Apple is making it much harder for Mac apps to quietly keep running after users think they have closed them. In macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple has introduced a new visual change that clearly shows when an app continues running in the background, giving users more control over what stays active on their Mac.
The change has drawn attention because apps such as Google Gemini for macOS previously continued running background processes even after users quit the app. While the process remained active, macOS did not make this behavior obvious, which often left users unaware that the app was still consuming system resources.
macOS 27 Shows When an App Is Still Running
On macOS 26 Tahoe and earlier versions, quitting an app like Gemini removed the running indicator beneath the app icon in the Dock, or removed the icon entirely. However, the app could still keep certain background processes active behind the scenes.
With macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple now displays a different indicator for apps that continue running in the background. Instead of the standard black dot that appears beneath active apps, users will see a lighter gray dot when the app remains active through background processes.
When users place their cursor over the app icon, macOS clearly displays a “Running in Background” message, making the app’s status easy to understand.
How to Stop Background Processes
Apple has also made it easier to stop these background activities directly from the Dock.
To stop a background process:
- Locate the app icon in the Dock.
- Right-click or secondary-click the icon.
- Select Stop Running in Background.
- macOS will immediately terminate the background process and remove the indicator.
New Background Activity Controls in System Settings
Apple has also expanded visibility inside System Settings. Users can open General > Login Items & Extensions and scroll to the Background App Activity section to view apps that currently have background processes running.
This section allows users to see which apps remain active and provides controls to enable or disable background activity permissions when needed. As a result, users can better understand what software is running on their Mac and make informed decisions about resource usage and privacy.
macOS 27 Golden Gate is currently available as a developer beta. Apple plans to release a public beta in July before rolling out the final version later this fall.
