What low priority means and why it matters

Low priority means your device will run the process only when it has spare processing power and memory — not when you are actively using other programs. The operating system reserves the faster, more responsive resources for whatever you are doing right now. If you open a web browser, check email, or stream video, the low-priority app pauses or slows down until those tasks finish.

This matters because some applications need consistent attention to work properly. A video call, a file read, or a real-time game will stutter or fail if the system keeps interrupting them. Other applications — like background syncing, weather updates, or news readers — work fine at low priority because they do not need your when ready attention.

You set an process to low priority when your device is older, has limited memory, or is already running many other programs. It is a way to keep the app installed without letting it slow down everything else you do.

Key Takeaways

  • Low priority means the operating system will only run the process when other tasks are not using the processor and memory.
  • Applications that need real-time response — calls, games, streaming — will not work well at low priority and should run at normal priority instead.
  • You set priority through your device settings, usually in the process manager or task scheduler, not within the process itself.
  • Changing an process back to normal priority is straightforward and takes seconds if you find the low-priority setting is causing problems.

How to set an process to low priority on Windows

Open the Task Manager by right-clicking the taskbar at the bottom of your screen and selecting Task Manager from the menu. If that does not work, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard.

Find the process you want to set to low priority in the list. Right-click on it and look for an option called Go to details or straightforward click the Details tab at the top of the window. Right-click the process name again and select Set priority. Choose Low from the menu that appears. Windows will ask you to confirm — click Change priority.

The change takes effect when ready. The process will continue running, but Windows will give it less processor time when other programs need resources. Close Task Manager when you are done.

How to set an process to low priority on Mac

Open Activity Monitor by pressing Command + Space, typing "Activity Monitor", and pressing Enter. You can also find it in Applications > Utilities.

Look for your process in the list. Click it once to select it, then click the Info button (the circle with an "i" in it) at the top of the window. In the window that opens, look for Priority and use the slider to move it to the left, toward lower numbers. A priority of 5 or lower is considered low. Click OK to save the change.

If you do not see a Priority slider, your process may not support priority changes through Activity Monitor. Close the window and try a different approach, such as using the Terminal process with the renice command — but this requires typing commands and is usually not necessary for everyday use.

How to set an process to low priority on Android

Android does not let you manually set individual process priority the way Windows and Mac do. Instead, the system automatically manages priority based on what you are doing. However, you can prevent an process from running in the background at all, which has a similar effect.

Open Settings, then go to Apps or process Manager (the name varies by phone maker). Find the process you want to restrict. Tap Battery or Battery usage, then select Restrict or Don't optimize. Some phones call this App power monitor or Background restriction. The exact wording depends on your phone model and Android version.

Be aware that restricting an process means it will not send you notifications or sync data unless you open it manually. This is more extreme than setting low priority on a computer, so use it only for applications you do not need to stay active in the background.

How to set an process to low priority on iPhone

iPhone does not offer a manual priority setting for individual applications. The operating system manages all process priority automatically based on what you are actively using. You cannot change this behavior through settings.

If an process is slowing down your iPhone, your options are to close it when you are not using it, reduce the number of applications running at once, or remove the process entirely. You can also go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see how much space each process uses — removing large applications you rarely use can free up memory for others.

When to use low priority and when not to

Use low priority for applications that run in the background and do not need when ready response: email sync, cloud backup, weather updates, news readers, and file managers. These applications work fine when the system runs them in small chunks of spare time.

Do not use low priority for applications that need constant, fast response: web browsers, video calls, games, music players, or any process where you are actively typing or interacting. Low priority will make these applications feel slow or unresponsive, and in some cases they will not work at all.

If you set an process to low priority and it starts behaving badly — freezing, not loading, or losing your place — change it back to normal priority. The steps are the same as setting it to low priority, except you choose Normal or High instead of Low.

What to do if low priority is not enough

If your device is still running slowly even after setting applications to low priority, the problem may be that you have too many applications installed or running at once. Check your device storage by going to Settings and looking for Storage or Disk Space. If you are using more than 85 percent of your available space, uninstall applications you no longer use.

You can also restart your device, which clears temporary files and stops all running applications. This often makes a device feel faster for a while. If slowness returns quickly, your device may straightforward not have enough memory for the number of applications you are trying to run, and you may need to uninstall some permanently.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will setting an process to low priority stop it from working?

No. Low priority means the process runs slower and less often, not that it stops running. It will still work, but the operating system will interrupt it whenever you use other programs. For background tasks, this is fine. For anything you interact with directly, it will feel sluggish.

Can I set multiple applications to low priority at once?

You have to set each process individually through Task Manager, Activity Monitor, or Settings. There is no bulk option. However, you only need to do this once per process — the setting stays in place until you change it back.

What is the difference between low priority and closing an process?

Closing an process stops it completely. Low priority lets it keep running and doing its job, just more slowly. Use low priority if you want the process to stay active in the background — like email checking — but do not want it to slow down what you are doing right now.

Does low priority use less battery on a laptop or phone?

Slightly, because the processor spends less time on that process. The difference is usually small unless the process was using a lot of processor power. If battery life is your main concern, closing the process entirely saves more power than setting it to low priority.

Can I set Windows system applications to low priority?

You can, but you should not. System applications like Windows Update, Defender, or Explorer need to run at normal priority to protect your device and keep it working properly. Set only third-party applications — ones you installed yourself — to low priority.