Task Manager is the built-in Windows tool that shows you exactly what is running on your computer right now.

To open it:

1. Right-click on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen
2. Click Task Manager

If it opens in a small window, click More details at the bottom to expand the full view.

You’ll now see a list of apps and background processes currently active.

Understanding what you’re looking at

In the Processes tab, you’ll notice columns like:

• CPU – how much processing power the app is using
• Memory – how much RAM it’s using
• Disk and Network activity

You don’t need to understand every number. You’re simply looking for familiar program names that you recognize and know you’re not using while gaming.

For example, if you see a browser open with several tabs, or a music app you’re not listening to, those are easy candidates to close.

Closing apps you don’t need right now

To close an app from Task Manager:

1. Click the program name once to select it
2. Click End task in the bottom-right corner

The app will close just as if you had exited it normally.

Focus only on programs you clearly recognize. Things like your browser, launchers, chat apps, or media players are safe to close when you’re not using them.

You do not need to touch items with unfamiliar names or anything labeled as a Windows process.

Sorting by memory to make this easier

If the list looks long, you can make it simpler.

Click the Memory column header. This sorts the apps from highest memory use to lowest. The programs at the top are the ones using the most RAM.

This makes it easy to spot large apps that you may have forgotten were still open.

What to leave alone

Task Manager also shows many background processes that belong to Windows itself. These often have names that don’t look familiar.

You can safely ignore these. The goal is not to clean the entire list. It’s only to close the everyday apps you recognize and don’t need during your game session.

Making this a quick pre-game habit

After you do this a few times, it becomes a quick routine:

• Open Task Manager
• Sort by memory
• Close your browser, media apps, and extra launchers

This takes less than a minute and gives your game a more focused environment to run in.

What to expect after closing background apps

Your desktop may look quieter. Fewer icons will be active in the system tray, and your PC will feel more dedicated to the game you’re about to launch.

You might also notice that your system feels less busy overall, especially if you had many tabs or programs open earlier in the day.

When you’re finished gaming, you can open those apps again normally. Nothing is removed or changed permanently.

A simple way to think about it

Managing background apps while gaming is less about technical knowledge and more about awareness. Your computer can run many things at once, but when you’re about to play a game, it helps to give that game the main stage.

Task Manager simply lets you see what else is waiting behind the curtain and gently ask it to step aside for a while.