You are currently viewing Software from Google LLC added items that can run in the background: What is it and how to manage it

Software from Google LLC added items that can run in the background: What is it and how to manage it

  • Post author:
  • Post last modified:7 November 2023
Share this..

When you install software from Google LLC, you may notice that it adds items that can run in the background. This can be helpful for some tasks, such as keeping your software up to date or checking for new notifications. However, it can also slow down your computer and drain your battery.

What are the background items added by Google software?

The following are some of the most common background items added by Google software:

  • Google Software Update: This item checks for and installs updates for your Google software.
  • Google Web Designer: This item keeps Google Web Designer running in the background, so you can quickly launch it from the system tray.
  • Google Earth: This item keeps Google Earth running in the background, so you can quickly launch it from the system tray and receive notifications about new imagery.
  • Google Chrome: This item keeps Google Chrome running in the background, so you can quickly launch it from the system tray and receive notifications about new updates and extensions.
  • Google Drive: This item keeps Google Drive running in the background, so you can sync your files and folders automatically.

How to manage background items added by Google software

There are a few different ways to manage background items added by Google software:

  • Disable background items: You can disable individual background items in the Settings app. To do this, go to Settings > Apps > See all apps > Google Software Update (or another Google app) > Battery and toggle off the Background restriction switch.
  • Disable background app refresh: You can disable background app refresh for all apps in the Settings app. To do this, go to Settings > Battery and toggle off the Background app refresh switch.
  • Uninstall Google software: If you don’t use a particular piece of Google software, you can uninstall it to remove the associated background items. To do this, go to Settings > Apps > See all apps > Google Software Update (or another Google app) > Uninstall.

Why might you want to disable background items added by Google software?

There are a few reasons why you might want to disable background items added by Google software:

  • To improve performance and battery life: Background items can consume resources and slow down your computer. Disabling background items can improve performance and battery life, especially on low-powered devices.
  • To improve privacy: Some background items may collect data about your activity. Disabling background items can improve your privacy and reduce the amount of data that Google collects about you.
  • To reduce clutter: Background items can clutter up your system tray and make it difficult to find the programs you’re looking for. Disabling background items can declutter your system tray and make it easier to use your computer.

Things to keep in mind:

  • Disabling background items can prevent some features from working properly. For example, if you disable the Google Software Update background item, your Google software will not automatically update.
  • Disabling background items can make it take longer to launch some programs. For example, if you disable the Google Chrome background item, it will take longer to launch Google Chrome.
  • If you’re not sure whether or not to disable a background item, it’s best to err on the side of caution and leave it enabled.

Alternatives to Google software:

There are a number of alternatives to Google software that do not add background items. For example, you can use Mozilla Firefox instead of Google Chrome, or Microsoft Edge instead of Google Chrome. You can also use iCloud instead of Google Drive, and OneDrive instead of Google Drive.

How do I stop Chrome from adding itself to login items?

To stop Chrome from adding itself to login items, you can follow these steps:

  1. Open System Preferences.
  2. Click on Users & Groups.
  3. Select your user account and click on the Login Items tab.
  4. Select Chrome from the list of login items and click on the minus (-) button to remove it.
  5. Close System Preferences.

What does Google updater do?

Google Updater is a service that checks for and installs updates for your Google software. It is a background process that runs in the background, so you don’t have to manually check for updates.

If you disable the Google Updater background item, your Google software will not automatically update. You can still check for and install updates manually by opening the Google software and going to the Help menu.

How to stop background items added notification in Ventura?

To stop background items added notification in Ventura, you can follow these steps:

  1. Open System Preferences.
  2. Click on Notifications.
  3. In the sidebar, scroll down and expand the “Other” section.
  4. Click on “System Events”.
  5. Uncheck the box next to “Background Items Added”.

How do I see what programs are running in the background on my Mac?

To see what programs are running in the background on your Mac, you can follow these steps:

  1. Click on the Activity Monitor icon in the Dock.
  2. In the Activity Monitor window, click on the CPU tab.
  3. In the Process Name column, you can see a list of all the programs that are running on your Mac.
  4. To see more information about a program, click on it to select it.
  5. In the bottom window, you can see information about the program’s CPU usage, memory usage, and other resources.

You can also use the Activity Monitor to quit background programs that you don’t need. To do this, select the program and click on the Quit button (X).

Conclusion

Software from Google LLC adds items that can run in the background. These items can be helpful for some tasks, but they can also slow down your computer and drain your battery. You can manage background items added by Google software by disabling them individually, disabling background app refresh, or uninstalling Google software.


Share this..