I had given my old Android 2.3 phone and a fairly new Android 4.4 tablet to my kid.
Within about a month, both devices basically became non-functional on start up.
After some analysis, it became clear that all the games and recreational apps my kid installed was causing the problem: they were all built to auto-start on device boot up, and they lacked an option to tell them not to auto-start on device boot up.
Since both devices were rooted, I used a tool (Clean Master) that quickly identified the auto-start apps and stopped them from auto-starting.
My question is this:
Why would an app developer build an app that auto-starts with no option to disable that? Many auto start apps will just kill the usability of the device, and it isn't trivial finding out why.
If the device was not rooted, there's probably no way to stop these apps except to uninstall them. If Android allows a third-party app on a non-rooted device to auto-start, why isn't there an app that works on non-rooted devices to stop these apps from auto-starting?
Nate2 said:
I had given my old Android 2.3 phone and a fairly new Android 4.4 tablet to my kid.
Within about a month, both devices basically became non-functional on start up.
After some analysis, it became clear that all the games and recreational apps my kid installed was causing the problem: they were all built to auto-start on device boot up, and they lacked an option to tell them not to auto-start on device boot up.
Since both devices were rooted, I used a tool (Clean Master) that quickly identified the auto-start apps and stopped them from auto-starting.
My question is this:
Why would an app developer build an app that auto-starts with no option to disable that? Many auto start apps will just kill the usability of the device, and it isn't trivial finding out why.
If the device was not rooted, there's probably no way to stop these apps except to uninstall them. If Android allows a third-party app on a non-rooted device to auto-start, why isn't there an app that works on non-rooted devices to stop these apps from auto-starting?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, there were non-root apps that could disable auto-start of other normal apps till JellyBean 4.2 I guess.
Then came the security enforcements which prevented this for non-root users.
Android assumes that an app necessarily needs auto-starting at boot for the smooth working of the app.
There's a reason behind that.
For example, if you disable auto start of FB messenger or WhatsApp, you won't automatically get notifications unless you open it one time so that certain services begin to run in background.
The same goes for your kid's apps like Talking Tom, which gives essential notifications (from a kid's point of view) like "I'm Hungry" or "I wanna pee" or something like that
But you have non-root apps too (you gotta dig a lil deeper to find them) which doesn't work like root apps, that is, doesn't disable them to start at boot. Instead, they stop the apps/services after booting that's disabled in that app.
Apps like CC Cleaner or the so-called antivirus apps work that way only
Related
Sometimes I notice my phone gets warm and when I bring up a task manager (from system tuner pro) I see the same apps are causing problems.
Pulse news reader
Amazon app store
Groupon
The thing is, if I didn’t use my phone 24/7 I would never notice these apps running because I think they close within an hr or so once it "does whatever it does" ….
But im ALWAYS on my phone - so i do notice it..
How can I disable any/all services associated with the apps – and make sure that they only run when I open the program – and the second I close them – the services stop as well not to turn back on till i open the app again?
I don’t want to run a task manager/auto kill program =(
Thank you!
ROM Cleaner should do the trick. Ask in their thread if you have problems, they are very friendly and helpful. Sorry, just reread and realized you said disable. ROM Cleaner removes the apps you don't want, including system apps. I just get rid of all the junk after flashing a new ROM and it runs cool and smooth.
To disable, use Titanium backup and freeze those apps.
Until recently I used to be able to use Android Assistant to kill un-needed apps and so free up memory (and also preserve battery life, help phone run cooler, etc.). But recently -- not sure if it was after the OS update on the Idol 3 (6045I) or an update of Android Assistant itself -- the only process shown under the Processes tab is Android Assistant itself, so there is nothing to kill. The "quick boost" feature, which formerly seemed to close the same bunch of apps I would see listed under "Processes", now also seems to do nothing. I am thinking this is likely something to do with the phone's OS, as an app cleaner built into the 3rd-party launcher I'm using has a similarly changed behavior.
