Snareman
Well-known member
Sometimes though, you get so many apps open that it would just be nice to clean up that recent apps tab and close them all to start fresh. I get the it's not necessary part. Its just an ease of use thing,
how to close all open apps at once?
- Thread starter PeltFrelken
- Start date
Tim1954
Q&A Team
In any case, since some apps will just restart again if you kill them, you are using battery and resources unnecessarily.
LeoRex
Retired Moderator
Re: Close all windows
Yep. It monitors memory usage and once memory passes a series of different thresholds, it starts to close out apps that are in memory. There are a bunch of different metrics, but it is usually largest and oldest first. It's these 'memfree' settings that are the root cause of a lot of the complaints people have with the newer Samsungs. On those, the kernel is extremely conservative, so it starts kicking apps out of memory even though there is ton of free memory.
Yep. It monitors memory usage and once memory passes a series of different thresholds, it starts to close out apps that are in memory. There are a bunch of different metrics, but it is usually largest and oldest first. It's these 'memfree' settings that are the root cause of a lot of the complaints people have with the newer Samsungs. On those, the kernel is extremely conservative, so it starts kicking apps out of memory even though there is ton of free memory.
LeoRex
Retired Moderator
If people really want to keep that app list in check, I have a significantly better solution that wholesale closing... There's an excellent app in the Play Store called 'Recently' (link). It's developed by chainfire, an extremely well known and respected developer (if you've rooted your phone recently, you can thank him for that). It does require root to operate.
It monitors that app list and closes them out based on how strict or how permissive you want. It can go in and clean out all the non-running apps you have in your Recents/Overview window.... along with a bunch of other options. It's a much better way to clean up things... and it leaves the running apps alone. There is an option to add a 'close all' button, but I suggest you leave it there as a reminder that there is a better means to manage things.
It monitors that app list and closes them out based on how strict or how permissive you want. It can go in and clean out all the non-running apps you have in your Recents/Overview window.... along with a bunch of other options. It's a much better way to clean up things... and it leaves the running apps alone. There is an option to add a 'close all' button, but I suggest you leave it there as a reminder that there is a better means to manage things.
Re: Close all windows
Yes there is. Don't be so presumptuous. Different people think in different ways.
Sometimes I want to clear the recent apps list. I'm starting a new "project" and haven't used anything recently. I only want the apps I'm going to switch between in the next little while to be in the recent apps list, because only they will be "recent" according to my thinking. 50 "recent" apps is an arbitrary and ridiculously high number for most users.
The recent apps button is too crowded to be very useful with 50 apps in there. I would much prefer 10-20. If it's further back than that, then I haven't used it recently, and its faster just to launch it from the home screen or app drawer. 50 is an arbitrary number.
If google would allow me to change the number of recent apps in the list, that would be a partial fix. But there are still cases when I want to clear the entire list, and start fresh, and only have the truly-recently used apps that I'm about to use, show up in the list.
Yes there is. Don't be so presumptuous. Different people think in different ways.
Sometimes I want to clear the recent apps list. I'm starting a new "project" and haven't used anything recently. I only want the apps I'm going to switch between in the next little while to be in the recent apps list, because only they will be "recent" according to my thinking. 50 "recent" apps is an arbitrary and ridiculously high number for most users.
The recent apps button is too crowded to be very useful with 50 apps in there. I would much prefer 10-20. If it's further back than that, then I haven't used it recently, and its faster just to launch it from the home screen or app drawer. 50 is an arbitrary number.
If google would allow me to change the number of recent apps in the list, that would be a partial fix. But there are still cases when I want to clear the entire list, and start fresh, and only have the truly-recently used apps that I'm about to use, show up in the list.
I am in the camp of the people that this is driving them crazy. I completely understand how Android is managing these apps. However here's a couple important points.
Those apps are taking up RAM. You can tell by the fact when you open them from the task list it's instant and you start where you left off as opposed to taking time to load.
Yes, it doesn't matter they are taking up RAM because Android will truly 'close' the app if it needs to, to free up RAM for another app.
BUT, If you have a phone with lots of internal memory like mine (the G4) that means that the background app list or task list or whatever you want to call it can grow very large over time. In a matter of a few days mine will have 25 or more apps listed! As other users have pointed out, when you have that many, flipping through to find a certain app is actually more cumbersome than just starting it from the regular menu.
So that leaves the question, what's the point at all of having the background app list. I'm not talking about the launch time benefit, that benefit you get no matter how you launch the app if it's already in the background I'm talking about the practical use of the card interface when your phone is saving a gazillion of your last used apps - WHICH IN MY CASE (and many others) MANY OF THOSE APPS I USE MAYBE ONCE A MONTH!
The benefit is good, but the interface excution of this feature is obviously not well thought out. Surprising for such a big company like Google with som much brain power and development resources.
In Settings > Apps there should be a setting, 'Close inactive apps after X days' So if you specified 5 days, the O/S would remove the app from the list if you didn't open it for 5 days. That way your card list of apps would truly be your apps you use frequently.
