Clear All Apps Rather than One at a time

[AlphaVictor87]

So i've tried searching the internet as well as on this forum and i can't find any post or anyone showing how i can clear all apps at once.

Is there a way to do this on the N7? or am i missing something and i just have to deal with swiping them away one by one?

 

[mr_nobody]

By swiping them away if you were talking about doing something in the recent apps menu I don't know where people got the idea that doing anything there closes apps. Maybe from ios? In any case you can use a task killer to kill apps but it is completely pointless in Android.

 

[flacousa]

So i've tried searching the internet as well as on this forum and i can't find any post or anyone showing how i can clear all apps at once.

Is there a way to do this on the N7? or am i missing something and i just have to deal with swiping them away one by one?

In case you don't know swiping them away doesn't remove the app from the tablet it just hides them from view, and yes it is one at a time.

Sent from planet earth

 

[AlphaVictor87]

By swiping them away if you were talking about doing something in the recent apps menu I don't know where people got the idea that doing anything there closes apps. Maybe from ios? In any case you can use a task killer to kill apps but it is completely pointless in Android.

Well yah i've had nothing but an iPhone. This was my first android device and will be switching to an android phone next upgrade in about 5 months.
So what exactly does the swiping action in the recent apps menu do for you then?

 

[mr_nobody]

It simply removes them from the recent apps menu.

 

[B. Diddy]

The Recent Apps list is just a convenience for you--it allows you to switch a little more quickly between apps that you probably use often. As discussed above, it is not a way of "closing" an app--the example I always use is Pandora. If you start playing music with Pandora, then swipe it away in the Recent Apps list, the music keeps playing, meaning you didn't close it.

In Android, you don't have to close apps, because the system prefers to keep its RAM relatively full. If it needs more RAM for a newly opened app, it will close an unused app on its own. I'm not an expert, so if you want more details, check the many articles on the web about this, starting with Multitasking the Android Way | Android Developers Blog

That's not to say that an app will never misbehave. If the system is getting laggy, you can check using various apps like this one https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lookout.zapper&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5sb29rb3V0LnphcHBlciJd to check on how much CPU your running apps are using, and force stop any that seem to be using an inordinate amount.

 

[anon(847090)]

So i've tried searching the internet as well as on this forum and i can't find any post or anyone showing how i can clear all apps at once.

Is there a way to do this on the N7? or am i missing something and i just have to deal with swiping them away one by one?

what do you mean clear all app? you mean uninstall all app? or clear data/cache for all app?

 

[AlphaVictor87]

The Recent Apps list is just a convenience for you--it allows you to switch a little more quickly between apps that you probably use often. As discussed above, it is not a way of "closing" an app--the example I always use is Pandora. If you start playing music with Pandora, then swipe it away in the Recent Apps list, the music keeps playing, meaning you didn't close it.

In Android, you don't have to close apps, because the system prefers to keep its RAM relatively full. If it needs more RAM for a newly opened app, it will close an unused app on its own. I'm not an expert, so if you want more details, check the many articles on the web about this, starting with Multitasking the Android Way | Android Developers Blog

That's not to say that an app will never misbehave. If the system is getting laggy, you can check using various apps like this one https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lookout.zapper&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5sb29rb3V0LnphcHBlciJd to check on how much CPU your running apps are using, and force stop any that seem to be using an inordinate amount.

Ahhh ok. I'll have to read that article later tonight for sure. Thanks for the explanation though!

