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How to Stop Apps From Running in the Background on Android

Troubleshoot those battery drains on your smartphone

By Ryan Dube Ryan Dube Writer University of Maine Ryan Dube is a freelance contributor to Lifewire and former Managing Editor of MakeUseOf, senior IT Analyst, and an automation engineer. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 22, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

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Expand Jump to a Section Stop Apps From Running in the Background How Background Apps Affect Your Battery See Which Apps Are Running in the Background

What to Know

Go to Settings > Apps, select an app you want to stop, then tap Force Stop.If you don't want the app to relaunch when you restart your phone, tap Uninstall to remove the app.To see what apps are running in the background, go to Settings > Developer Options > Running Services. This article explains how to stop apps from running in the background on Android 9 and higher.

Stop Apps From Running in the Background on Android

The Settings interface may differ depending on your phone's manufacturer and your version of Android, but the same options should be available. Here's how to kill background apps on Android: Go to Settings > Apps. Select an app you want to stop, then tap Force Stop. The app will relaunch when you restart your phone. If you want to get rid of the app permanently, select Uninstall. The app clears battery or memory issues only until you restart your phone. Any apps that launch on startup will restart and could cause the same problems. Uninstall any apps you don't use much, and this will help improve the battery or memory issues.

How Background Apps Affect Your Android Battery

Your Android device can run multiple apps in the background for a few reasons. Most of the time, it won't cause any battery or memory consumption problems. One factor causing your Android device's battery to drain too quickly is when there are too many apps running. You can see the apps you have running in the background by tapping the square Overview navigation icon at the lower-right corner of your Android display. Google Pixel phones use swipe navigation by default. To set up 3-button navigation on a Google Pixel, go to System > Gestures > System Navigation. Keep in mind that there may be multiple windows inside of apps, like multiple tabs inside the Google Chrome mobile browser. Each of these could potentially consume resources. There are many poorly written apps on Google Play, and when you install those on your phone, they may consume more battery power, CPU, or memory than they're supposed to. Over time, if you've installed apps that you've forgotten about, your Android memory, battery, and CPU could be burdened by the excessive load of poorly written Android background apps.

See Which Apps Are Running in the Background

The best way to alleviate the burden on your Android's system resources and extend battery life is to make sure the only apps running in the background are the ones you want running. There are a few ways to see what apps are running in the background and consuming your Android's resources. Go to Settings > System > Developer Options. If you don't see Developer Options, scroll down and select About phone, then look for Build number and tap it seven times. Tap Running Services. It shows the apps currently running on your Android, how much RAM they're consuming, and how long each has been running. To see apps consuming battery power, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Usage.
As you perform these next steps, look for and consider closing any apps that: Consume excessive memory or battery power and are not optimized.You forgot about or didn't expect to see running in the background. To put your phone into battery-saving mode, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Saver and turn on the Use Battery Saver toggle. On Samsung devices, go to Device Care > Battery > Power mode and select Medium power saving or Maximum power saving. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Close Apps on Android How to Sideload the Google Camera App Onto Your Phone 7 Ways to Tell If Your Phone Is Being Tapped How to Fix It When Windows Spotlight Is Not Working on Windows 10 How to Close Apps on an Apple Watch How to Delete Apps on an Android Phone How to Turn Off Android Phone Sensors How to Delete Apps From Your iPhone The 19 Best Xposed Framework Modules How to Back Up Your Android Phone to a PC How to Play YouTube in the Background on Your Phone How to Close Apps on an Amazon Fire Tablet How to Delete Apps on an Amazon Fire Tablet How to Fix a Samsung Tablet That’s Running Slow How to Fix It When Instagram Stories Aren't Working How to Stop Google Play Services From Draining Your Battery Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies