How do open apps remain even after phone's turned off and on again?

Because power off never shuts a phone down completely
They always hold a charge

PeterOz said:

Because power off never shuts a phone down completely
They always hold a charge

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So unlike a PC that shuts down for real, phones can only go into hibernate? Why not provide a shut off option as well like computers?

simr said:

Why not provide a shut off option as well like computers?

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Windows 10 does not shutdown fully when you click on shutdown
That's why it boots so fast
Your Windows PC may not be fully shutting down — here's how to fix it | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)

simr said:

So unlike a PC that shuts down for real, phones can only go into hibernate? Why not provide a shut off option as well like computers?

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Your phone's standard "shut off" just sleeps it so that it can be ready for you to use instantly without your having to wait two minutes for the operating system to boot up each time you start it. It will also have a "power off" feature that will completely shut it down.

Most Android phones can be turned off by holding the Power button for a few seconds then selecting Power off from the Power Options menu.

With iPhones, press and hold the Side button and the Volume up or down button until the slider appears. Drag the slider to turn the iPhone completely off.

I have no problem completely powering off my phone. I press and hold the power button until I get 3 choices on the screen. The top one is power off. If I tap that I get another power off icon to tap.

MPR said:

Most Android phones can be turned off by holding the Power button for a few seconds then selecting Power off from the Power Options menu.

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Obviously. That's what the original question was about. So indeed phones do shut off all the way.

When doing that and then turning the phone on again, the apps that I didn't swipe off the screen are still running. I tried this with multiple phones so it's a universal thing.

simr said:

Obviously. That's what the original question was about. So indeed phones do shut off all the way.

When doing that and then turning the phone on again, the apps that I didn't swipe off the screen are still running. I tried this with multiple phones so it's a universal thing.

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As you surmised, it's just the nature of the beast with smart phones and tablets. If you want apps off then you generally have to close them manually.

You can have your phone close most background apps at least once a day from the battery settings menu. The most recently used ones may keep running though. With an Android phone it's Settings > Battery and Device Care > Option Key > Automation > Auto Optimize Daily. I don't have a working iPhone but I suppose you could look it up if you have one.

There are also apps that can be used to kill other apps.

MPR said:

You can have your phone close most background apps...

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Thank you, but I'm not trying to find a way around it, I'm just trying to figure out how it's possible that a phone is totally turned off (with the power button) yet apps remain running, suggesting that it isn't really shut off. It doesn't seem to make sense.

simr said:

Thank you, but I'm not trying to find a way around it, I'm just trying to figure out how it's possible that a phone is totally turned off (with the power button) yet apps remain running, suggesting that it isn't really shut off. It doesn't seem to make sense.

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We humans design and build things based on our observation of nature. Would you like your memory completely wiped down to the "lizard brain" that performs only basic cognitive functions every time you went to sleep? Or, would it be nice to wake each morning knowing how to speak a language, where you put your car keys the evening before, and that you had a presentation to give that day?

Mobile devices are designed to maintain a certain level of activity. Most users want their phones and tablets to light up and do what they want them to right now, not five minutes from now. Battery lifespan takes a backseat to productivity.

MPR said:

Mobile devices are designed to maintain a certain level of activity. Most users want their phones and tablets to light up and do what they want them to right now, not five minutes from now. Battery lifespan takes a backseat to productivity.

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Makes sense. But wouldn't that apply to a PC as well?

MisterEd51 said:

I don't think you understand...
View attachment 302482

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Please see my earlier posts. This is exactly what I'm talking about as indicated above. The full shut off.

The power off does not power off the phone
Pure and simple
If you open an app like messages and leave it open
press the power off then press the power off again.
Start the phone and the message app will still be open.
This is what @simr is talking about.
@simr as I linked above the same happens with windows 10 and 11
Your computer does not turn off fully. The only difference is that the windows code is written to close any open
programs on "shutdown"
Android is freeware, which means if you know how you can edit the code to close all apps on shutdown.

There is off and there is off. Even Windows PCs have varying degrees of sleep, hibernate, and hybrid suspend states. The only way you are going to completely power off your phone is to take it apart and remove its battery.

