How to Stop Apps Opening on Their Own on Android

You are just sitting there, and suddenly an app you never open comes up on your screen. Sometimes it is a shopping app, sometimes it is a game, and sometimes it is a browser that keeps showing you ads. If you want to stop apps opening on their own on Android, you need to find out what is waking them up. This guide walks you through the common causes and the settings that usually fix them.

Why apps open without you touching them

Android apps do not usually open on their own by accident. Most of the time, one of four things is happening: the app is allowed to start in the background, it is sending a full screen notification, it is updating itself on Google Play, or a link you tapped earlier is opening it again. Each one has a different fix, so go through them in order.

Phone brands also play a role. Many Tecno, Infinix, itel and Xiaomi phones have their own autostart managers that let apps run in the background even when you did not ask them to.

Step 1: Turn off autostart

This is the most common cause on budget Android phones. The menu name changes by brand, but the steps are close to this:

1. Open the security or battery manager. On many phones this is under Settings, then Battery, or in the phone manager app that came with the device.
2. Find the autostart list. Look for Autostart, Startup manager or App launch. Some brands call it Background activity.
3. Switch off the app. Turn off autostart for any app you do not want starting on its own.

Step 2: Stop full screen notifications

A notification can open an app if it is set to show as a full screen alert. This happens a lot with call, alarm and chat style apps.

• Open the app notifications. Go to Settings, tap Apps, choose the app, then tap Notifications.
• Turn off full screen. Some phones show a Full screen notifications option. Switch it off for that app.
• Lower the importance. Set the notification to silent or low for categories you do not need.

Step 3: Restrict background activity

Battery restrictions stop apps from waking up in the background. This is not a magic fix, but it does stop most random starts:

1. Go to battery settings. Open Settings, then Battery, then App battery usage or Battery optimisation depending on your phone.
2. Choose the app. Tap the app you want to control.
3. Restrict it. Choose Restricted or Optimised. Avoid Unrestricted for apps you do not use daily.

Step 4: Stop Google Play from updating apps

Google Play updates apps in the background. Sometimes an update opens the app for setup or sign in, and that feels like the app opened on its own. You can control this in the Play Store:

• Open Play Store settings. Tap your profile picture, then Settings, then Network preferences.
• Set auto update. Choose Auto update apps and pick Over WiFi only so updates do not use your data.
• Check your app list. Turn off auto update for any single app you do not want changed.

Google documents these options on its official help pages: Google Android help.

Step 5: Check links and default apps

Sometimes a link opens the app again. If you tap a link in a chat and a shopping or social app grabs it, that app becomes the default. Go to Settings, then Apps, then Default apps, and pick the app you actually want to use. You can also clear defaults for an app you no longer use.

Tips to stop it from coming back

• Restart the phone weekly. A restart clears most background processes and gives your settings a clean start.
• Remove apps you never use. Fewer installed apps means fewer things that can wake up and show a screen.
• Watch your storage. A full phone can trigger apps to restart or fail in strange ways. Our guide on freeing up storage on Android shows how to clear space.

If the problem started after a new update or a new app, the slow phone guide at how to fix an Android phone that keeps hanging may also help.

Final thoughts

Apps opening on their own are usually caused by autostart, notifications or background updates. Start with autostart on your phone brand, then restrict the apps you do not use, and set Play Store updates to WiFi only. Most people see the problem stop within a day. You can find more simple phone guides in our smartphones category.

Why it keeps happening after you fix it

If the app comes back after you change the settings, check whether it was installed as a system app that you cannot remove. Some phones come with pre installed apps that keep updating themselves. You can disable them in the app info screen instead of deleting them, which stops them from running in the background.

Also check your accounts. If an app is signed in to an account that sends you sync alerts, the app may open to show you a message. Sign out of the apps you no longer use, and the alerts will stop too.

Check your recent activity

Android keeps a record of battery use for each app. Go to Settings, then Battery, then App battery usage. Apps at the top of that list are doing the most work in the background, and they are the ones to restrict first. This is a fast way to find the culprit when you do not know which app is waking up your phone.

Turn off the apps that wake up without asking

Some apps are allowed to start in the background, and that is how they open themselves at odd hours. Go to Settings, then Apps, tap the app, then look for Battery or Background activity. Set it to restricted or optimised so that it stops running when you are not using it.

Do this for the apps you do not open every day. A shopping app, a news app and a game are the usual suspects. You can always change the setting back if the app starts to misbehave.

Check the notification list

Many apps open themselves because they are sending you a notification and you tap it by accident. Go to Settings, then Notifications, and look at the list of apps that are allowed to send alerts. Turn off the ones that are not important to you, especially the ones that send promotions.

Know when to stop and reset

If an app keeps opening after you have restricted it and turned off its notifications, uninstall it. If it is a system app that cannot be removed, disable it from the app info page. Restart the phone after the changes so that the old background process is cleared out properly.

Nothing on this list needs a paid cleaner app. The built in settings are enough, and they are safer than installing a tool that asks for full access to your phone.