Do you want to prevent your Android or iOS device from draining the battery or consuming cellular data, so you are looking for a way to stop TikTok from running in the background?
If you want to stop TikTok from running in the background, force-stop the app on your Android or iOS device. If this doesn’t help, disable “Background App Refresh or “Allow Background Data Usage” to keep the suspended TikTok from updating itself or sending you constant notifications.
This comprehensive article will discuss how to stop TikTok from running in the background and why you need to do so for better device performance.
Why does TikTok keep running in the background?
If TikTok keeps running in the background, the app is not closed correctly, or your Android or iOS device is keeping it active to let it update content or send notifications by default.
How do I stop TikTok from running in the background?
To stop TikTok from running in the background on your Android or iOS device, here are 5 quick solutions to sort this out.
Force Stop the App
The easiest solution to stop TikTok from running in the background is to force-close the app on your Android or iOS device. To do this:
- Swipe up the screen and stop midway to access the recent items opened on your device.
- Scroll through the app cards to find TikTok.
- Swipe up on the TikTok app card to force close it.
You can also close the TikTok app on your Android device with these alternative steps:
- Open “Settings.”
- Tap “Apps.”
- Tap “All Apps.”
- Select “TikTok.”
- Tap “Force Stop.”
INFO: Force-stopping the app also resolves any glitches that prevent you from searching on TikTok.
Disable the Background Data Usage
Even if you have force-closed the TikTok app, it may continue to run in the background to update content and the app version and send new notifications.
Although this helps TikTok to keep up-to-date with information, it increases data usage and battery drain.
So to completely stop TikTok from running in the background on your device, disable the background data usage with these steps:
Android:
- Open “Settings.”
- Tap “Connections.”
- Tap “Data Usage.”
- Select “Mobile Data.”
- Choose TikTok from the list.
- Toggle the switch next to “Allow Background Data Usage” to the “Off” position.
iOS:
- Open “Settings.”
- Tap “General.”
- Tap “Background App Refresh.”
- Find “TikTok.”
- Toggle off the switch next to “TikTok,” and that’s about it!
NOTE: Disabling the background data access can cause the out-of-sync issue on the TikTok app.
Enable Low Power or Data Saver Mode
Another solution is to enable the Low Power Mode or Data Saver mode on your device.
This also automatically turns off the background data refresh and other processes to conserve power on your device. Here’s how:
iOS:
- Swipe down from the top right corner of your iOS device to open Control Panel.
- Tap the “Battery” icon to enable the “Low Power” mode.
- Alternatively, head to “Settings” > “Battery” and toggle on “Low Data Mode.”
Android:
- Open “Settings.”
- Tap “Connections.”
- Tap “Data Usage.”
- Select “Data Saver.”
- Toggle on the switch next to “On.”
Enable Background Battery Usage Limit on TikTok
You can also enable the battery usage limit on the TikTok app to prevent it from running background processes on your Android device. To do this:
- Open “Settings.”
- Tap “Device Care.”
- Tap “Battery.”
- Select “App Power Management or Background Usage Limit.”
- Tap “Sleeping Apps.”
- Tap “+.”
- Choose “TikTok.”
- Tap “Add,” and that’s it!
Use Developer Options on Android
Developer Options on Android is a hidden menu containing various settings designed for developers. These settings can help you change the behavior of the Android system and stop running services, such as the TikTok app.
But first, you need to unhide the Developer Options menu in your Android device settings with these steps:
- Open “Settings.”
- Tap “About Phone.”
- Tap “Build Number“ seven times.
- Enter your device PIN when prompted.
- You’ll receive a message saying, “You Are Developer Now.”
Once the Developer Options menu is activated, do the following steps to stop TikTok from running in the background.
- Go back to “Settings.”
- Tap “Developer Options.”
- Select “Running Services.”
- Choose “TikTok.”
- Tap “Stop” and see if TikTok is still running in the background.
How do I stop TikTok from running in the background in Windows?
If you’ve installed TikTok on your PC and it constantly runs in the background, try the following 2 solutions.
Disable the Background App Processes
The first solution is to disable the TikTok app background process through your PC settings with these steps:
Windows 10:
- Launch “Settings.”
- Click “Privacy.”
- Click “Background Apps.”
- Toggle off the switch next to “TikTok” and see if the app still runs in the background.
Window 11:
- Click “Start.”
- Click “Settings.”
- Choose “Apps.”
- Click “Apps & Features.”
- Select “TikTok.”
- Select “More Options.”
- Click “Advanced Options.”
- Select “Never” under “Let This App Run In The Background.”
You can also manage the TikTok app background activity from battery settings. For this, open “Settings,” navigate to “System” > “Power and Battery” > “Battery Usage” > “TikTok” and go to its settings to disable the app from running in the background.
Activate Battery Saver Mode
Activating the Battery Saver mode on your PC will automatically stop all the apps, including TikTok, from running in the background. To do this:
- Open “Settings.”
- Click “System.”
- Select “Battery.”
- Toggle on the button next to “Battery Saver.”
- Choose “Always” from the drop-down menu below “Turn Battery Saver On Automatically At.”
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve explored how to stop TikTok from running in the background on your Android, iOS device, or Windows PC. We’ve also provided some reasons why TikTok keeps running in the background.
Hopefully, you now have the knowledge to free up storage and RAM resources on your device by preventing TikTok or other apps from updating or running even if you are using them.