# How do you check for apps running in the background

**URL:** <https://community.redact.dev/t/how-do-you-check-for-apps-running-in-the-background/256>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [January 24, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.redact.dev/t/how-do-you-check-for-apps-running-in-the-background/256 "2026-01-24T18:47:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Trigger\_Control](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/community.redact.dev/trigger_control/32/105_2.png) [@Trigger\_Control](https://community.redact.dev/u/Trigger_Control)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.redact.dev/t/how-do-you-check-for-apps-running-in-the-background/256/1 "2026-01-24T18:47:54Z")

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As the title says how do you see which apps are running, even stuff in the background?

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**Author:** ![lil\_debbie\_cakes](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/community.redact.dev/lil_debbie_cakes/32/141_2.png) [@lil\_debbie\_cakes](https://community.redact.dev/u/lil_debbie_cakes)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://community.redact.dev/t/how-do-you-check-for-apps-running-in-the-background/256/2 "2026-01-24T20:22:57Z")

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On Android, the easiest way to see what’s actively running in the background is to open **Settings** , go to **Developer options** , then **Running services**. It shows live RAM usage and lets you force-stop apps from there.

Not sure how to do it on an iphone, I’ve never had one

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**Author:** ![soyga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@soyga](https://community.redact.dev/u/soyga)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2026, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.redact.dev/t/how-do-you-check-for-apps-running-in-the-background/256/3 "2026-01-24T20:30:13Z")

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What are we talking about? PC? MAC? Mobile?

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**Author:** ![tomliver](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/community.redact.dev/tomliver/32/199_2.png) [@tomliver](https://community.redact.dev/u/tomliver)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 4:49pm UTC](https://community.redact.dev/t/how-do-you-check-for-apps-running-in-the-background/256/4 "2026-04-26T16:49:32Z")

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android: settings \> apps \> running services. ios: settings \> general \> background app refresh, also battery for the actual hogs. some of the worst offenders won’t show up as “running” because they wake up periodically rather than staying open. battery usage screen catches those better than the running apps list.