Android apps running in background

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surfs-up

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I have several Android KitKat devices - two Note 3 phones and a Tab S 10.5 and a Tab S 8.4

I have a problem with apps insisting on running in the background and using up the RAM memory. I have an app that sits on my home screen to let me know when my RAM is running low. Several times a day it has a fit and tells me that I need to kill some apps because they have used up all my memory. I tell it to purge the system. It usually reports about "120 apps killed, and 1.6 Gb freed".
Half an hour later I run the app again and it tells me 88 apps killed and 900 Mb freed.

Now, why do these apps keep restarting and running in the background, and how do I stop them from running in the background...until I really need them.

When I press the home button for two seconds, only 2 or 3 apps show up...yet it seems there are 100 or more that are running all the time. I don't want to delete the apps, I just want them to be totally inactive until I open them
 
Your problem is you're looking at the memory in the first place. It's Android, it doesn't matter. It's not Windows, it should manage memory automatically.

And if you force it to close apps, they will just open up again to make best use of available memory.
 
TJ99 said:
Your problem is you're looking at the memory in the first place. It's Android, it doesn't matter. It's not Windows, it should manage memory automatically.

And if you force it to close apps, they will just open up again to make best use of available memory.
Click to expand...

+1

Read for example this article,
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/ram-boosters-task-killers-bad-android/
 
TJ99 said:
Your problem is you're looking at the memory in the first place. It's Android, it doesn't matter. It's not Windows, it should manage memory automatically.

And if you force it to close apps, they will just open up again to make best use of available memory.
Click to expand...

So, if I understand you correctly, I don't need to have that app sitting on my home screen warning me every few hours. Android will automatically stop some apps to free up space, if it needs space ?
 
surfs-up said:
So, if I understand you correctly, I don't need to have that app sitting on my home screen warning me every few hours. Android will automatically stop some apps to free up space, if it needs space ?
Click to expand...

completely correct. that's why some apps have to have a perma-notification so that android OS don't kill it, ie. BBM, Sloth Launcher, ACDisplay, Android Wear, Samsung Gear, etc etc
 
surfs-up said:
So, if I understand you correctly, I don't need to have that app sitting on my home screen warning me every few hours. Android will automatically stop some apps to free up space, if it needs space ?
Click to expand...
Yes. In fact constantly closing them will slow your phone down because they need to restart all the time.

The only reason to stop a background app is if it annoys you with constant notifications, or drains your battery excessively. But in that case you're better off just uninstalling it permanently.
 
TJ99 said:
Yes. In fact constantly closing them will slow your phone down because they need to restart all the time.

The only reason to stop a background app is if it annoys you with constant notifications, or drains your battery excessively. But in that case you're better off just uninstalling it permanently.
Click to expand...

yeh, if background apps chow battery or data... it can be investigated, other than that... let it be..
 
Thanks for all the responses, now I understand. I also did a quick google and see others complaining that task killer apps only kill the apps for a few seconds and then the apps restart automatically. The app developers respond saying they "don't have Android permission to prevent apps from starting. Some apps are activated by system events or services"

Okay all understood, thanks. It would just be good if we know a particular app was not needed, that we could keep it deactivated. Surely unnecessary apps are just killing the battery and using up system resources unnecessarily.
 
surfs-up said:
Thanks for all the responses, now I understand. I also did a quick google and see others complaining that task killer apps only kill the apps for a few seconds and then the apps restart automatically. The app developers respond saying they "don't have Android permission to prevent apps from starting. Some apps are activated by system events or services"

Okay all understood, thanks. It would just be good if we know a particular app was not needed, that we could keep it deactivated. Surely unnecessary apps are just killing the battery and using up system resources unnecessarily.
Click to expand...

check your battery stats before you put your phone on charge, if there is something funny in the top 5, then you probably have a problem
 
faniedry said:
check your battery stats before you put your phone on charge, if there is something funny in the top 5, then you probably have a problem
Click to expand...

Ok, I will do. It's just, for example I see Waze is always running in the background. I don't need Waze to be running if I am at home or the office...I only need it when I am driving. It is a brilliant app, I don't want to delete it....but I also don't want to have it running while I am not driving. I guess I will just have to live with some apps running in the background.
 
surfs-up said:
Ok, I will do. It's just, for example I see Waze is always running in the background. I don't need Waze to be running if I am at home or the office...I only need it when I am driving. It is a brilliant app, I don't want to delete it....but I also don't want to have it running while I am not driving. I guess I will just have to live with some apps running in the background.
Click to expand...

waze shouldn't be running in the background... how is it on battery life?
 
faniedry said:
waze shouldn't be running in the background... how is it on battery life?
Click to expand...

It has been poor with battery life, I barely get through a day, runs out around 4.00 pm. I will just have to monitor which app is guilty of running the battery down. I did close Waze, and then found it was still active, but maybe I made a mistake, I will have to check again
 
surfs-up said:
Ok, I will do. It's just, for example I see Waze is always running in the background. I don't need Waze to be running if I am at home or the office...I only need it when I am driving. It is a brilliant app, I don't want to delete it....but I also don't want to have it running while I am not driving. I guess I will just have to live with some apps running in the background.
Click to expand...

Press the back button when you're done with Waze active and it will ask you if you want to exit. If you just return to the home screen it will stay running.
 
Also long press the home button to bring out recently opened apps and close the ones you don't use, that also stops these apps from running in the background.
 
I wanted to add something, but all has been said that needs to be said.

... And then I saw Henry's post...

OP, leave it, uninstall it or Greenify it. Nothing else.
 
OGroteKoning said:
I wanted to add something, but all has been said that needs to be said.

... And then I saw Henry's post...

OP, leave it, uninstall it or Greenify it. Nothing else.
Click to expand...

Or close it, if the app has such an option.

Waze, IM+, Steam are the ones I do this with.
 
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