topic Re: "No apps running" but they are??? in Galaxy S

"No apps running" but they are???

Muse95 — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 15:38:56 GMT

S24. One UI8. But has been a problem for a while on this device. Not sure what OS it started on.

Why can I close all apps, and yet still have an app running? I want to close and restart an app, and I'll swipe up, and not see it in the list to swipe it out to hard close it.

Then I try closing all apps, and it says no apps running. But when I tap that icon, it opens up to the screen it was on as if it never closed,( it never did). I NEED to be able to reload an app sometimes.

Re: "No apps running" but they are???

RedDogRabbit — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 15:59:04 GMT

There's a difference between "Open" apps and "Running" apps.

Open apps are those open & running in the foreground, which you can access from the Recents.

Apps that are only running, are some User apps, that are running in the background, ie: Gmail running as it checks for new emails, and System Apps, which are always running, ie: GPS.

Force stopping apps that are working properly, isn't a good idea, as you'll end up using more battery, because they likely need to be restarted, which will happen automatically.

Re: "No apps running" but they are???

Muse95 — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:01:29 GMT

That's just it. It either isn't working properly, or I need to force close it to trigger it to download an over the air update. Which I cannot do in this case

Re: "No apps running" but they are???

Muse95 — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:02:33 GMT

I need to be able to choose to restart whatever app I want whenever I want. This was never an issue in the past

Re: "No apps running" but they are???

RedDogRabbit — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:37:02 GMT

How much storage space is free on your device?

I've never, ever had any issues with any of my Samsung devices...

If you're having problems with a number of your apps, you might want to consider a Factory Reset.. I wouldn't backup any of your apps, only Settings, photos etc.

When you setup your device again, all the user apps will be freshly downloaded from the Play Store & Galaxy Store.

Re: "No apps running" but they are???

Haisley — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:39:58 GMT

Hi Muse95,

Recommended Actions for Improved Performance:

1. Force Stop the App:

Go to Settings → Apps → select the app → tap Force stop.

This ensures the app is fully closed and can be restarted fresh.

2. Clear App Cache/Data:

In the same App info screen, tap Storage → Clear cache.

If needed, use Clear data (note: this may reset app preferences or require sign‑in again).

3. Check Background Activity Settings:

Go to Settings → Battery and device care → Battery → Background usage limits.

Ensure the app isn’t restricted in a way that prevents proper closing or restarting.

4. Update the App & System Software:

Make sure both the app and your device software are updated to the latest versions, as fixes are often included in updates.

Re: Re: "No apps running" but they are???

Muse95 — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:51:14 GMT

But why should I have to go into my settings to do this? Every Samsung phone I've ever had in the past never required this. This appears to be something with the new OS. This is ridiculous. I force stopped the app and now I have my update. In the past, and on other devices, I just needed to swipe it out of the background app list and I could restart it.
If I have an app open I should be able to see it. I have been told this has something to do with battery saving but it is the most ridiculous "feature" I have ever seen.

Re: "No apps running" but they are???

Muse95 — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:52:50 GMT

And I have already set this app to unrestricted battery usage

Re: Re: "No apps running" but they are???

RedDogRabbit — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:07:29 GMT

It's not really clear what you are trying to say..

One UI V8.0 on my S25 Ultra, isn't significantly different from the previous OS, or the one before that.. They all behave in pretty much the same way.

Re: "No apps running" but they are???

Muse95 — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:29:14 GMT

So no one else experiences this? Multiple times I have seen apps I am just using disappear as soon as I swipe up to look at my recent apps screen. And there is no way to close it unless I go into app settings and force close it.

Re: "No apps running" but they are???

Muse95 — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:32:37 GMT

https://r1.community.samsung.com/t5/galaxy-s/some-apps-close-when-i-go-to-home-page-and-they-dont-show-up-in/td-p/35785329?src=ShareByUserCM

Re: "No apps running" but they are???

Muse95 — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 18:07:51 GMT

Online search. Same issue. 112 comments. No solution. Samsung, this is a bug, not a feature. I already left Samsung once after Bluetooth was never fixed on my A53, despite thousands of complaints about it in the forums. I returned to Samsung on this phone, but I will probably leave again, and likely for good, if this isn't fixed.

Re: "No apps running" but they are???

Haisley — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 18:16:10 GMT

We kindly request that you raise an Error Report through the Samsung Members app, Please include any error messages or screenshots you encounter, as this information is essential for our technical team to investigate further. Your patience and feedback are greatly valued, and rest assured your input will be shared with the appropriate team for review.

Re: "No apps running" but they are???

Fatwa — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 02:57:20 GMT

In UI8 - swiping up an app cuts off its processor usage and holds the app in a cached state - this for the purpose of quick relaunch at a later time.

If you want to smoke the app entirely, you need to force stop and relaunch. You can do this easily by expanding the detail in the upper left icon (from recent swipe up) and hitting force stop.

This was a change as compared to UI7.

Re: Re: "No apps running" but they are???

Muse95 — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 03:30:22 GMT

Can you send a screenshot? I don't understand what icon.
This issue happens with this app right now. I swiped up from the bottom to look for this icon, and this app is no where to be seen, even scrolling through all the open app windows. But if I go back to the app drawer and select this app, it opens right back to this screen. Which is fine for this app right now because it's working fine, but if an app has locked up, it's a royal pita

Re: "No apps running" but they are???

Fatwa — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 14:48:49 GMT

There is a couple of ways to get the app info - I'm just using the way you are somewhat familiar with on the old style.

When recents active hit the ico of the app you want to close. Follow the rest of the pictures.