I just got an email from Google today reminding me that they were spying on me and would I like them to stop? I suppose a law recently got passed requiring them to do this. I have an old Kyocera that has never had a phone plan. My brother got it from a Verizon rep as a demo piece when he used to own a bunch of Verizon stores. It came in a jar of water to show that the phones are waterproof. When he sold his stores he gave it to me to fly a toy drone with. The only thing I've done with it other than fly the drone was to open up Google Maps once. When I did, I was amazed to find a little pointer that followed me around wherever I went. That was Google Location Services keeping track of my phone's location, even when it was powered off.

PeterOz said:

Your computer does not turn off fully. The only difference is that the windows code is written to close any open
programs on "shutdown"
Android is freeware, which means if you know how you can edit the code to close all apps on shutdown.

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Mine does since I disabled "Windows 10 fast startup" as per the many recommendations online that I've seen. As such, any program that is running will be terminated once the computer shuts off (not that I leave running programs, but even if I did).

In any event, I got my answer which is phones never really turn off while computers do (if "fast startup" is disabled).
Thank you.

phones never really turn off

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That is false. You can totally turn off any phone.

plodr said:

That is false. You can totally turn off any phone.

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It depends on how old your phone is. While smart phone manufacturers are close-lipped about in innermost workings of their devices, researchers have discovered that even when your iPhone is powered off, it can still be tracked and also is vulnerable to hacking. This is not idle speculation, dozens of Al Jazeera journalists' phones were hacked using spyware in one incidence. This is because the phone still runs components associated with Bluetooth, Near Field Communication, and Ultra-wide-band in low power mode even when "powered off." The newest models of iPhones are supposed to not be vulnerable in this way, or at least Apple says that they are not.

plodr said:

That is false. You can totally turn off any phone.

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I agree but would like to add to what I said previously.

Through testing I have discovered that when a phone is shut down as I have shown in Post #11, any apps that were open before are still open after turning the phone powered back on. The OP takes that to mean that the phone was never really off in the first place. What the OP fails to understand is what happens when a phone is shut down. It is apparent that a phone like a Windows PC is using a hibernate mode. As a phone or PC is shut down it saves the current state into a file. When the phone is started again the state is restored and the apps are reloaded into the same state they were before the power down.

Note that when a phone is powered off it may actually be in a very low power state instead of being totally powered down. In any event when it is powered down a user can't do anything with it until they power it back on,

plodr said:

That is false. You can totally turn off any phone.

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So why are apps that were running before holding the power button and then pressing "Power off" still running after the phone is powered back on?

MisterEd51 said:

The OP takes that to mean that the phone was never really off in the first place. What the OP fails to understand is what happens when a phone is shut down. It is apparent that a phone like a Windows PC is using a hibernate mode. As a phone or PC is shut down it saves the current state into a file. When the phone is started again the state is restored and the apps are reloaded into the same state they were before the power down.

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Once again, when "fast startup" is disabled, a PC will shut down %100. No hibernation. Try it yourself.

On the other hand a phone doesn't have that option and will always go into hibernation after holding the power button and then pressing "Power off" (which is what the original question was about). As such, it seems like phones never totally shut down, while a PC absolutely can. Everyone here can conduct a test on their own. Disable "fast startup" and shut your PC with programs running, they won't be running anymore when the computer turns back on. Whereas open apps on a phone will always remain running after a "Power off" or "Restart".

I don't have an Android so I cannot say for them, but if I tell my phone to Power Off (not the one press of the side button), then it's completely off and all apps are closed down. If I power on my phone, none of the apps are reopened, however if there is an app that I set to be allow in background, then there will be those processes but the 'app' itself is not opened. This is phyiscally seen with the last of the iPhones that had the home button. If the phone is completely off, then the Home button is in a locked state and cannot be pressed.

I would assume this would be the case for Androids... I would suggest contacted the phone vendor to confirm what your phone will do in a complete off state and when the phone is back on.

The link from MPR is interesting. I will need to test that as I have had my phone completely off and when I check Find My Device, it shows offline at the last known place...