21

There probably is an option in the settings to do this.
This tut from TDUK shows how to set it up

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22

Ya on the shield you don’t need the app.

23

Unfortunately, I just ran a test on this and am somewhat confused now. The page he checks for apps running in the background is just your recently used apps panel. Even though he has designated the press and hold option for his setting button. According to his own app “App Killer” it shows the same number of apps still running in the background.

In-other-words, I first checked how many apps were running the background using his App Killer and it showed 10. Nine of which I have whitelisted on his app. So, that means ONE app can be closed. I then did the press and hold of the “Programmed” settings button. Then I double clicked my home button to bring up the Recents panel. It showed that the one app I had running was indeed gone from the Recents panel. However, I then went back to the App Killer app and clicked on "Count total running background apps and it displayed 10. So, the one app that should have been closed was not closed according the TDUK App Killer.

Also, I repeated the same experiment just using the TDUK App Kill. When I clicked on the Force Stop All Apps and then checked the Count total running background apps. It showed that all apps were closed. However, when I double clicked the home button to bring up the Recents panel. It still displayed the apps as normal. Then when I do the Shield method the Recents panel is then cleared.

So, something is amiss! Either the Shield method works and the App Killer does not work, or the Shield method is just removing recently used apps and not truly “closing” them.

Imho, the Shield method is just removing the apps from your Recently Used Apps panel and not "Force Closing them. You can confirm this by checking the individual apps in your All Apps Settings. If the “Force Close” option is displayed. Then That app is still active and running in the background. I just now checked and even though doing the Shield method did in fact remove the app from the Recents Panel. It did NOT Force Close the app. Indeed, after checking I checked using the App Killer and it showed the app was still running in the background. I then proceeded to do the Force Stoop using the App Killer and then went back to the Shield’s All App Setting to checkand lo and behold, sure enough the open app was now showing as Forced Closed.

Bottom line. the Shield method does not close the app. That method only clears your recently used apps. The TDUK App Killer does indeed Force close the app but will NOT remove it from your Recently Used Apps panel. Recently used does not mean open.

Simple enough to check for yourself, but for me I will continue using the TDUK one-click and done app to Force Close all non-whitelisted apps running in the background.

24

If the ONN device can get the TDUK App Killer and the TDUK Cache Cleaner that is all you need. These two apps makes BG apps & PL obsolete.

TDUK APP Killer - Apps on Google Play

TDUK APP Cache Cleaner - Apps on Google Play

25

@2.27 in the tut, he sets a setting for a button on the remote to close all back round apps - long press menu button closes all apps

My experience with Nokia 8000, Android TV box, double press on the home button does a similar function.

My Formuler Z8 pro, double tap menu button does the same, on Z11 pro, I think you have to double tap home button - these are Android boxes.

I think there must be an option in the setting to do this on all android / android tv / google tv based boxes - until recently nearly all had 16GB internal storage

26

That does not Force Close any app. That method only removes the apps from the recently used page.

Imho, use the TDUK App Killr and the TDUK Cache Cleaner and be done with it.

Even when the BG Apps & PL was a thing. You still had to force close each app one at a time and you can just as easily accomplish that same tedious task by going into the Shield’s Settings All Apps and Force Close them there one at a time.

TDUK apps made this process a whole lot simpler and again I say that using the method shown in the above TDUK Tutorial does NOT Force Close ANY app. It merely dismisses the app from showing on your Recently Used Apps page. …jus my 2¢

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27

I thought these options are similar to the option on android phone to close all apps.

28

On my S24 I like and use an app called Hibernator.
Hibernator: Force Stop Apps - Apps on Google Play
However, there is a proceedure in settings to close all background apps called “Deep Sleep”.

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29

PF is 100% Correct. It does not “Force close” the app it just uses the “Close all background apps” setting in the shield options. From there he is also correct that you still have to go
Settings>Device Preferences>Storage>Cached Data
to clear all the closed apps cache. So the TDUK App is indeed quicker and much simpler. I guess you have to determine whether simply Closing the background apps or Force closing them makes a difference. For me the apps still remain showing in the settings>Apps>Recently opened apps whether I close or force close them.

