How to Stop Apps From Running in the Background on Android

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

Here's how to kill background apps on Android:

1. Go to Settings > Apps.

2. 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.

3. 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.

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.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.