Owners of modern set-top boxes often experience slowdowns after prolonged use of the device. When many programs are running, the Xiaomi Mi Box S system begins to waste resources on background processes, which causes delays in the response of the remote. Understanding how to close applications on the Xiaomi Mi Box S is a key skill for maintaining the performance of the gadget.
The Android TV operating system on board the device has its own memory management features. Unlike smartphones, there is no traditional "close everything" button on the home screen, which often confuses beginners, but there are proven methods to force programs to terminate and free RAM.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways you can manage active processes, learn how to use built-in system tools, third-party utilities and even advanced debugging techniques, and help you forget about the lags and enjoy the smooth operation of the multimedia center.
Use of the regular menu settings Android TV
The most reliable and secure way to do this, which doesn't require you to install any additional software, is to use an integrated application manager, which is a method that allows you to force a particular program to stop running or consumes too many resources, and to access this feature, you will need to take several consecutive actions through the main menu.
First, go to Settings by selecting the appropriate gear icon in the top right corner of the screen. Then go down to the App or App and Notifications. Here is a complete list of all installed software, including system components and custom installations. Select the desired program from the list to open the control screen.
On the app information screen, you'll see the Stop or Force Stop button, and clicking this command completely ends the process by unloading it from RAM, which is especially useful for heavy streaming services or games that can continue to run in the background, consuming traffic and CPU resources.
β οΈ Warning: Do not try to stop system processes marked with an Android icon unless you are sure of their purpose.Forcing critical services to shut down may lead to interface instability or the need to restart the device.
This is the cleanest operating system method, ensuring that all services associated with the application are completed correctly, but if you need to clean your memory often, going deep into the settings can be inconvenient every time.
Why do apps continue to work in the background?
Application of third-party task managers
For those looking for a faster way to solve the problem, a dedicated task manager is a great option. There are many free utilities available on the Google Play Store on the console itself, created specifically for memory management on Android TV, which allow you to close applications at the touch of a button.
Popular solutions like Background Apps and Process List or Quick Shortcut Maker provide a user-friendly interface adapted to control from the remote, and once you install it, you can see a list of all running processes on one screen, eliminating the need to dig into system settings every time.
Using these programs is especially important if you are actively using many different services throughout the day, and instead of manually stopping each of them through the settings menu, you can start the manager and clear the memory in one action, which saves time and makes it easier to interact with the device.
Choose lightweight applications with good reviews that donβt require constant permissions or complex customization, and the ideal option is a simple utility that only displays a list of processes and allows you to complete them.
βοΈ Criteria for the selection of task manager
Method of complete reboot of the device
Sometimes the most effective way to shut down applications is to reboot the system in a simple way, which radically cleans the memory, resets all temporary files, and restarts system services. If the console is slow, rebooting often solves the problem faster than finding the specific culprits.
You can reboot software via Settings β Device β About System β Reboot. However, there is a faster physical way on the Xiaomi Mi Box S. Just press the power button on the remote control for a few seconds until the off menu appears on the screen, and select the reboot option.
Regularly restarting the device, for example, every few days, helps maintain the stability of the operating system. As you work, fragmented data and caching errors accumulate in memory, which are reset when the power is turned off, this extends the life of the gadget comfortably without having to reset to factory settings.
| Method | Speed. | Efficiency | Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android settings | Low. | High (for 1 annex) | Maximum |
| Task Manager | Tall. | Medium | Tall. |
| Reboot. | Medium | Maximum (for all) | Maximum |
| ADB team | Tall. | Tall. | Requires skills |
β οΈ Note: When restarting, make sure that there is no firmware update or installation of important system components at the moment.
Removing and disabling unused applications
The best way to avoid thinking about how to close apps is to keep no extra programs on the device. Many users install dozens of apps just in case that hang in memory and can run background services.
Go to the application management menu and analyze the list. If you see a program that hasn't been used in months, you'd better uninstall it. For system applications that can't be removed, you often have the Disable feature available, which prevents them from running and updating, freeing up the system's resources.
Special attention should be paid to applications that have permissions to work in the background or access to the microphone and camera, such programs often continue to consume resources even when you are not using them, and their removal or restriction of access rights will significantly improve the overall performance of the console.
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Use voice search on the remote to quickly find applications. Say "Delete [app name]", and the system immediately opens the desired settings page, which saves time navigating the menu.
Advanced Method: Using ADB Commands
For advanced users who are not afraid of the command line, the most powerful management tool is ADB (Android Debug Bridge) debugging, which allows you to close processes that are not available through the standard interface, or perform batch closure of groups of applications, which will require a computer and a console connection to the same Wi-Fi network.
First, you need to activate the developer mode on the console. Go to Settings. β About the system and quickly click 7 times on the item "Build Number". After the message about activation of the developer mode, go to the new section that appears and turn on "Debug" USB. Remember. IP-device address in network settings.
On your computer, installing the Android package SDK Platform Tools, connect to the console with the adb connect command IP_The adb shell am force-stop packageName command is used to force the application to close, where packageName is the application identifier (e.g. com.netflix.ninja.
adb shell am force-stop com.example.app
adb shell am kill-allUsing the am kill-all command allows you to instantly close all background processes that are not critical to the system, which is the equivalent of the "close all" button on smartphones, but implemented through the console, this method gives maximum control, but requires caution when typing commands.
β οΈ Attention: When working with ADB The wrong command may terminate the system interface (Launcher), after which you will have to restart the device with a physical power outage.
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The ADB command line provides access to hidden system management functions that are not available through the standard remote interface, making it a powerful tool in the hands of an experienced user.
Optimizing autoload and background activity
Many Android TV apps have the ability to run automatically when you turn on the console or when you start other programs, a phenomenon known as βbloatingβ background processes that is common in some heavy media services, and managing autoboot helps prevent the accumulation of βjunkβ in memory.
In modern versions of Android TV on Xiaomi Mi Box S, there is no direct autoload control menu for all applications, like on a PC. However, you can limit background activity for specific programs. From the App menu, select the program, go to Battery (or Battery Consumption), and select background activity restriction mode.
It's also worth checking application permissions. Often programs request storage or network access to update content in the background. Disabling unnecessary permissions can reduce their appetites. Regular monitoring of the Warehouse section will show which apps take up the most space and are probably the most active.
If none of the methods helps and the console continues to slow down even after closing all applications, it may be a problem lies in the overflowing cache of the system, in which case it is recommended to clean the cache through the recovery menu (Recovery Mode) or make a full reset to the factory settings, previously saving important data.