Anyone else observing this, and/or know of a solution that works, and/or know what might have changed with the most recent software update?
rhcohen said:
Until recently I used to be able to use Android Assistant to kill un-needed apps and so free up memory (and also preserve battery life, help phone run cooler, etc.). But recently -- not sure if it was after the OS update on the Idol 3 (6045I) or an update of Android Assistant itself -- the only process shown under the Processes tab is Android Assistant itself, so there is nothing to kill. The "quick boost" feature, which formerly seemed to close the same bunch of apps I would see listed under "Processes", now also seems to do nothing. I am thinking this is likely something to do with the phone's OS, as an app cleaner built into the 3rd-party launcher I'm using has a similarly changed behavior.
Anyone else observing this, and/or know of a solution that works, and/or know what might have changed with the most recent software update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google made some changes with the stagefright patch that prevents apps from getting certain info. Some developers have updated their apps with workarounds.
I've never rooted an Android. One of the warnings I see over and over is that rooted devices are more vulnerable to malware. I don't see any solutions for this though.
What extra measures will I need to take to keep my Android safe?
I use Norton 360 on my PC and Androids. Will this be of any help?
Are there any apps I can install to help with this issue?
Are there any system settings I should use for this particular problem?
Thank you
With stock or rooted the biggest threat is the user themselves. Most either install or download the malware themselves. A fully updated stock Android isn't invulnerable; there's no saving dumb bunnies...
Side loaded apps are high risk; at the least scan with online Virustotal and consider the results before installing. Keep email in the cloud and be careful if you choose to download anything.
All downloads stay in the download folder until vetted. Jpeg's and png's are suspect; open them there first before moving them and watch for strange behavior in that folder. Check the download folder daily for anything you didn't download, if found do not open, delete.
Keep thrash social media apps off the phone, all of them. They are targets and vectors for malware of all types.
Use a good firewall and police what apps are doing. Revoke internet access to all apps that don't need it. Know what apps have run at start permissions; do they need it? Updates and upgrades can cause more lost time then malware trying to find work arounds. Lock auto updates down, and download them only if needed. Updates and firmware upgrades can and do break things...
Most importantly cover your six and be prepared.
Critical data can not be lost, protect it!
Redundantly backup all critical data to at least 2 hdds that are physically and electronically isolated from each other and the PC. Be ready to do a full reload if needed.
If malware is found or suspected, isolate the phone and if it can't be completely deleted in an hour or two, nuke that load. Be ready to change passwords and secure accounts.
Never trust antivirus apps to detect malware or save you, mostly they just waste resources on an Android.
Thank you!
I'm already doing a lot of those things, especially social media apps.
One of the reasons I want to root my phone is that I can't uninstall, force stop, disable or take away permissions for some apps, like Facebook, Facebook App installer, FB app manager Google, ad nauseum. The same goes for the millions of preinstalled Samsung bloatware apps. They dont stay disabled and routinely restore permissions. Im sick of having to routinely check them all. I'll never buy another Saamsung again.
You're welcome. Welcome to XDA
I run 2 stock N10+'s, one on Pie, the other on 10.
I use package disabler to kill bloatware and services I don't want to run at bootup. You can also use a adb editing app to disable apks. Don't go too nuts; be wary of disabling any Samsung system apps. Most of these apps just sit unless needed. Dependencies... actions have consequences; understand what the app does and what other apps, services or UI functions are dependent on it!
Google play Services can be disabled when not needed; disable find my device as System Administrator first.
On Pie Karma Firewall is fully functional but not on Android 10 and up, although it will still block access. It uses virtually no battery.
Once you sort it out (learning curve ahead) stock Samsung's especially older ones like the N10+ are easy to run. They are the most customizable stock Android on the planet with an excellent UI. The current load on this one will be 2 yo this June; still fast, stable and fulfilling its mission. Security is simply not an issue.
blackhawk said:
You're welcome. Welcome to XDA
I run 2 stock N10+'s, one on Pie, the other on 10.
I use package disabler to kill bloatware and services I don't want to run at bootup. You can also use a adb editing app to disable apks. Don't go too nuts; be wary of disabling any Samsung system apps. Most of these apps just sit unless needed. Dependencies... actions have consequences; understand what the app does and what other apps, services or UI functions are dependent on it!
Google play Services can be disabled when not needed; disable find my device as System Administrator first.
On Pie Karma Firewall is fully functional but not on Android 10 and up, although it will still block access. It uses virtually no battery.
