How do I force stop an app on Android?
Open Settings, tap Apps, then See all apps, and choose the app. Tap Force stop, then OK. The app shuts down completely, including anything it was doing in the background. Your app and its saved data stay on the phone. Open the app again when you are ready. You only need this when an app is stuck or acting up.
Steps to check
First, try simply closing the app
Open your recent apps, find the app, and swipe it up to close it. Then open it again. Google notes that you do not usually need to close apps, and Android manages memory and battery on its own, so this is only for an app that is not behaving.
- Samsung Tap the Recents icon, then swipe the app up. Close all closes every app.
- Pixel Swipe up from the bottom, hold, then let go. Swipe up on the app.
Force stop it from Settings
If the app is frozen or keeps misbehaving, open Settings, tap Apps, then See all apps if you see that option. Tap the app's name. Tap Force stop, then tap OK to confirm. Force stop shuts the app down completely, including any background services it was running.
- Samsung Settings → Apps → the app → Force stop, then OK.
- Pixel Settings → Apps → See all apps → the app → Force stop → OK.
Or use the shortcut on the app icon
Touch and hold the app's icon on your Home screen or in your app list, then tap App info. That opens the same screen, where you can tap Force stop. Motorola's help describes this shortcut. If you do not see App info on your phone, use the Settings route above.
Open the app again and check
Tap the app to start it fresh. If it works, you are done. If the problem comes back, Google suggests updating the app from the Play Store, restarting the phone, and clearing the app's cache next. If it still fails after all that, the app's developer is the right place to ask.
Know when not to bother
Force stop is a fix for a stuck app, not something to do every day. Motorola advises using it only when an app seems to be causing a problem. Google says you will not run out of memory or battery even if you never close apps, because Android manages that automatically.
Normal vs. not
Usually normal
An app that works again after a force stop, or one that needs it once in a while after an update.
Worth a closer look
Needing to force stop the same app again and again, or many apps freezing at once. Update the app and Android, clear the app's cache, and see our guide to apps that keep crashing.
What people are saying
I can hardly use it after clearing the cache, the data, force stop and restarting my phone.
Redditor u/livingtheprattlife said on r/AndroidQuestions. Read the thread
Common questions
- Will force stop delete anything?
- No. It only shuts the app down. Your app, sign-in, and saved data stay. Deleting an app's data is a different button, Clear storage or Clear data, which you do not need here.
- What is the difference between force stop and swiping an app away?
- Swiping the app away in recent apps closes it the normal way. Force stop shuts it down completely, including anything it was doing in the background. Try the swipe first, then Force stop if the app is still stuck.
Related questions
Sources we checked
- Fix an Android device that freezes or won't respond (Android Help (Google))
- Fix an installed Android app that isn't working (Android Help (Google))
- Find, open & close apps on a Pixel phone (Pixel Phone Help (Google))
- Manage Recent apps on your Galaxy phone or tablet (Samsung)
- Samsung Phone Apps crashing or stopping (Samsung UK)
- Force stop apps (motorola signature) (Motorola)
Menu names can differ by phone brand and Android version. See our editorial policy for how we check steps.