I also would note that I too have noticed my phone gets slower when I have 20+ apps listed. But as the other user pointed out, the reboot is what might be the key to speeding things up, not just closing all the apps.
I like the fact though my G4 has a 'Clear All' button. I guess LG agrees more with me than they do with Google on this subject.
Those apps are taking up RAM. You can tell by the fact when you open them from the task list it's instant and you start where you left off as opposed to taking time to load.
Yes, it doesn't matter they are taking up RAM because Android will truly 'close' the app if it needs to, to free up RAM for another app.
BUT, If you have a phone with lots of internal memory like mine (the G4) that means that the background app list or task list or whatever you want to call it can grow very large over time. In a matter of a few days mine will have 25 or more apps listed! As other users have pointed out, when you have that many, flipping through to find a certain app is actually more cumbersome than just starting it from the regular menu.
So that leaves the question, what's the point at all of having the background app list. I'm not talking about the launch time benefit, that benefit you get no matter how you launch the app if it's already in the background I'm talking about the practical use of the card interface when your phone is saving a gazillion of your last used apps - WHICH IN MY CASE (and many others) MANY OF THOSE APPS I USE MAYBE ONCE A MONTH!
The benefit is good, but the interface excution of this feature is obviously not well thought out. Surprising for such a big company like Google with som much brain power and development resources.
In Settings > Apps there should be a setting, 'Close inactive apps after X days' So if you specified 5 days, the O/S would remove the app from the list if you didn't open it for 5 days. That way your card list of apps would truly be your apps you use frequently.
I also would note that I too have noticed my phone gets slower when I have 20+ apps listed. But as the other user pointed out, the reboot is what might be the key to speeding things up, not just closing all the apps.
I like the fact though my G4 has a 'Clear All' button. I guess LG agrees more with me than they do with Google on this subject.
Re: Close all windows
The purpose of the recent apps list is to quickly switch between *recently used apps*, as its name suggests. For example, you read an email, you start a reply, you need to open chrome to do some research, you want to go back to email quickly to finish composing the reply and maybe paste a web link. There are plenty of other ways to open apps you don't use frequently - app drawer, home screen icons, search, widgets, etc.
It has a secondary purpose as an app closer if and when you need to close a misbehaving app, which should be rare on any android phone these days.
You should read some info on the use of ram in Linux. It's not the same problem it is in Windows, particularly for an os like android that suspends apps in the background so they use minuscule amounts of cpu and other resources. Ram sitting free does you no good.
The purpose of the recent apps list is to quickly switch between *recently used apps*, as its name suggests. For example, you read an email, you start a reply, you need to open chrome to do some research, you want to go back to email quickly to finish composing the reply and maybe paste a web link. There are plenty of other ways to open apps you don't use frequently - app drawer, home screen icons, search, widgets, etc.
It has a secondary purpose as an app closer if and when you need to close a misbehaving app, which should be rare on any android phone these days.
You should read some info on the use of ram in Linux. It's not the same problem it is in Windows, particularly for an os like android that suspends apps in the background so they use minuscule amounts of cpu and other resources. Ram sitting free does you no good.
Re: Close all windows
Then the functionality does not match the name. I'm pretty sure my phone is no different than any other with the same O/S version but the list shows ALL apps (including recent ones) that have been loaded going back indefinitely. So it shows apps that may have been used once 4 weeks ago. Labeling it 'recently used apps' would therefore not be very accurate in my opinion.
Then the functionality does not match the name. I'm pretty sure my phone is no different than any other with the same O/S version but the list shows ALL apps (including recent ones) that have been loaded going back indefinitely. So it shows apps that may have been used once 4 weeks ago. Labeling it 'recently used apps' would therefore not be very accurate in my opinion.
Re: Close all windows
It is a list of all apps used, sorted from most recently used to least recently used. I'm not sure what the official nomenclature of the button and the list is.
For what it's worth, I am 99.9% sure that this thread started on one of the Motorola Droid forums (I believe the Turbo 2), and the OP was specifically asking about how to close all apps from the recent apps list on that phone. I'm not sure why this thread was moved to another forum, especially a Marshmallow forum, since the phone had Lollipop at the time the question was asked, and now it's been confused by all of the flavors of Android (stock vs. Samsung vs. LG vs. HTC, etc.). My answers in this thread are specific to the Motorola Droid series of phones running Jellybean and later. It may well be that Samsung, LG, et. al., have altered Android on their phones in a way that makes closing all apps necessary where it is not on close to stock phones, like Nexus, Moto, etc.
[edit - The screen is officially called by Google "the overview screen", though it's also referred to as the recents screen, recent task list, or recent apps. Even this URL is called "recents", so obviously Google isn't always clear what this should be called. See Overview Screen | Android Developers ]
It is a list of all apps used, sorted from most recently used to least recently used. I'm not sure what the official nomenclature of the button and the list is.
