Background mode. How to disable background applications on Android - optimizing space on your smartphone or tablet
In this article I continue the topic of optimizing computer operation; today we will stop some programs running in background to speed up and speed up your PC.
In the last lesson, we disabled programs from startup (if you haven’t read this lesson, I advise you to start there), thereby increasing performance, and now we will disable Windows services running in the background.
Any of these services can be either system or third-party, but they all eat up a small part of the system’s resources; if you consider that there are several dozen of them, the load increases noticeably.
Of course, in most cases, system programs running in the background are needed to normal operation computers, but there are some that are not needed at all and are unlikely to be needed by anyone.
When disabling yourself, you need to be extremely careful; when disabling any process, you need to know what it is responsible for so as not to harm the OS. Below I will give a small list of what can be excluded and what can be switched to manual mode.
What programs can I disable?
To do this you need to log in Service Management by pressing right click click on the My Computer shortcut, which is located on your desktop, or select Computer from the start menu. In the menu that appears, select Control
then click on Services and applications and the last point Services. Here you can see all the necessary and unnecessary programs working in the background, in total I have more than 150 of them!
First of all, I advise you to look through the entire list and find some familiar programs that you may have installed and simply disable them.
For example: torrent clients µTorrent or BitComet you can safely disable them, unless of course you distribute some files day and night. Program Skype(Skype) if you call once a month, then why will it waste resources every day?
Also with other programs, if there is no need for it to work every minute, feel free to stop it. Do not be confused in any way, disabling a program does not mean it will not work in the future! When you need it, just launch it from the shortcut as you usually do.
Background mode is a standby mode, that is, the program is always running, although it is not used.
And finally, the list I promised Windows services which can be disabled for sure or switched to manual mode.
Parental Control– turn off
KtmRm for distributed transaction coordinator– manually
Adaptive adjustment- disabling brightness is necessary only for PC owners. with built-in light sensor for automatic adjustment monitor brightness
WWAN auto setup– disable if you do not have CDMA or GSM modules
Windows Firewall– disable it if your antivirus has this service
Computer browser– translate manually when not used local network
Support IP Service– turn off
Secondary login– disable or manually
Dispatcher automatic connections remote access – disable or manually
Print Manager– turn it off if we don’t use the printer
Windows Defender– disable it, a completely unnecessary service
Distributed Transaction Coordinator– turn off
NetBIOS Support Module– disable, but provided that there is no local network (connection of 2 computers or more)
Setting up a Remote Desktop Server– turn off
Service Bluetooth support – we turn it off, I don’t think this is relevant now.
Download service Windows images(WIA)– if you use a scanner, you don’t touch anything
Service remote control Windows– turn off
Remote Desktop Service– turn off
Smartcard– turn off
Tablet PC input service– turn off
Remote registry– everything is generally bad here; there is an opinion that this is a kind of open door for a virus that can change system registry. Definitely disable
Fax– we turn it off, it’s completely a thing of the past.
To disable a service, double-click on it with the left mouse button, a window will open where we change the value Startup type from Automatic to Disabled then Stop//Apply//OK. This is how we deal with every service we dislike.
This is the list of services that I was able to find out about; I will be glad if anyone can add to it in the comments to this article.
On this this article finished, but the topic of optimization should be continued, subscribe to updates so as not to miss it and other subsequent articles.
Valery Semenov, moikomputer.ru
What could be more exciting than getting to know a new smartphone you just bought? Alas, over time it loses its luster and gradually begins to work more and more slowly. You have to charge your smartphone more often, applications open more and more slowly. If this is your case, there are a few tips you can use to inhale into the device new life and improve the situation. Among other things, you need to control which programs are running in the background.
Managing background processes
The best option to regain control over processes is to use the monitoring tools included with Android itself. What the process view screen looks like, how to access it, and what it is called depends on the specific version of Android and the shell from the manufacturer. Sometimes, before you start looking, you need to enable developer settings.- In versions before Android Marshmallow for this you need to open Settings > About phone and click on the build number seven times. You will receive a notification that developer settings have been unlocked.
- On many devices you need to look for the option "Processes" or "Process statistics" by the address Settings > For Developers > Processes. Here you will get a list of currently running processes and find out how much memory each of them is using.