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30

That’s because the Recently Used Apps page have very little to do with what is actually running in the background. That page is just a useful tool to easily and quickly access an app you were using to use once again.

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31

I know that thanks. The debate rages whether apps are actually running in the background or not. Using the Shield “Close all background apps” seems to do exactly that for me. I clear cache and can check back a short time later to see if that has changed in a specific app I closed using the “Close all background apps”, and it hasn’t. So that would indicate to me that the app isn’t in fact running and has been closed, but I’m no expert.

32

Ah, I see what you are talking about. However, the background may be stagnant, but the foreground is still apparently active.

To each there own. I’ll stick with what it easiest for me. Closing apps and clearing cache should not be something I need to give much thought to.

33

Exactly PF. I think we sometimes overthink things. As long as there is no negative impact to our devices then we are G2G.

34

Hi all,

Let me jump in here …

Firstly, that video was over 3 years old and understating of background apps / process was very limited (apologies)

I did a lot of research on background apps, foreground apps, recent apps when I made my app killer.

The summary is:

  • Double tapping home shows you your recent apps, which can be called foreground apps.
  • The foreground apps can be swiped away but this does NOT force stop the background app.
  • The correct way to manually force stop an app is to look at the app properties and selecting “Force Stop”
  • The correct way to see all background apps running is to use the free “Background apps and process list” app. Unfortunately this only allows you to stop an app 1 at a time, which was the whole point of creating the TDUK app killer.
  • The TDUK APP killer ONLY targets background apps.
  • You will notice the number of background running apps will always show the same number in the TDUK App killer & the Background APPS & Process list app - the both look at the same place

I hope that clears things up.

Thanks

3 Likes
35

You need to get app killer working

36

As I understand it, having lots of apps open can slow down the device. Choosing to close these apps, should speed up a slowing device.
The only time you want to “force close” an app, is when it has stopped working.
Learning all the time, thank you.

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37

Well the supposed experts are also devided on that. I have read that most modern streaming OSs have a switch that puts background apps into deep sleep so they aren’t actually using CPU cycles, and only do so when you decide to open the app up. This supposedly improves app load times as it is essentially loaded just not running until you activate it. It also is suppose to improve battery life on say tabs and phones. Now I have experimented with my Shield Pro and opened about 8 apps and left them alone, only opening them when I am going to use them. So 8 apps isn’t a lot these days, but honestly I haven’t noticed any difference no matter whether I close them or force close them. I have cleared cache but never notice any cache increase for individual apps unless I actually use them, indicating to me that when I do close them and leave them in the background they are not doing anything and are in a deep sleep state. If I were so inclined, and this actually mattered these days, I would get some tool that monitors and analyzes CPU usage, storage, etc. and record the results. But honestly, I’m more interested in what @PapaS is going to buy next.

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38

@Miki I have no idea about this App opening and closing you speak of or what you just wrote. Waaaayyyyy over my head my friend. How do you have multiple apps open at the same time? I use KODI and when I want to use another App on the same Box I need to close KODI first, go back to my Home screen then choose another app. I have been streaming since 2016 but have no idea what background apps and process is? Also I never ever clean my boxes. No issues.

But I do know that @PapaS likes all the boxes!

2 Likes
39

Lol. All good @MarkxG . They are running in the “background” and not in the foreground so you won’t actually see them until you activate them with say a widget or shortcut. But as I said, this is kind of a non starter these days. Easiest way I could explain is that it’s like having a huge library of books and you are reading 10 different ones, so you have them off the shelf and on your desktop where you can quickly reach for any one you want, get the info you want, then close it but leave it on your desk for future use. And good morning Mark.

40

Ahhhh got it @Miki . I do this on my iphone quite often. I close down all the instances I have open but didn’t know this was a thing on streaming boxes. I guess the fact I don’t do it sort of proves the point it’s not important. Have a great day my friend. I need to watch Troy’s video today on the Google streamer to see why the extra gig of RAM is worth $50 more than the ONN 4K Pro! :rofl: