How do I prevent apps from running in background unless using them?

[andyadino93]

How to prevent apps from running in background unless using them.

Okay, I've been toying around with 4.4.4 on my S5, and one thing that is pissing me off is that when I open an app and I'm finished using it, I kill the app/task, and I notice my RAM is still being taken up by apps. I go back to my app manager and it is still running in the background after I just stopped the service and app. I have already restricted the data, I know how to do that.... I also looked at the "Launch by Default" settings and it has no defaults set nor can I set them. I want to prevent the app from running in the background AT ALL unless I open it and when I kill the app/task, I want it to stay that way until I use the app again and the app functions normally. Any suggestions or tips? Roots, apps, etc. etc.... Otherwise, f$#k me....

 

[sniffs]

Re: How to prevent apps from running in background unless using them.

Okay, I've been toying around with 4.4.4 on my S5, and one thing that is pissing me off is that when I open an app and I'm finished using it, I kill the app/task, and I notice my RAM is still being taken up by apps. I go back to my app manager and it is still running in the background after I just stopped the service and app. I have already restricted the data, I know how to do that.... I also looked at the "Launch by Default" settings and it has no defaults set nor can I set them. I want to prevent the app from running in the background AT ALL unless I open it and when I kill the app/task, I want it to stay that way until I use the app again and the app functions normally. Any suggestions or tips? Roots, apps, etc. etc.... Otherwise, f$#k me....

Apps dont perpetually run in the bg unless they have a service that needs it for push notifications. Generally after you close an app, eventually the OS will purge it from memory and all you'll be left with is an image of what it looked like in your task manager. You're worrying over nothing, let the OS do it's thing and don't worry about killing apps, the OS will do it automagically.

 

[Javier P]

Re: How to prevent apps from running in background unless using them.

There are some settings in the developer options that could do something like that. It can be risky, so don't blame me if something goes wrong.

You can limit the number of background processes and kill app activities after you use it.

By the way, as said in the previous post, I don't think that you really need to do that.

 

[andyadino93]

Re: How to prevent apps from running in background unless using them.

So what is eating my RAM then? If an empty image shell is leftover after it closes, (theoretically it shouldn't be running as process/service anymore) why does it say it take up 102MB of my RAM due to its service? The apps manager says the service is still running even hours after I've closed the app and the amount of RAM free adds that 102MB after it closes (I.E. 1.1 GB free before closing, 1.2GB free after closing, then back down to 1.1GB free when the app is still closed after a period of time). The services continuously run even if the push notifications are turned off, data is restricted, and the app has been closed. The OS is suppose to stop those services once the app has been close or killed but they run still. Can you explain a little further? I'm tech savvy so I'll understand.

 

[sniffs]

Re: How to prevent apps from running in background unless using them.

So what is eating my RAM then? If an empty image shell is leftover after it closes, (theoretically it shouldn't be running as process/service anymore) why does it say it take up 102MB of my RAM due to its service? The apps manager says the service is still running even hours after I've closed the app and the amount of RAM free adds that 102MB after it closes (I.E. 1.1 GB free before closing, 1.2GB free after closing, then back down to 1.1GB free when the app is still closed after a period of time). The services continuously run even if the push notifications are turned off, data is restricted, and the app has been closed. The OS is suppose to stop those services once the app has been close or killed but they run still. Can you explain a little further? I'm tech savvy so I'll understand.

What app are you referring to?

 

[Javier P]

Re: How to prevent apps from running in background unless using them.

Golfdriver wrote a great guide in this forum about how Android manages RAM. Take a look.

http://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=380592

 

[Rukbat]

Re: How to prevent apps from running in background unless using them.

And one of the people who wrote part of Android wrote an explanation of why you want as much RAM as possible in use at all times. Multitasking the Android Way.

An app in RAM isn't an app that's running, it's an app that's running OR an app that can be run without wasting time and battery to load it into RAM from storage. (Apps run in RAM, they can't run in storage.) The more free RAM you have with Android, the less efficiently your phone is running. This is Android, it's not Windows, it's not even pure Linux.

 

[braveit]

Re: How to prevent apps from running in background unless using them.

Great guide on how to prevent apps from running in background when they are not being used. .

 

[Javier P]

Re: How to prevent apps from running in background unless using them.

Great guide on how to prevent apps from running in background when they are not being used. .

ok.

Ways to stop an app running in the background and/or using ram.

Killer apps (not recommended).
Developer options (risky and most likely it will show down your phone).
Tweak individual apps settings.
Force stop the app. There's a shortcut to do that. Open recent apps - press and hold on the app - select app info - tap on force stop.

The option of "restrict background data" will only apply when on mobile and not with WiFi.

 

[andyadino93]

Re: How to prevent apps from running in background unless using them.

Awesome that helped explain things, thanks for that Javier P! Now it makes sense.

 

[andyadino93]

Re: How to prevent apps from running in background unless using them.

Another great document, thank you Rukbat!

 

[braveit]

Re: How to prevent apps from running in background unless using them.

Great advise bro, I normally force some apps to stop but sometimes it makes them to show error and needs to close.