How do I keep certain apps from running in the background?

[6tr6tr]

I have apps like Qik, Skype, Fring installed so I can video chat with people if I need to but I don't want them running in the background. They all take a lot of RAM/battery power just checking to see if anyone's contacting me. I'm fine losing the ability to receive incoming calls until I restart them. (There's also other apps too like Pulse)

I couldn't find settings in those apps to stop this checking, anyone know how to do it?

 

[Verdes8891]

There is probably going to be someone to say get a task killer or manager. I use to say this myself, but if you have the nexus s, you do not need it (nor for alot of other phones). Android is designed to close apps when they are no longer needed. If you really want to close them, you should just go to settings > applications > manage applications > running and find the ones you want to kill and select each one and go into and force stop them.

They might start up again later, but will not be running anything while you are not in the application.

 

[chud]

My phone has been off charger for two hours. Skype has been running that whole time and has used 0 battery.

 

[AndroidOne]

I have apps like Qik, Skype, Fring installed so I can video chat with people if I need to but I don't want them running in the background. They all take a lot of RAM/battery power just checking to see if anyone's contacting me. I'm fine losing the ability to receive incoming calls until I restart them. (There's also other apps too like Pulse)

I couldn't find settings in those apps to stop this checking, anyone know how to do it?

As others have said these processes (sometimes called ghosts) are just sitting in memory but do not consume CPU cycles nor singnificantly increase your battery usage - unless they are set to sync constantly for info. Depending on what their function is, the OS will kill them automatically as the need for additional RAM increases. Some processes however, need to remain active for certain programs to work. If you have an app that does background sync, push notification or some other form of communcation, the process needs to stay in memory for the app to work properly.

Of the apps you mentioned I only had Qik on my Evo and evethough I never opened it, it was always loaded on RAM. This app need a process in memory to work since is a telephony app, it will self-load if you terminate the process manually. Also, when I used Pulse I recall there was a menu option within the app to control scheduled background syncing, look around.

If the app doesn't have a menu item to turn off background sync, the only way to control it is from the Account & sync setting menu if they are listed there - but most are not.

 

[mcantu]

i keep having Music run in the background even though i've never used it. is there a way to stop it from restarting?

 

[yodatom10]

No unless u root the phone and remove the music app. The app running is not really going to effect your phone.

sent through the force using my Thunderbolt

 

[gramamoose]

I only have Skype.
In the settings, I have it set so that it does NOT auto start on start up (I think that's how it is listed).
Other than that, I sign out when I am done using it and it stays closed.
I don't know that it uses more battery if it stays on (as some are saying it does not) but log out and close it because I don't like having the icon always up in the notifications bar. Weird, yes I know but maybe it'll answer part of your question.