How to Enable Background Mode in Google Chrome

This article explains how background processes work in Google Chrome as of 2026. Understanding these settings helps you manage your computer’s performance.

Google Chrome is a web browser from Google. It shares code with Microsoft Edge, making them very similar.

Why use background mode?

Background mode allows certain web applications to stay active even after you close the main browser window. This is helpful for apps that need to send notifications or sync data in real time.

What happens when done?

When configured correctly, your chosen web apps will remain active in your system tray or background processes. If disabled, these apps will stop completely the moment you close the browser, which can save battery life and memory.

Enable/Disable Background Mode in Chrome

Important Note: As of 2026, the option to toggle background mode has been removed from the standard Chrome user interface. You can no longer find this setting in the browser’s “System” menu.

Modern background behavior is now managed entirely by individual web apps (PWAs). If a website is installed as a Progressive Web App, it may request permission to run in the background. You must manage these permissions within the specific settings of that web app rather than through a global browser switch.

For managed environments, this feature relies entirely on Enterprise Policies. If you are using a standard, consumer-grade version of Chrome, there is no official menu option to force all background apps to stay active.

Enable / Disable Background Mode in Chrome using the Registry

In some cases, you can use the Windows Registry to set the BackgroundModeEnabled policy. Warning: These registry modifications may not function as expected on non-managed, consumer-grade installations of Chrome. Google has moved toward prioritizing PWA-specific behavior over global registry overrides.

If you still wish to attempt this, first open the Windows Registry and go to this path:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome

Remember to back up your registry before making any changes, or create a System Restore point as a precaution.

If the folders do not exist, right-click the “Policies” folder to create them. Right-click in the Chrome folder, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it BackgroundModeEnabled.

Set the value to 0 to disable background mode or 1 to enable it. You may need to restart your computer for these changes to take effect.

Reference:

Chrome Enterprise Policy

Conclusion

Chrome has shifted away from a global background setting. Today, individual web apps control their own background activity. If you need a specific app to run in the background, check the settings within that specific web application.