 

[indestructibleguy]

If you want a faster experience (this improved mine quite a lot) go to settings/apps/all and disable the Google apps you never use. (Tap on app, clear cache, force stop, then disable) it's amazing what disabling a few background apps can do to your tablet speed.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

 

[retsaw]

Swiping away seems to close some apps. For example if you open the Play Store navigate to an app or something in the Play Store hit the home button and reopen the Play Store you'll find it is on the page you left it, however if you hit the home button, open up recent apps and swipe it away, then open it, it'll open on the main page. I think what happens when you clear an app from recent apps depends on the app itself.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[indestructibleguy]

Swiping away seems to close some apps. For example if you open the Play Store navigate to an app or something in the Play Store hit the home button and reopen the Play Store you'll find it is on the page you left it, however if you hit the home button, open up recent apps and swipe it away, then open it, it'll open on the main page. I think what happens when you clear an app from recent apps depends on the app itself.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

You're right on that one. :thumbup: ...I've been doing a little exploring in settings, and found that in settings/developer options, at the bottom there is an option to make it so that apps close whenever you leave them. "Don't keep activities" is the name in jelly bean.



**GO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN - I.Guy*

sent from my N7, using Tapatalk HD

 

[AlphaVictor87]

You're right on that one. :thumbup: ...I've been doing a little exploring in settings, and found that in settings/developer options, at the bottom there is an option to make it so that apps close whenever you leave them. "Don't keep activities" is the name in jelly bean.

Good find!

 

[michap]

Contrary to what many say, I belive that swiping an app away from the recent app list *does* close the app. Do try it with Zapper or SystemPanel running, you will see that after swiping the app, it will disapear from Zapper/SystemPanel, also the memory is cleared.
Now Android might have good memory manegment, but in that case many apps misbehave, becouse my 7 often slows down if I have many memory hungry apps (Flipboard, Google+, Facebook) left in the recent apps list.

/Micha

 

[mgol1302]

Does not work for me. I got exhausted in looking for the solution. People saying that running applications in Andraoid is OK, apparently forget the price for the data usage. I like very much Tunein and for a long time I am using it insted of the standard radio in car. Now, there is absolutely no way to completely close it by one click (imprtant while driving, isn't it ?). The application itself does have Exit botton, but to get it closed I have to make three clicks, including the stupid "Are you sure ?". I am not a fan of Windows, but I have a nostalgy about that small "x" in the upper right side of the window. Don't you ?

 

[B. Diddy]

I still believe that swiping an app away does not close the app. I've experimented with several apps, and swiping doesn't always remove it from Running Apps. I suspect that when people see the memory clear after swiping it away, it is more of a coincidence.

If you have concerns about data usage, it might be helpful for you to turn off mobile data or wifi when you're not using it, unless it is necessary for you to have uninterrupted connectivity for email alerts or something similar. There are plenty of toggle apps out there that allow you to turn off mobile data or wifi with a single tap.

 

[mgol1302]

Sorry, I did not clarify what is Tunein. I thought everybody is a fan of the Internet radio as myself. So, Tunein is one of the Internet radio applications, for which the expensive cellular data usage is necessary. Not even Wifi, while in a car. So, I am afraid you are right regarding swiping applications, but unfortunately your recommendation to turn off mobile data is not applicable in my case.

 

[B. Diddy]

Sure, I know what TuneIn is. It sounded to me like you wished there was a way to close it easily so that it wasn't using up your mobile data while you actually aren't listening to it. That's why I suggested turning the mobile data off while leaving TuneIn on. That way, you know it isn't using any mobile data, and you don't have to worry about closing the app. Does that make sense?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[mgol1302]

Theoretically, you are absolutely right. But practically, in long trips, I used to switch Tunein on/off several times. I also have some other Internet based applications (e.g. Waze). Therefore, turning off mobile data several times could be even worse then one time Tunein using Exit botton. I don't know whether it is possible conceptually, but I would like Android does have an option to force any application getting close by one single tap. I hoped the above mentioned "Don't keep activities" does the job. But it did not, at least with Tunein.

 

[anon(94115)]

How about a bit of a work around?

Not sure if this would work, but get taker from the market. Make a task to specifically turn on and off the app, set a shortcut to that task on the desktop.

Not sure if it would work but it is an idea

Sent from the nexus of the Android world, the SGS3.

 

[mgol1302]

Piizzadude, apparently I am a nob in this stuff. I have no idea what taker you mean and how to use it for making a task using it, etc. So, probably you are right, but, unfortunately I can't check it. Thanks anyway.