Unlike Windows, Android has no native option to block apps from starting itself but, thankfully, you can do this via third party ROMs or apps. To avoid that, here are some of the best Android startup manager apps that you can try to manage all the apps that startup at boot time. Read: 5 Ways to Disable Startup Programs in Windows
Android Startup Manager
1. All-In-One Toolbox
As the name implies, All-In-One Toolbox consists of a whole bunch of tools to manage your Android smartphone. One of those tools is the “Boot Speedup” which lets you disable both users installed apps and system apps with just a few taps. Other than the boot speedup module, the app also has other useful tools like junk cleaner, batch app uninstaller or installer, system app uninstaller, system info provider, built-in file manager, app mover which lets you move an app from phone memory to external SD card. The app works with both rooted and non-rooted devices. However, if your device isn’t rooted, you cannot access some advanced features due to system limitations. For instance, to uninstall a system app, you need to have root access. How to use it to stop startup apps: Install All-In-One Toolbox from Play Store and open it. Next, tap on the briefcase icon appearing on the top navigation bar. Scroll down, find and select the option “Boot Speedup“. Now toggle the button to next to the apps to the “Off” position to disable them from starting at boot time when you start the device. If you want to, you can disable all apps from starting automatically at boot time by tapping on the “Disable all” button. But, be careful when using this option it may cause unintended problems. Price: The app is free and contains ads. To remove ads, you need to purchase the monthly or yearly subscription.
2. Assistant for Android
Assistant for Android is one of the favorite apps that I use daily. The best thing about Assistant for Android is that it is a tiny little app and very light on system resources. Using Assistant for Android, you can stop any user installed app or system apps and services from auto starting at boot time. All you have to do is select the app and toggle the switch next to it. Most of all, Assistant for Android doesn’t hide the options or make it harder to find them. Almost everything you need is neatly arranged on the main screen so that you can access any tool you want to just a single tap. So, in terms of usability, it gets a pretty good grade. How to use it to stop startup apps: Install Assistant for Android and open it. On the main screen, scroll down, find the option “Startup Manager” and open it. You can now see the user installed apps. If you swipe to the right, you will see system apps and services. To disable an app from auto starting at boot time, simply toggle the switch next to it to “Off” position. Price: Assistant for Android is free and contains ads. You can remove ads with an in-app purchase.
3. Startup Manager
Startup Manager is a very straightforward app that is specifically designed to tackle autostarting apps. Nothing more, nothing less. In fact, it was designed by the same guys who made All-in-One Toolbox app. While using the app, one thing I really like is that you can not only disable autostarting apps but you can also add an app to the autostart list, much like blacklisting and whitelisting. This feature is particularly useful when you want an app to auto start when you boot up your device. As good as it is, for whatever reason, the font size in this app is pretty small and sometimes it can be hard to use. That being said, it worked as it should in my testing. If you don’t like all the extra tools you get from All-In-One Toolbox app then you can try the Startup Manager. How to use it to stop startup apps: Startup Manager is fairly easy to use. Just launch the app, and tap on the “X” icon next to the app name and you are good to go. To add apps to the startup list, go to the “Customize” tab and tap on the “Add startup items” button. Price: Startup Manager is free and contains ads.
4. Boot Manager [Root]
Of all the apps in this list, BootManager is the only app that requires your device to be rooted and Xposed framework installed. Otherwise, the app won’t work as intended. Just like Assistant for Android, BootManager is a tiny little app that does what it says while being straightforward and easy to use. Just select the apps you want to run at startup and the app will disable all the other ones automatically. Since the app runs with root permissions, the disabled app won’t start unless you launch it manually or there is some scheduled task. If you have a rooted device then do try BootManager and see how it works for you. How to use it to stop startup apps: Install the app from the Play Store and launch it. On the main screen, the app will list all the apps. Unlike other apps where you select the app you want to disable, with Boot Manager, you need to select the app you want to run at system startup. All unchecked apps will be disabled automatically. This may sound counter-intuitive but since all of us have a ton of apps, this method makes perfect sense. Price: Boot Manager is free and contains ads. Read: 45 Best Root Apps For Android
5. Advanced Task Manager
Advanced Task Manager is yet another app that makes it easy to disable startup apps in Android. Just like with Assistant for Android or Startup Manager, select the apps you want to disable and then the app does the work for you. For whatever reason, the option to kill startup apps in Android is buried deep and requires some digging to find it. Other than that, the app works as it should and disables the startup apps in Android pretty easily. How to use it to stop startup apps: Install Advanced Task Manager and launch it. On the home screen, tap on the menu icon and select “Settings.” Scroll download, find the option “Startup kill” and toggle the switch next to it to “On” position. Now, tap on the “Settings” icon right next to the toggle switch. In the pop-up screen, select the option “Kill specific app” and then select the app you want to disable at device startup. That is it. Price: The app is free and contains ads.
Hope that helps. Comment below if you think I missed any of your favorite startup manager apps for Android.
