How to clear recently used apps on Android

Sometimes when you exit an application, it doesn’t mean the app has stopped. Most of the time, it’s actually still running in the background. Luckily, Android makes it very easy to clear out these applications. Here’s our guide on how to clear recently used apps.
KEEP IN MIND: Not all Android phones are the same. Some will have more steps required to complete each task, others will have less.
First, find your “recent apps” key. On phones that have on-screen buttons, it’s the button usually off to the right side that looks like two squares stacked on each other.

Note: If you’re using a phone without a recent apps key, you may need to hold down the home button to get to the same menu.
Next, you’ll see a list of all of the applications that you’ve recently used on your device. These are the applications that are still open and running in the background. Swiping them to either side of the screen closes the app, making sure that doesn’t take up precious battery or data.

 

Swipe them all away until you see this screen:

Checking your recently used apps isn’t only good for swiping them away. It is also a handy task switcher if you don’t want to exit an app every time you need to use a different app. Just tap the button, click on the app you’d like, and you’re instantly moved to that application.
Still having trouble? Head to the comments and we will do our best to help you out! If there is anything you would like to suggest to us or to any other readers, feel free to use the comment section below!