Android Question-Disabling apps

[302w 83]

I have an app that leeches the crap out of my battery life, and I would like to disable it without uninstalling it. It runs constantly it seems. Going through settings>app settings>app manager>the app itself does not allow me to disable it. All I have is "Force Stop" and "Uninstall". I DO use this app from time to time. 

 

I'm using a Galaxy S5 FWIW. 

[Malice4you 627]

Go to APPS (not the homescreen), locate the app you want to disable, and press and hold on it til you get a toolbar on the top of the screen.  Move the app to DISABLE.

 

You then can re-enable the app through app manager's last tab.  Slightly more work that a simple enable/disable, but should do the trick.  I did this many times for built-in forced-on-you apps I can't uninstall.  When this warranty is over, I really wanna root this thing...

 

 I just did this for something I keep forgetting to disable on my S5.

[PK90 3,570]

Will closing it stop it? Hold in the button on the bottom that shows all the Apps open.

[TooBigToFit 2]

Malice's post gets you to the same screen you mentioned (with a minor correction: you slide the app to app info, where you get the screen you mentioned with the force stop and uninstall options).

 

I've not verified, but it seems with my phone, downloaded apps have the uninstall option only, whereas built in apps (like Maps) have the disable option only. Moto X 2nd gen with Android 5.0 lollipop.

[302w 83]

TooBigToFit is correct, although thanks anyway. The app is not a preinstalled one. 

 

I may be forced to put this app on a flash drive as a backup and delete/reinstall the app as needed. I like to use it from time to time, but this is the second day in a row my battery is destroyed.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

I use an app called BatteryGuru to manage how my apps use power.  I essentially disable the battery usage on certain apps to help save battery on my Nexus 5.  See how it works for you.

[302w 83]

Batttery guru seems like a nice app and I'll wait to judge it until I'm out of learning mode.

[JackDaWack 2,895]

In order to disable some apps you need to uninstall updates.. not sure if that will help or not.

[maintenanceguy 510]

I read an article that claimed that 9 or the most popular 12 flashlight apps were really spyware.  That these apps had access to your camera, wi-fi, microphone, phone records, downloads, photos, and more and could be controlled from other places - usually out of the US and some would send updates on your activities, turn on cameras, or send your browsing data including passwords you used to 3rd parties.

 

If I used the task manager to clear memory.  A few seconds later, I'd have 19 apps running in memory again.  I never thought much of it until I read the article I mentioned.

 

I disabled my camera app - nothing changed.  Much later, I uninstalled the app.  I no longer have these ghost applications running in the background and my battery live is more than doubled.   Apparently some applications work around being disabled.