How to stop apps running in the background
Some apps keep working after you close them: syncing, refreshing and sending notifications. That uses battery, data and memory. You can limit the ones that do not need it.
First: swiping apps away does little
Closing apps from the app switcher does not usually save battery on modern phones. The phone already freezes apps it is not using, and reopening them from scratch can use more power. Restricting background activity is more effective.
On Android
- Open Settings > Apps, choose the app.
- Look for Battery (or App battery usage) and choose Restricted or Optimized, depending on the app.
- Look in Mobile data and Wi-Fi or Data usage for Background data, and switch it off for apps that do not need it.
- Force stop an app if it is misbehaving. It will restart the next time you open it.
On some brands (Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Realme and others), look for Autostart or App launch in settings and switch off apps you do not need to start by themselves.
On iPhone
- Open Settings > General > Background App Refresh and turn it off for apps that do not need it, or choose Wi-Fi only.
- In Settings > Battery, look at which apps use the most.
- In Settings > Notifications, switch off notifications you do not need, since each one wakes the app.
Find the heavy ones
In the battery screen, look at the apps with the highest use in the last day. If one is far above the others, restrict it, update it, or replace it.
Do not use “cleaner” or “booster” apps
They often show ads, collect data, and make the phone slower by constantly restarting apps. The built-in settings above do the job better.
What not to restrict
Messaging, banking and alarm apps may need background activity to deliver messages and alerts on time. If you restrict them and miss notifications, switch them back.
Related
More ways to save battery: how to make your phone battery last longer and how to save battery on your iPhone. If the phone is slow, see how to speed up a slow phone. For data, see how to reduce mobile data usage.