For what it's worth, I am 99.9% sure that this thread started on one of the Motorola Droid forums (I believe the Turbo 2), and the OP was specifically asking about how to close all apps from the recent apps list on that phone. I'm not sure why this thread was moved to another forum, especially a Marshmallow forum, since the phone had Lollipop at the time the question was asked, and now it's been confused by all of the flavors of Android (stock vs. Samsung vs. LG vs. HTC, etc.). My answers in this thread are specific to the Motorola Droid series of phones running Jellybean and later. It may well be that Samsung, LG, et. al., have altered Android on their phones in a way that makes closing all apps necessary where it is not on close to stock phones, like Nexus, Moto, etc.
[edit - The screen is officially called by Google "the overview screen", though it's also referred to as the recents screen, recent task list, or recent apps. Even this URL is called "recents", so obviously Google isn't always clear what this should be called. See Overview Screen | Android Developers ]
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I'm not sure whether you have already figured this out by yourself or am I too late but i have just gotten my marshmallow update for my Oneplus One and irregardless of what other people say I still like my recently opened application list to be cleared.. so here is where i found the button i think you are enquiring about.. Just push all the recently opened application on top and you will see the button on right hand side of the screen..
.. check the screenshot 
.. check the screenshot
Snareman
Well-known member
I'm not sure whether you have already figured this out by yourself or am I too late but i have just gotten my marshmallow update for my Oneplus One and irregardless of what other people say I still like my recently opened application list to be cleared.. so here is where i found the button i think you are enquiring about.. Just push all the recently opened application on top and you will see the button on right hand side of the screen..View attachment 224042.. check the screenshot
You mean the X on each app? You can swipe them away faster than hitting the X.
How to close the search and compose items on the bottom of the screen. It covers the clear tab
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I have this situation, im playing a game on my phone(android marshmallow),and then i got notifications from whatsapp or whatever it is,so i minimize the game and begin to reply those notifications,then when i come back to the game, it will start the game from the start like the logo,the loading n startup screen,and this actually never happened before the marshmallow update, any thought on this? Sorry for my English.
Don't be brainwashed by technology. Of course there is a reason to eliminate a view of recently used apps. It's called PRIVACY and it's a hell of a lot more important than subtlties of performance management. Google is losing touch with the needs of it's users. The Recently app is great (and so is Chainfire) and it works on my pad but I have not rooted my 6.0 phone and prefer not to.
My main reason is to consume less power as i am fighting to charge my cell while napping at work on standby...
Some shifts are 8am to 2am and i need to consume less energy on un-necessary apps during points in day ie... If i get a facebook message or just had 5minutes to kill while waiting for a crane to be available I'll look at my phone... But when i back out of it or it use the sq recent apps box it doesn't truly close app... So in return its still sucking some battery...
I have even resorted to buying a wall battery charger and now have 4 cell phone batteries. So i can just swap out dead batteries...
My career has me with my cell phone 24/7 do to multiple reasons...
Ie...
Split second need to call in 911
Split second weather updates(ie wind storms, tornadoes, thunder storms) so we can handle the structures in a quick and safe manor and evacuate artists, and work personnel
Main office handling the need for equipment shipment and so on...
Grantted the touring crew we all have walkie talkiesbut due digelance when coming to safety of others...
But clear all doesn't close the apps down it just has them run in background... Next time clear all apps... Them open settings... Click on one app you supposedly cleared and click on it... Then click the "!" mark so you go to the screen that stats "force stop" "disable" aka if the app was truly closed by clicking clear all you wouldn't be able to force stop it... Bc tobe blunt you can only force an OPEN app to stop or close......
Hence the clear all option on recent apps part is bs....
Hence the clear all option on recent apps part is bs....
scrannel
Member
Rukbat
Retired Moderator
Having the app in RAM (which it my not be, even if it's in the "recently used" app list) doesn't cost battery (something is in that location in RAM, whether it's random bytes or the bytes that make up an app) and it has no effect on charging.
Doing a force stop on an app will stop the app from running - but it may leave the app in the "recently used" list - it was recently used, even if it's not running. (If the phone is rooted, you can install a command-line app and run ps, to see what's actually running. (Interesting, but not really necessary - killing apps randomly can temporarily brick the phone, making you restart it - and loading the apps that Android wants to keep running.)
Doing a force stop on an app will stop the app from running - but it may leave the app in the "recently used" list - it was recently used, even if it's not running. (If the phone is rooted, you can install a command-line app and run ps, to see what's actually running. (Interesting, but not really necessary - killing apps randomly can temporarily brick the phone, making you restart it - and loading the apps that Android wants to keep running.)
you can close ALL apps a once.
1. open a bunch (at least 3 or 4 ) of apps on your phone.
2. click on the square button on the lower right corner of your phone.
this will display all apps that are open.
3. scroll down on the apps until you get to the top one.
4. you will see the "CLEAR ALL".
5. click this and you just closed all the apps.
all done !!!
Last edited by a moderator:
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