- Naturally, you need to stop the processes that consume the most memory. This should not be done thoughtlessly; you need to understand what you are stopping. Stopping some applications may crash operating system.
Some smartphones, like , do not allow you to access developer settings by clicking on the build number and have special methods. In this case, it is best to search on the Internet for an option to unlock developer settings on your smartphone model. You need to dial in the dialer ##6961## and look at the address Settings > Special abilities> For developers > Process statistics.
If you have a clean version or more modern, look for options at Settings > Memory >, there is an opportunity to stop processes manually.
Which applications to stop
So, if you don't want programs or your smartphone in general to crash, you need to be careful. An application called " Google Services"and any other in the word Google in the title should not be stopped manually.
IN in this example there was no need for Kik applications, Facebook Pages Manager and a number of other services. In some cases, services are automatically restarted. If you click on the "Advanced" button, you can see the amount of memory used by cached processes. Here the stopping rules are the same as for applications.
For those applications that do not want to leave (if you kill Kik through the processes tab, it will start again), you need to open Settings > Applications > Application Manager and force stop or delete the application.
- To stop an application manually through the process list, open Settings > For Developers > Processes and click on the button "Stop".
- To force stop or remove an application manually through the application list, Open Settings > Applications > Application Manager and select the desired program. Don't delete apps that appear when you select the option "Show system applications."
- To force stop an application in a pure version of Android Marshmallow or higher, open Settings > Memory > Memory used by applications.
What uses up battery power
If you looked around carefully when you followed the steps above, you could see information regarding energy consumption in each application. However, going into each application and seeing how much energy it consumes is not the best method work.Open instead Settings > Battery and see what options are available here on your smartphone. On different models they differ, but at least there should be a list of all installed applications, which have consumed energy since the last recharge. After this, you can decide which applications you will stop.
The rules for stopping and deleting applications apply here too, you need to be careful. Some smartphones separate applications in the section "Battery" into system and non-system, others into hardware and software applications.
Theoretically, every a new version Android adds more useful features work with the battery, resulting in the number of required manual settings is shrinking. In Android Marshmallow, the most useful new option is Doze, which puts the smartphone into hibernation mode when it is not moving. There is a Doze 2.0 function, which also works when the smartphone moves, if you do not turn on its screen.
Samsung and other manufacturers offer their own options for battery and RAM functions, so there is no advice for all occasions. Some believe that Doze mode harms duration battery life, but you can check it yourself.
Applications for completing tasks and optimizing RAM
Android and devices are constantly improving, so many people believe that optimization apps do more harm than good to your battery life. They are trying to solve the problem of running apps in the background that waste resources. Since such applications run constantly, optimizers become one of them, increasing the load on the battery and RAM.Task completion applications constantly force applications to stop in the background, resulting in permanent launch and closing processes, energy consumption increases. You may waste less energy by allowing apps to run in the background.
Some believe that if you root your device, you will gain more control over it. Many programs require root to close processes. If you decide to go this route, try the Greenify app; This automatic program for hibernation, which also works on devices without root.
True, without root it will not be possible to automatically put applications into hibernation and some other functions, but it will be possible to add a widget to home screen to hibernate manually with one click. There is also useful options to expand the capabilities of the Doze function, which also does not require root.
Hello, friends! In this short lesson I want to talk about the background mode and why it is needed at all. Most programs that a user runs on a computer run in active mode. This means that they are displayed on the panel Windows tasks and in the task manager on the Applications tab. If you look at the “Processes” tab, you will find much more large quantity entries than in the application tab that is currently running. You can read more about the task manager and how to use it in my article “”.
If you open any program, then in the task manager in the “Processes” tab you can see this running program. For example, if you open Opera browser then you will see running process"Opera.exe". If you open the task manager, go to the “Processes” tab and check the “Display processes of all users” checkbox. With this action you will display processes running on the computer under other users, as well as system processes, which are necessary for normal operation.
All processes that do not require user interaction usually run in the background. The program running in the background requires self-execution tasks assigned to it, without the participation (or almost without the participation) of the user.
Programs running this way consume computer resources in the same way as applications that appear on the taskbar. Therefore launch large quantity programs that hide their icon in the tray or do not remind you of themselves at all can greatly affect the performance of your computer.