Once you sort it out (learning curve ahead) stock Samsung's especially older ones like the N10+ are easy to run. They are the most customizable stock Android on the planet with an excellent UI. The current load on this one will be 2 yo this June; still fast, stable and fulfilling its mission. Security is simply not an issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The more annoying Samsung apps I was referring to are the Bixby apps, AR doodle, Smarter things... those kind of apps. If they didn't re-enable themselves restore permissions, I wouldn't mind them so much. But they DO.
I won't be using that phone much longer anyway. I'm going back to Motorola.
I always buy factory or globally unlocked phones. That helps some. But Motorola recently started forcing FB. I can uninstall it, however I have to review updates to make sure it doesn't end up on my phone again. But then I review all updates before installing them anyway..
I always look up the system apps before making any changes. Like Google Easter Egg. Everything I could find says it's unnecessary.
All those mentioned apps can be safely disabled.
Bixby Vision is used for barcode scanning though.
Try the free Galaxy store icon packs, themes and the Good Lock family of apps including One Handed Operation plus.
Chose theme>icon pack>whatever wallpaper you want. The native high contrast theme looks good.
Play with it...
blackhawk said:
All those mentioned apps can be safely disabled.
Bixby Vision is used for barcode scanning though.
Try the free Galaxy store icon packs, themes and the Good Lock family of apps including One Handed Operation plus.
Chose theme>icon pack>whatever wallpaper you want. The native high contrast theme looks good.
Play with it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually already ordered a new Moto. It will be here tomorrow. Well, it's after 1am, so I guess it'll be here later today.
I've disabled multiple Samsung apps, restricted data and battery, taken away permissions, not just in app settings, but in permissions setting, special access permissions... And all the other weird ways I keep finding out about that you wouldn't think would be a place to remove permissions. When my phone starts to slow down, or the battery isn't lasting very long, sure enough, Samsung has gone behind my back and reset my preferences again. I never had issues like this any of the Motorola phones I've had.
On OOS 11 and 12 when I force close any app, it stays closed all the time. I have one or two apps that I don't need to run all the time, just from time to time, so I force them close usually.
But now I'm on OOS 13 and when I force close app it's re-run after some time. It looks like android "revives" app. And this app has unchecked "backgroud activity" and "auto lunch" of course.
Is this a new "feature" of android 13? Or OOS maybe?
The new "feature" you've said is actually "something normal all the time" form Android 4.0 +. This is something you can have on AOSP. What you want is actually something "dirty" made by the device manufacturer, which is a nightmare for Android developers. Those manufacturers don't follow the Android standard and prevent the software to be triggered under some circumstances, this breaks the functionality of the app.
For example, using the Android WorkManager can register a worker with a scheduled task. Developers can assign the task to be executed at a specific time or every a period of time. The WorkManager is a wrapper for Jobscheduler and AlarmManager. Depending on the Android OS version, the WorkManager automatically choose to use one of the above methods to run the scheduled task. If an app registers a PeriodicWorkRequest and assign it to execute every 2 hours, even the app is closed, the PeriodicWorkRequest still can be triggered and revives the app every 2 hours. The nightmare for developers is that OPPO, Xiaomi...etc, these manufacturers prevent the scheduled tasks to be executed if the app is closed(Hall of shame). They are not following the Android standard, so apps can not behave as expected. It is totally different from the documentation at developer.android.com, but every manufacturer is doing this under the excuse of battery optimization, so many users think this is normal. However this is actually some nasty customization to the OS made by the manufacturer to break many apps on the device. That's why apps with background services, such as, Tasker, Bitwarden can not work correctly on many devices if they're not excluded in battery optimization management apps made by the manufacturer.
Almost every Android developer has to tell users to visit https://dontkillmyapp.com/, because Chinese manufacturers like to kill app services and break all the apps with background services. And finally now Google is introducing CTS-D, to tell devs about how background services work on the device. I guess this is why things are finally moving back to normal in Android 13.
#The page https://dontkillmyapp.com/ is a website made by developers to teach users to whitelist apps after receiving a lot of complaints about apps not working correctly. Thanks to those manufactures created this mess.
evilhawk00 said:
The new "feature" you've said is actually "something normal all the time" form Android 4.0 +. This is something you can have on AOSP. What you want is actually something "dirty" made by the device manufacturer, which is a nightmare for Android developers. Those manufacturers don't follow the Android standard and prevent the software to be triggered under some circumstances, this breaks the functionality of the app.
