Trying out Android, how do I close apps properly?

[Andreas]

A relative got their first smartphone through work and im trying to help out setting up email, transfer contacts etc.

Its running Andoid 4 (ics?) and im a bit curious how to actually shut down a program correctly?

If I use the back button I notice the program is still kept in a list that I access by hodling home-button.This list of apps grows pretty fast during normal usage. Am I really supposed to access this list and slide to close the programs, which seems very akward or can I close a program directly when leaving it, how?

Didnt dare asking this on androidcentral since im not very impressed with Androids crude look, icons look could be from my Handspring Treo 300 from 2003 or something. Im sure im missing something because I can't really understand the fuzz.

Editing the setting is like scrolling through a wall of text to find the correct one,

Is it just me?

To Androids defense its very cheap phone that still feels snappy, I guess it just works without looking pretty. =)

[cgk]

You don't close apps - just use them and forget about them.

Sent from my Lumia 800 using Board Express

[prdamrican#AC]

Originally Posted by Andreas

A relative got their first smartphone through work and im trying to help out setting up email, transfer contacts etc.

Its running Andoid 4 (ics?) and im a bit curious how to actually shut down a program correctly?

If I use the back button I notice the program is still kept in a list that I access by hodling home-button.This list of apps grows pretty fast during normal usage. Am I really supposed to access this list and slide to close the programs, which seems very akward or can I close a program directly when leaving it, how?

Didnt dare asking this on androidcentral since im not very impressed with Androids crude look, icons look could be from my Handspring Treo 300 from 2003 or something. Im sure im missing something because I can't really understand the fuzz.

Editing the setting is like scrolling through a wall of text to find the correct one,

Is it just me?

To Androids defense its very cheap phone that still feels snappy, I guess it just works without looking pretty. =)

You don't normally need to close out apps, but they sometimes do tend to use up memory. There are several task killers that you can download and do the deed, but there is also a built-in way.

It depends on the device and version you have... (and whether you have soft or hard buttons), but there are two ways that I know of:

First, try holding down the HOME key for a couple of seconds. It should bring up a "list" of apps (they will shows as icons). Slide drag on them to delete the task.

On other devices there will be an icon to the right of the home key (looks like two squares, one on top of the other). Touch that and you will get the same list... simple slide drag the app off the screen to kill that task.

[Grabber5.0]

A few apps will have an actual exit command on the menu, but it's not common. Apps that do are generally ones that you don't want running in the background, or that sign you out when you exit, but don't if you just go back to the home screen.

[scjjtt]

Andreas, I have ICS through rooting my Samsung Epic 4 G with CM9. From what I have read and experienced with Task Killers - 1. Sometimes it does not work - they come back on and 2. Killing tasks can cause more performance and battery drain than just leaving them do their thing in the background.

I use the utility app called ZDbox. It is a great app that really helps a lot in many things. It too can kill apps - but as I said, some just come right back on, which you can see what is running with ZDbox. Even opening the window on the side and sliding the apps off will not necessarily stop the app from running in the background and using resources.

What I have stumbled upon is holding down the return key extra long in the app that I'm using that I want to totally shut off. I hold it long enough until it says, "Application Killed." Then I go to my previously used apps by holding down the home button and I slide that app off the screen.

This procedure usually works - but as I wrote this I experimented with TV Guide and I saw that it was still showing up in ZDbox as running. In ZDbox I then killed the app and it didn't come back on.

I don't mind the 4 apps that I can't get rid of running in the background. They are: CalenGoo, Graffiti Pro (great app to write like we used to write with older Palms), GO SMS Pro and Google Voice. But keeping my list clean - my phone runs faster and smoother. I don't understand why apps that I'm not using and don't plan to be using should be running in the background and using up resources. So I check throughout the day and if my phone seems a little sluggish and I have been using some apps and don't plan to go back to them I re-open them, hold down the return button until I get the "Application Killed" text and then hold down the Home button until I see the recent apps windows, swipe that app off the list (and others I'm not using and check ZDbox to make sure apps have been disabled.

It seems like a long process, but takes me just a couple of seconds to do.

Good luck!

[cgk]

Task killers are a bad idea, the system will try and recover apps and it can cause instability.

[geekpeter]

Originally Posted by CGK

Task killers are a bad idea, the system will try and recover apps and it can cause instability.

yup seen many times ive killed a task either manually or by a "clever app" only to have the app re-launch or worse yet a blank screen where the app should be.

[scjjtt]

I too have had that problem, but I don't have that problem using the method I shared above.

-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities

[HelloNNNewman]

Pssst... you know we have a whole site dedicated to help -

Android Central | Android Forums

[geekpeter]

Originally Posted by HelloNNNewman

Pssst... you know we have a whole site dedicated to help -

Android Central | Android Forums

its only a shame ive not once found anything worth reading there, thats if i can find what im after, far far too much hardware with differing issues on nearly all hardware/android combinations, its like navigating a gigantic maze with no exit.

The fact were smaller tbh is probably a godsend, nearly everything is specific to either the touchpad/pre3 and some posts regarding older hardware, which has similar issues/fixes to the newer ones anyways.

Whenever i tend to look, the other 2 main forums tend to talk about apps/games/"best" hardware or "show me your ABC/XYZ" type threads, whereas here we do the same on a far lower level, these forums tend to talk more about tweaking/patching/fixing things or news on upcoming and genuinly exciting news which imho is better than "News of Generic Tower Defence Game #99,999 (possibly with a hint of zombies, plants or chibi anime characters)".

[cgk]

Yeah that is the problem with android central it is just too big.

[xandros9]

I think you could do it by holding the back button.

but you aren't really supposed to AFAIK

[cgk]

Originally Posted by xandros9

I think you could do it by holding the back button.

but you aren't really supposed to AFAIK

That does nothing in jellybean or at least it appears to do nothing.

[xandros9]

Originally Posted by CGK

That does nothing in jellybean or at least it appears to do nothing.

I guess that leaves the stock switcher

Or maybe an area in the settings, but that's even more cumbersome. don't bother with managing tasks unless you really want to.

[astark]

Originally Posted by Andreas

A relative got their first smartphone through work and im trying to help out setting up email, transfer contacts etc.

Its running Andoid 4 (ics?) and im a bit curious how to actually shut down a program correctly?

If I use the back button I notice the program is still kept in a list that I access by hodling home-button.This list of apps grows pretty fast during normal usage. Am I really supposed to access this list and slide to close the programs, which seems very akward or can I close a program directly when leaving it, how?

Didnt dare asking this on androidcentral since im not very impressed with Androids crude look, icons look could be from my Handspring Treo 300 from 2003 or something. Im sure im missing something because I can't really understand the fuzz.

Editing the setting is like scrolling through a wall of text to find the correct one,

Is it just me?

To Androids defense its very cheap phone that still feels snappy, I guess it just works without looking pretty. =)

No need to close programs, ever. Just hit the home button to go straight to the desktop if you're in the middle of something you want to return to, or use the back button to back out of an app if you're done. Holding down the home key brings up a list of your recent apps so you can easily switch back and forth. You can multitask without having to physically have every app open in your face, which lets you take advantage of the desktop space for widgets.

[Andreas]

Thanks for all your answers, will fiddle along a bit more with it, its one of the cheaper versions so the screen is smaller than the Pre3 and the on-screen keyboard feels quite small, its like being back on a Pre again. =)

[smooth3006]

back out of a program to close it. then you long press the menu and swipe the app away if you want to totally remove it from running in the background.