The Windows Update background tasks fall into the former category, and disabling them can actually improve your PC's overall performance and power usage. However, ever since I turned off Windows Update background tasks (alongside optimizing some power settings), I get an additional 20 to 30 minutes of battery life. But on a laptop running on battery, background activity can increase the workload and accelerate battery drain. A major Windows feature update can sometimes reset the Windows Update service, reverting any change you made. Disabling Windows Update background activity can reduce some of the work your PC does in the background, but it also means you have to take responsibility for keeping Windows updated.