This article explains how to stop apps from running in the background on Android 9 and higher.

Stop Android Apps From Running in the Background

Here’s how to kill background apps on Android:

1. Open Settings > Apps.

2. Select an app you want to stop, then tap Force stop > OK.

   This will clear battery or memory issues only until you restart your phone. Any apps that launch on startup will restart and could cause the same problems.

   If you don’t use the app, this is a good time to just uninstall it. Select Uninstall to remove the app from your device.

3. The app will relaunch when you restart your phone. To turn off all background activity for the app, select App battery usage (Pixel) or Battery (Galaxy).

   Then, tap Allow background usage to turn it off on a Google Pixel phone, or tap Restricted to do so on a Samsung Galaxy device.

How Background Apps Affect Your Android Battery

Your Android device can run multiple apps in the background for several reasons. Most of the time, it won’t cause battery problems or constrain the phone’s memory. 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 that are currently running by tapping the square or three lines at the lower-right corner of the screen.

Remember, multiple windows may open inside some apps, like multiple tabs inside the Google Chrome mobile browser. Each of these could potentially consume resources that use up the battery.

With many poorly written apps on the app store, Google Play’s safety is questionable, and when you install those on your phone, they may consume more battery power, CPU, or memory than they’re supposed to. Auditing your installed apps (mentioned above) is good phone hygiene.

How to 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 these background apps.

1. On a Pixel device, go to Settings > System > Developer options.

   For a Galaxy device, navigate to Settings > Developer options.

2. Scroll down a bit and tap Running services. This shows the apps that are currently running on your Android and the amount of RAM each is using.

   You can tap an item in the list to find the Stop button, which forces it to close.

3. To see apps consuming battery power, go to Settings > Battery > Battery usage.

   As you proceed with these next steps, 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.

   If you’re on a Samsung device, go to Settings > Device care > Battery, and turn on Power saving.