How to close apps on your Android phone or tablet

Closing apps on your Android phone or tablet can help improve performance, save battery life, and free up memory. This tutorial will guide you through the steps to close apps on your Android device, whether you want to close one app or all running apps at once.

1. Using the Recent Apps Screen

Steps:

1. Open the Recent Apps Screen:
   • Depending on your device, you can access the recent apps screen in several ways:
     • On most devices with navigation buttons, tap the square or the overview button (usually on the bottom-right or bottom-left of the screen).
     • On devices with gesture navigation, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold for a moment until the recent apps screen appears.
2. Scroll Through Apps:
   • Swipe left or right to scroll through the list of recently used apps.
3. Close a Single App:
   • To close an app, swipe it off the screen. Swipe up or to the side, depending on your device, to remove the app from the list.
4. Close All Apps:
   • To close all running apps at once, look for a “Clear all” or “Close all” button, usually found at the bottom or top of the recent apps screen. Tap this button to close all apps.

2. Force Stop an App from Settings

Steps:

1. Open Settings:
   • Open the “Settings” app on your device.
2. Go to Apps:
   • Scroll down and tap on “Apps” or “Apps & notifications,” depending on your device.
3. Find the App:
   • Scroll through the list of installed apps to find the one you want to close. Tap on the app to open its details.
4. Force Stop the App:
   • On the app’s info page, tap “Force stop.” A confirmation message will appear. Tap “OK” to confirm. This will immediately close the app and stop it from running in the background.

3. Using Device Maintenance Tools

Steps:

1. Open Device Maintenance:
   • Some Android devices come with built-in maintenance tools that can help you close background apps. Open the “Settings” app and look for “Device care,” “Device maintenance,” or a similar option.
2. Optimize or Close Background Apps:
   • Tap on “Optimize now” or “Optimize” to automatically close background apps and free up resources. You may also find options to manually manage background apps.

4. Using Third-Party Apps

Steps:

1. Download a Task Manager App:
   • You can download third-party task manager apps from the Google Play Store to help manage and close background apps. Some popular options include:
     • Advanced Task Manager
     • Greenify
     • Clean Master
2. Open the Task Manager App:
   • Open the downloaded task manager app and follow the on-screen instructions to manage running apps.
3. Close Background Apps:
   • Use the app’s interface to view and close running apps. Most task manager apps provide options to close individual apps or all apps at once.

Tips for Efficiently Managing Apps

• Avoid Closing Essential Apps: Be cautious when closing apps, as some apps are essential for the smooth functioning of your device. Closing system apps can cause instability or unexpected behavior.
• Restart Your Device: If your device is running slow or experiencing issues, a simple restart can often resolve the problem by closing all running apps and refreshing system resources.
• Regular Maintenance: Periodically check and close background apps to keep your device running smoothly. Regularly clearing app caches and unused apps can also help improve performance.

Conclusion

Closing apps on your Android phone or tablet is a straightforward process that can help improve device performance and battery life. By using the recent apps screen, settings menu, device maintenance tools, or third-party apps, you can efficiently manage and close running apps. Remember to be mindful of essential system apps and perform regular maintenance to keep your device operating at its best.