How to fix Brave Browser keeps running in the background 👉

Brave Browser offers numerous extra features compared to Chrome, making it a popular choice. However, it’s important to note that, being built on top of Chromium, it shares some standard issues with the engine. One common problem in Chromium browsers, including Brave, is excessive resource usage. Additionally, some users have reported that Brave continues to run in the background even after exiting the app. In this article, we’ll explore how to resolve this issue on both Mac and Windows PC.

Why does Brave Browser run in the background?

Brave, like any browser, is composed of various elements such as extensions, themes, browser engines, and update services. These components run as separate processes. Sometimes, when you close your browser window, not all of these processes are terminated, leading to them running in the background.

How to fix Brave Browser keeps running in the background on PC

Method 1 – Turn off the toggle for background running

Click on the hamburger menu in the upper right corner.
Select ‘Settings.’
In the settings menu, click ‘Additional configuration.’
Tap ‘System.’
Ensure that the option ‘Continue running apps in the background when Brave is closed’ is disabled.

Method 2 – Use Task Manager to close Brave Browser

Open the task manager on your Windows PC (use the hotkey Ctrl+Shift+Esc or press Ctrl+Alt+Del and then select task manager).
Identify all processes related to Brave Browser.
Select these processes and click ‘End Task.’ This action will terminate all related processes, preventing Brave Browser from running in the background until you restart it.

Method 3 – Stop Brave Update Services

Use the hotkey Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open the task manager on your Windows PC. Alternatively, press Ctrl+Alt+Del and select ‘Task Manager.’
Go to the ‘Services’ tab in task manager.
Look for services related to Brave Browser (they will have names similar to those shown in the image below). These services are primarily associated with Brave browser updates.
Right-click the service and, if it is running, click ‘Stop’ to halt the service. This will ensure that these services are not running in the background.

Method 4 – Exit Brave from the toolbar

This method, though seemingly magical, has proven effective in preventing Brave Browser from running in the background. Instead of using the ‘x’ icon in the upper right corner, follow these steps:

Click on the hamburger menu in the upper right corner.
Then select ‘Exit.’

By using this method, you can attempt to prevent Brave from running in the background. If successful, consider making it your default method for closing the browser.

Method 5 – Force Quit Brave Browser (on Mac)

If you are using macOS and facing the issue of Brave browser persistently running in the background, you can force close the app:

Press Command+Option+Shift to open the Force Quit menu.
Click on Brave Browser and select ‘Force Quit.’
Confirm by clicking ‘Force Quit’ again when prompted.

This action will remove the Brave app from the background.

Other tips to avoid Brave consuming resources in the background

Extensions: Disable any unwanted extensions that you no longer use.
Disable advertising rewards: Brave frequently sends advertising notifications for which you earn BAT. However, this requires the service to be kept active in the background.

Conclusion

These methods should help resolve the issue of Brave Browser persistently running in the background. We hope this article has been useful in improving your browsing experience. Stay tuned for more browser-related articles and tips.

For more articles related to this topic and to learn additional tips and tricks, continue reading below.