For example, using the Android WorkManager can register a worker with a scheduled task. Developers can assign the task to be executed at a specific time or every a period of time. The WorkManager is a wrapper for Jobscheduler and AlarmManager. Depending on the Android OS version, the WorkManager automatically choose to use one of the above methods to run the scheduled task. If an app registers a PeriodicWorkRequest and assign it to execute every 2 hours, even the app is closed, the PeriodicWorkRequest still can be triggered and revives the app every 2 hours. The nightmare for developers is that OPPO, Xiaomi...etc, these manufacturers prevent the scheduled tasks to be executed if the app is closed(Hall of shame). They are not following the Android standard, so apps can not behave as expected. It is totally different from the documentation at developer.android.com, but every manufacturer is doing this under the excuse of battery optimization, so many users think this is normal. However this is actually some nasty customization to the OS made by the manufacturer to break many apps on the device. That's why apps with background services, such as, Tasker, Bitwarden can not work correctly on many devices if they're not excluded in battery optimization management apps made by the manufacturer.
Almost every Android developer has to tell users to visit https://dontkillmyapp.com/, because Chinese manufacturers like to kill app services and break all the apps with background services. And finally now Google is introducing CTS-D, to tell devs about how background services work on the device. I guess this is why things are finally moving back to normal in Android 13.
#The page https://dontkillmyapp.com/ is a website made by developers to teach users to whitelist apps after receiving a lot of complaints about apps not working correctly. Thanks to those manufactures created this mess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the point rufik made is the opposite. It's not about android autokilling app.
Instead when he force closes the app, it starts again.
Check that Auto launch isn't enabled for the app. Settings>Apps>Auto launch
Rootk1t said:
I think the point rufik made is the opposite. It's not about android autokilling app.
Instead when he force closes the app, it starts again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you don't understand my point. I'm talking about this under the view of an app developer. I mean auto killing app also has a feature that prevents Jobscheduler to be called.
What I meant:
Due to no app auto killing => system not preventing Jobscheduler to be executed after app force close => Jobscheduler executed after force close app(Jobscheduler task was created before force close app, and Jobscheduler is not the part of app, so it is not forced closed, it still execute, it should be cancelled by the app itself) => Jobscheduler task call codes from the app => the app starts itself.
More info : https://stackoverflow.com/a/63226260
With Jobscheduler, you can make a app to restart itself after forced close on AOSP. But this trick never works on manufacturer customized Roms with app auto killing feature.
Rooting android phones is like leveling your android to another and better level. Especially with magisk, you can add customizations and improvements to your phone. And don't get me started on custom ROMS and Kernels. The only issue I, and probably others, face with root is that some apps or games do not work with them. I tried some methods and tutorials I found online. Some worked, but other games still detected my root. Specifically that "LIAPP Alert" that I believe checks the system folder of superuser. I like playing mobile games on my phone so it is a big issue for me. Is there a way to make apps not detect my root?
Things I tried that didn't worked:
Hide magisk (change magisk name) - Worked on some games
Use magisk denylist
Geergit (from Lsposed) - to change my device IDs
App Manager (from Fdroid) - I think I may not have used this properly lol
MagiskHide module (by HuskyDG)
Using Parallel Space also works with some apps, but other applications don't like it when you run them in virtual environments. There's also Vmos, a virtual machine for android which is quite amazing... and sketchy. I think it's the only solution that would 100% work on any apps and games. Although, as I said before, it's very sketchy because if you're going to run it on android 10+, it would require you to enable wireless debugging.
My device: PocoF1 using LineageOs 20 (android 13)
You can also install app-hider software for Android phones. The best app-hider apps are available directly in Google Play. Here are a few of the best app hiders for Androids:
Nova Launcher
nova launcher replaces the home screen on your Android phone. It also lets you hide apps and sort and reshuffle them according to your needs.
App Hider
The customizable app hider lets you hide apps on your Android and manage them from different accounts on your device. The app-hider icon is even disguised as a calculator.
Vault
vaults purpose is to hide apps, files, photos, and videos on your Android. It includes cloud backup and the ability to lock apps behind a secure password.