Can run in the background regular programs, for which the appropriate settings are set. In this case, the application icon is usually displayed in the notification area (system tray or in English system tray - part of the taskbar between the clock and active tasks). Antivirus can be considered the most typical representative of this group. If you close the main antivirus window by clicking on the “cross”, the window will disappear, but your antivirus will continue to protect your computer by moving to the tray. 
Some programs can be configured so that when you click on the “Close” button, they stop working completely, and when you click on the “Minimize” button, they disappear from the taskbar, but show their icon in the tray, thus moving into the background. This setting is usually called “Minimize to tray”.
Also running in the background are programs that are part of the operating system. In particular this system services, as well as other applications. Some of them are necessary for the system to function and cannot be stopped. Others are needed only for some specific functions that are not actually used by the user. Stopping such components can be very useful for saving computer resources, but it requires knowledge, the description of which is beyond the scope of this article.
There are also viruses running in the background, spyware and other malicious objects. Which is understandable, because the attacker wants the user not to know about their activity and tries to hide it from the user’s eyes.
To terminate processes, you need to know a little about system programs, which are usually used for work.
In this article we will figure out what it is background applications on Android, what they are for and how to disable them.
What are background applications on Android
Background programs run unnoticed by the device owner background processes. The application seems to be closed, but it still consumes system resources, takes place in random access memory and reduces the battery life of the device. Such processes start without your knowledge and run in the background - hence their name. There are generally good reasons for running these processes - it could be synchronization, retrieving location data, or other activity related to the purpose of the application.
But not all background processes are necessary. For example, we use some applications extremely rarely, and unnecessary background processes only unnecessarily load the device. The Android system has built-in tools with which you can always see what applications are running in the background, how much memory they consume and how they affect the battery charge.
To see which background processes are in this moment running, you need:
- Enable in settings developer mode
- Select menu item " Process statistics»
- Select application
In the window that opens, you will see all the information on the selected background application.
You can also see which programs and how much they affect the battery consumption of your device. To do this, go to the battery settings and select the menu item " Battery usage" You will receive a list in which, in descending order, there are applications that negatively affect the battery level.
What background programs on Android can be disabled
The two main types of apps that you probably don't want running in the background are games when you're not playing them, and music players when you are not listening to music. Look at other background processes too. If you don’t need this application at the moment, then you can safely close the process.
The applications necessary for the operation of the device themselves will not allow you to close their background processes, this is how the Android system works. But do not close system background applications and those that you constantly use. If, for example, you close processes social networks and instant messengers, notifications about new messages will stop coming. Most applications and services whose names begin with “Google” should not be closed either. Here are the most important Google processes:
- Google Search
- Google Play services
- Google Contacts Sync
- Google Keyboard
- Google Play Store
You can either disable the background process or force close the app completely.
- To disable a background process, you need to go to the menu " Process statistics» select the required one and click « Stop»
- To forcefully stop the application, you need to go to the " Application Manager» select what you need and click « Stop»
Some applications themselves automatically launch in the background even after closing. To “put them to sleep” you can use Greenify. This utility prevents applications from starting automatically. If your device has ROOT rights, you can completely remove unnecessary applications from startup. You can read how to get ROOT rights in our other article.
What to do if you have disabled background programs on Android that you need?
If you accidentally disabled system processes or background processes you simply need, simply enable them again or reboot the device - the system itself will enable everything necessary for work.
operating room Android system always considered more “advanced” mobile platform compared to iOS due to more freedom For third party applications. After all, this “freedom” allows programs to perform more tasks while running in the background. However, as we know, the coin has two sides: background processes can also negatively affect battery life.
It's one thing to load your phone with apps that run in the background and provide some real benefit, but for that you're willing to sacrifice some of your battery life. It’s another matter if these are unoptimized applications that constantly hang in the background and waste precious battery percentages. Android Developers are trying to solve this problem by placing more and more restrictions on what apps can do in the background, and the Android O release uses maximum restrictions to background processes.
However, the vast majority of users will not see Android O on their devices yet. at least, several months (if they see it at all). But if you're running Android 7.0 or Android 7.1, there's a simple solution to prevent programs from running in the background without root privileges and using third party utilities(which can also eat away at the battery). And in today's guide, we'll show you how to manually prevent a particular power-hungry app (hello, Facebook!) from running in the background - they will only run when actively used.
