How do I close Android App ?

I am keen to find out if there is an easy way to close the app. I use the Back key, but it just takes me back to where I have just been. Consequently, the only way to shut the app down is to hit the back key numerous times.

The only other way is to go to the Task Manager, where it can be shut there, but this is a fairly brutal way to stop an app.

Any ideas ?

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Comments

Deacon Jimmy Brunet

Are you using it on a phone or a tablet? On a tablet, there is a home button right on side the back button. This exits the program and brings you to your home screen. On a phone there usually is the same button, either physical or virtual. It would be helpful to know which device you are using.

Hope this helps!

Joe Heaton

I have a Samsung Galaxy S2 Phone. There is a button centred in the
middle that brings me back to the home screen. But if then I look in
the Task Manager the application is still running. So it doesn't close the application but merely switches to the Home Screen. I want it closed so that it doesn't drain my battery.

Randy W. Sims

That's the way Android works. When you switch apps, the old app is sent a message and goes into a suspended mode, but remains in memory ready to be reawakened. If more apps are launched and memory is needed Android sends a message to the app and it gets closed so the memory can be reclaimed.

It used to bother me. I like things neat. Close it when I'm not using it. But it actually is a good system. It generally means the apps you use most often are still in memory ready to be used, less start up time. In general, it will never affect you. The memory can be reclaimed when needed and the app should be suspended, not using any processor time.

Joe Heaton

It certainly doesn't work that way for all Android Apps. I have many that actually close rather than stay resident in memory.

I feel there should be a way to truly exit the app rather than hitting the back key.

Randy W. Sims

I understand how you feel. I felt the same way when Android first arrived. A lot of people did. But Android is designed to operate this way. That's why there is no close button. All apps respond to the back button the same way: it moves back to your previous location within the app until there are no previous locations (or none at all if there's no concept of going back within the app), after that it backs out of (or closes) the app.

Some apps add a menu item to close the app. For some apps it may make sense, but a lot of the time it's added because of pressure from users to add it.

There really is no issue related to having apps remain in memory. The memory is easily and quickly reclaimed if another app needs it. As soon as you launch an app that needs more free memory than what is available, Android will decide which apps to close and close them for you. Having apps in memory does not, in itself, cause battery drainage or extra processor usage. The only time it has any noticeable affect whatsoever is if a badly designed app is spinning the cpu in the background. But that is rare.

I do understand where you're coming from. It's different than what we're used to on other OS, but it is designed to operate this way and it works very well. Again, this isn't a Logos Bible app issue, it's the design of Android and Logos is following the established convention in this instance.