Huawei Mate 9: How to Close Background Apps

To close and turn off background apps on the Huawei Mate 9, open the Recent Apps screen (square navigation button), then swipe an app card left or right to close it, or tap the trash can icon to close all apps at once. For a deeper clean, use the built-in Phone Manager app to stop apps running in the background.

Why Background Apps Matter on the Mate 9

The Huawei Mate 9 runs Android 7.0 (Nougat) with EMUI 5.0, a heavily customized interface. Unlike stock Android, EMUI aggressively manages background processes to extend battery life. However, some apps—especially social media, messaging, and games—can still run in the background, consuming RAM and battery. Closing them can free up memory, reduce lag, and improve battery life, especially on the 4GB RAM variant (the Pro model has 6GB).

How to Close Apps via the Recent Apps Screen

The most direct method uses the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen. The Mate 9 offers three navigation modes: on-screen, floating dock, and gesture. In the default on-screen mode, the square icon (Recent Apps) is on the right. Tap it to see all open apps as cards.

Tap the square Recent Apps button.
Scroll through the cards to find the app you want to close.
Swipe the card left or right to close that single app.
To close all background apps, tap the trash can icon at the bottom of the screen.

If you use the floating dock, tap the dock’s Recent Apps icon (four squares) to bring up the same card view. In gesture mode, swipe up from the bottom and hold to enter the Recent Apps screen.

Using Phone Manager to Stop Background Apps

EMUI includes a Phone Manager app (often just called “Phone Manager” or “Optimizer”) that provides a more thorough way to manage background processes. This is especially useful for apps that restart themselves after you swipe them away.

Open the Phone Manager app from the home screen or app drawer.
Tap “Lock screen cleanup” (or “Cleanup” depending on the EMUI version).
You’ll see a list of running apps. Tap “Close all” to stop all background apps, or manually select specific apps by tapping the lock icon next to them.

Note: Some apps like music players or messaging apps may be protected by default to keep notifications working. You can manually lock or unlock apps in this list to control which ones stay running.

How to Keep Apps from Auto-Starting

If an app keeps running in the background even after you close it, you can prevent it from auto-starting. This is a common issue with apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, and WeChat.

Open Phone Manager.
Tap “App launch” (or “Startup manager” in some versions).
You’ll see a list of apps with three states: “Manage automatically”, “Manual”, and “Disabled”.
Tap “Manual” for an app, then disable the “Auto-launch”, “Secondary launch”, and “Run in background” options.
For apps you rarely use, set them to “Disabled” to prevent any background activity.

Be careful with system apps and essential apps like email or calendar—disabling them may stop important notifications.

Clearing Individual App Cache and Data

Sometimes closing an app isn’t enough; you may want to clear its cached data to free up storage and improve performance. This is different from closing the app—it resets the app’s temporary files.

Go to Settings > Apps > Apps (or Application manager).
Select the app you want to clean.
Tap “Storage”.
Tap “Clear cache” to delete temporary files. This won’t delete your personal data like messages or login info.
Tap “Clear data” only if you want to reset the app entirely (this will delete all app data, including logins and settings).

Clearing data is a last resort for apps that misbehave, as you’ll need to set them up again.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

One common misconception is that closing all background apps always improves performance. In reality, Android is designed to manage memory efficiently—it keeps apps cached in RAM to make reopening them faster. Force-closing everything can actually make your phone slower because it has to reload apps from storage, which uses more CPU and battery.

Another issue: some apps (like Google Play Services) cannot be fully closed without root access, and trying to do so may cause system instability. If you see an app restarting immediately after closing, it’s likely a system component or an app with a persistent service. Use the auto-start manager to control these instead of fighting them.

If your Mate 9 feels slow even after closing apps, the problem may be low storage space. EMUI needs at least 1-2GB of free storage for smooth operation. Use Phone Manager’s “Cleanup” feature to remove junk files, or move photos/videos to an SD card.

Battery Optimization and Background Restrictions

Beyond closing apps, you can restrict background activity to save battery. Go to Settings > Battery > Launch, where you can see which apps are allowed to run in the background. Tap an app to choose between “Manage automatically”, “Manual”, or “Disable”. Manual mode lets you toggle “Run in background” on or off.

For the most aggressive battery saving, enable “Ultra power saving mode” from the battery settings. This closes all background apps and limits the phone to basic functions (calls, texts, and a few chosen apps). It’s useful when you’re low on battery and need to stretch it out.

Alternative Methods: Third-Party Task Killers

While the built-in tools are sufficient for most users, some people prefer third-party task killer apps from the Google Play Store. These apps can force-close multiple apps with one tap and offer more detailed control. However, be aware that Android’s newer versions restrict task killers from fully closing apps, and they may cause more harm than good by constantly restarting apps. The built-in Phone Manager is generally more reliable and doesn’t consume extra resources.

If you do use a third-party app, choose one with high ratings and avoid those that claim to “boost” performance by killing everything—they often do more harm than good.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will closing background apps delete my data?

No, closing an app just stops it from running. Your data (messages, photos, login info) is saved on the device. Only clearing “Data” in the app settings will delete that information.

Why do some apps reopen immediately after I close them?

This happens when an app has a persistent service (like a music player or a messaging service) or when it’s set to auto-launch. Use Phone Manager’s “App launch” settings to disable auto-launch for that app.

Does closing all apps save battery?

It can, but not always. If an app is actively using CPU in the background (like a navigation app), closing it will save battery. But if an app is just sitting in RAM, closing it may cause more battery drain when it restarts. The phone’s built-in battery optimizer is usually better at deciding what to close.

How do I close apps on the Mate 9 without the Recent Apps button?

If you’re using gesture navigation, swipe up from the bottom and hold to open the Recent Apps screen. If you use the floating dock, tap the dock’s four-square icon. You can also change navigation modes in Settings > System > System navigation.

Is it safe to disable auto-launch for all apps?

No, some apps need to run in the background to function properly, like alarm clocks, messaging apps, and email. Disable auto-launch only for apps you don’t need notifications from, like games or rarely used tools.

Can I set the Mate 9 to automatically close background apps?

Yes, in Phone Manager > Lock screen cleanup, you can enable “Close all” to automatically close background apps when the screen locks. You can also set specific apps to be excluded by locking them in the list.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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