Instead of a warning
Apps like Facebook or any other messenger will stop syncing in the background completely. And if that's what you're aiming for, I'm sure you won't mind. But don't be surprised if messages won't arrive on time (if at all) until this app is open.
Guide to restricting any app from running in the background
- Create a folder with named Android at the root of the C:\ drive.
- Install USB drivers for your device (you can find links to universal drivers for some devices).
- In some cases, installing drivers will require you to disable authentication.
- For Windows 7:
When you turn on the computer, after BIOS boot, you must press the F8 key. In the menu that appears " Additional options downloads" select "Disable mandatory signature drivers." This method may not work the first time, so you should repeat the action or open a command prompt as an administrator and enter two commands:
"bcdedit.exe /set loadoptions DDISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS";
"bcdedit.exe /set TESTSIGNING ON." - For Windows 8:
You need to press the key combination Win+I, hold down Shift key and select “Shutdown” > “Reboot”. When you turn on your computer, select Diagnostics > Extra options» > Boot Options > Restart. When loading, select the “Disable mandatory driver signature verification” mode by pressing the F7 key. - For Windows 10:
You need to hold down the Shift key and select the Start menu > Shutdown > Restart. After booting, select Troubleshooting > Advanced Options > Boot Options > Restart. Then select “Disable mandatory driver signature verification” by pressing F7.
- For Windows 7:
- Download the archive and unpack the files into Android folder.
- Install the App Inspector application on your smartphone.
- Activate the “USB Debugging” item on your smartphone.
This can be done in the “For Developers” section. You can find out how to open it. - Connect your phone to your computer via a USB cable.
It is recommended to use the original or cable good quality, and USB port 2.0, located on motherboard(for PC). - Change the connection type from “Charging only” to “File transfer (MTP)”.
This is not required on every device, but many manufacturers require it as a security measure before allowing ADB to work. - Open a command prompt and go to the created folder Android team“cd c:\Android\” (commands are written without quotes).
- Make sure that the computer finds the device via ADB.
To do this, you need to enter “adb devices” into the command line. When a request appears on the phone for permission to debug via ADB on this computer You must click “Ok” and select “Always allow from this computer.” If the device is visible, the text “List of devices attached” and a list of all devices (for example, xxxxxxx device) will be displayed. If instead of “device” it says “offline” or the list is empty, then you need to update ADB, check the drivers/cord, change the USB port/computer. - Launch App utility Inspector and select App List (Ordered by name). Find and select the application that you want to restrict from running in the background. The package name and version will be displayed below the program name.
- Enter “adb shell” at the command line.
- Then enter “cmd appops set name.of.package RUN_IN_BACKGROUND ignore”, where name.of.package is the package name that was previously recognized in the App Inspector.
If after entering the command no errors are displayed and new line for input, it means everything worked correctly. - To revert the changes and allow background app processes again, you need to enter “cmd appops set name.of.package RUN_IN_BACKGROUND allow”.
If the commands in steps 13 and 14 don't work, try running them without "cmd". This may be required for some devices. Android control 6.0 Marshmallow or lower.
How it works?
This command allows you to enable a hidden permission that is usually not available to the user in the Settings application - "RUN_IN_BACKGROUND". And the only way to modify it is to use "cmd appops" which is the interface command line for "App Ops" - Google's user rights management system.
Google added this hidden command ADB, which allows you to prevent any application from receiving implicit broadcasts (i.e. waking up in the background), and also prevent those applications from scheduling background services without using JobScheduler (i.e. waking up at inappropriate times, thereby draining the battery). This option is really only intended to be used by developers who want to simulate how their application will perform under low memory conditions, but fortunately we can also use it at our own discretion.
By removing dependencies on background services application developers can optimize their program so that it works better on devices with a small amount of RAM. Google says apps optimized for such devices can improve both performance and user experience generally. At Google I/O this year, the company announced a modified Android version under called Android Go, which will be used for smartphones with very little RAM, so we can assume that this command will be relevant for developers aimed at new platform. In any case, it can be quite useful for the average user as well.
Write in the comments below if it helped you this manual and which application you have blocked from running in the background.