Kill / force-stop

Ability to kill / force-stop depends on Android version and root.

Force-stop: This method prevents an app from running in the background until user opens its UI. This is the preferred method to prevent battery drain, however it is not available on all versions of Android.

Without root, it requires the use of 3C Companion or an accessibility service which may cause some ugly flickering.

To enable force-stop on a non-rooted Android device, please use 3C Companion or enable the app's accessibility service.

Kill: While available without root on any Android versions, it won't prevent an app from restarting if it uses background services. This method will not interfere with other app's behavior, but will unlikely prevent battery drain caused by apps running in background.

Starting with Android N, only force-stop method is available.

NB: If you have issues stopping apps, please refer to this page for a solution.