Background Apps: Why They Slow Down Your Phone and How to Properly Close Them

G GOWTHAM
If your smartphone has suddenly become slow or laggy, even when you aren’t running any heavy apps, the culprit may be background apps. These apps run silently behind the scenes, consuming RAM, CPU, and battery, which can significantly impact your phone’s performance. Understanding why this happens and how to manage it can make your device faster and more efficient.

Why Background Apps Slow Down Your Phone

1. Continuous Resource Consumption

· Background apps use RAM and processing power even when not actively displayed.

· This reduces available memory for other apps, making your phone sluggish.

2. Battery Drain and Overheating

· Apps running in the background can keep the CPU and sensors active, draining battery faster and causing your phone to heat up.

3. Network Usage

· Some background apps constantly sync data, fetch notifications, or upload content, consuming both data and processing resources.

4. System Lag

· When too many apps run simultaneously, the operating system struggles to allocate resources efficiently, causing stutters, freezes, or delayed responses.

How to Properly Close Background Apps

1. Use the Recent Apps Menu

· On Android: Tap the Recent Apps/Overview button and swipe away apps you don’t need.

· On iPhone: Swipe up from the bottom (or double-click the home button on older models) and close apps by swiping them off.

2. Use App Settings to Restrict Background Activity

· On Android: Settings → Apps → Select App → Battery → Background Restriction.

· On iPhone: Settings → General → Background App Refresh → Turn off for specific apps.

3. Enable Battery Saver or Performance Modes

· Most smartphones have modes that automatically limit background processes to improve performance and extend battery life.

4. Uninstall Unnecessary Apps

· Apps you rarely use can still run background processes. Removing them frees up resources and keeps your phone running smoothly.

5. Restart Your phone Regularly

· Restarting clears temporary processes and resets ram usage, giving your phone a fresh start.

Bonus Tip: Use Task Managers Wisely

· Avoid third-party task-killer apps, as modern Android and iOS systems manage memory efficiently. Manual or forced killing can sometimes slow your phone further.

Conclusion

Background apps are often hidden performance killers. By understanding their impact and using proper methods to manage them, you can significantly speed up your smartphone, save battery, and prevent overheating. Regularly monitoring app activity and restricting unnecessary background processes is key to keeping your device efficient.

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, organization, employer, or company. All information provided is for general informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information contained herein. Readers are advised to verify facts and seek professional advice where necessary. Any reliance placed on such information is strictly at the reader’s own risk.

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