Top 6 Ways to Prevent Apps From Starting Automatically on Android

Even if you have a plethora of apps installed on your Android phone, chances are you only use a few of them regularly. So, it can be quite frustrating when unwanted apps keep opening by themselves and consuming valuable system resources. The good news is that there are several ways you can prevent these apps from starting automatically. In this article, we will discuss the top six methods to help you take control of your Android device.

1. Enable Adaptive Battery

Adaptive Battery is a clever feature on Android that uses AI to predict your app usage. It allows your frequently used apps to stay active in the background while restricting the resources available to apps that you haven't used recently. Enabling Adaptive Battery can prevent lesser-used apps from opening automatically. Here's how you can enable it:

1. Open the Settings app on your phone and go to Battery and device care.
2. Tap on Battery and then scroll down to More battery settings.
3. Enable the Adaptive battery option.

2. Restrict Battery Usage for Apps

If only a select few apps on your Android are acting out and opening by themselves, you can individually restrict their battery usage. This will prevent them from running in the background. Here's how you can do it:

1. Long-press on the app's icon and tap on the info icon from the menu that appears.
2. Tap on Battery and choose Restricted from the following menu.

3. Put Unwanted Apps to Deep Sleep (for Samsung Phones)

If you own a Samsung Galaxy phone, you have the option to put unwanted apps into deep sleep. This feature ensures that these apps never run in the background unless you open them. Here's how you can do it:

1. Open the Settings app on your phone and go to Battery and device care.
2. Tap on Battery and then tap Background usage limits.
3. Go to Deep sleeping apps.
4. Tap the plus icon in the top right corner, select the apps you want to put to deep sleep, and tap Add.

4. Stop App Processes

Your Android phone has a secret Developer Options menu that allows you to view and stop app processes. This can help prevent unwanted apps from opening automatically. Here's how you can access and use this menu:

1. Open the Settings app on your phone and scroll down to tap on About phone.
2. Go to Software information and tap the Build number seven times to enable Developer options.
3. Head back to the Settings page and tap on Developer options. Then, tap on Running services.
4. Select the app you want to stop and tap on Stop.

5. Limit The Number of Background Processes

If manually stopping app processes seems too tedious, you can reduce the number of background processes that Android keeps. This way, only the apps you actively use will remain active, while others will be terminated. Here's how you can do it:

1. Open the Settings menu and scroll down to access Developer options.
2. Tap on Background process limit and select the desired number of background processes.

6. Modify Startup Apps (MIUI only)

If you own a Xiaomi, Redmi, or Pocophone device running MIUI, you can take advantage of the dedicated startup apps menu to prevent apps from starting on their own. Here's how you can do it:

1. Open Settings on your phone and go to Manage apps > Permissions.
2. Tap on Autostart and turn off the toggles next to the apps you want to prevent from starting automatically.

By following these tips, you can regain control over your Android device and prevent unwanted apps from starting automatically. However, keep in mind that restricting app usage in the background may cause you to miss alerts or notifications from those apps. So, use these methods only for apps that are not important to you.