How to exit an Android app programmatically?

Question

I am sure this question has been asked number of times because I read a few. My client wants me to put a button into his app where users can click and exit. I have read this and found calling finish() will do it. But, finish is only closing the current running activity right? I have lot of activities so in this case I have to pass each and every activity's instance and finish them or make every activity into Singleton pattern.

I also got to know Activity.moveTaskToBack(true) can get you into the home screen. OK, this is not closing but backgrounding the process. So is this is effective?

Which method should I use to close the app completely? Any of above described or any other method/other usage of above methods?

why not use action bar. click on app icon navigate to home screen. click backbutton to exit — Raghunandan, Jul 18 '13 at 09:31
Check if this helps android.os.Process.killProcess(android.os.Process.myPid()); — S.A.Norton Stanley, Jul 18 '13 at 09:32
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3226495/android-exit-application-code — Erik Pragt, Jul 18 '13 at 09:35
http://developer.android.com/training/implementing-navigation/index.html. check this . only a suggestion. and this http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2033914/quitting-an-application-is-that-frowned-upon — Raghunandan, Jul 18 '13 at 09:35
[Android exit application code](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3226495/android-exit-application-code) have a look at this post it may be useful for you — Deepak Odedara, Jul 18 '13 at 09:34
Couldn't you grab all running activities using the package manager, then call finish on all activities? — Vince, Feb 05 '15 at 13:43
Possible duplicate of [How to exit from the application and show the home screen?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3226495/how-to-exit-from-the-application-and-show-the-home-screen) — derHugo, Sep 24 '19 at 19:18

score 98 · Answer 1 · edited Dec 26 '22 at 07:59

The finishAffinity method, released in API 16, closes all ongoing activities and closes the app:

this.finishAffinity();

Finish this activity as well as all activities immediately below it in the current task that have the same affinity. This is typically used when an application can be launched on to another task (such as from an ACTION_VIEW of a content type it understands) and the user has used the up navigation to switch out of the current task and in to its own task. In this case, if the user has navigated down into any other activities of the second application, all of those should be removed from the original task as part of the task switch.

Note that this finish does not allow you to deliver results to the previous activity, and an exception will be thrown if you are trying to do so.

Since API 21, you can use:

finishAndRemoveTask();

Finishes all activities in this task and removes it from the recent tasks list.

Alternatives:

getActivity().finish();
System.exit(0);

int pid = android.os.Process.myPid();
android.os.Process.killProcess(pid);

Process.sendSignal(Process.myPid(), Process.SIGNAL_KILL);

Intent i = new Intent(context, LoginActivity.class);
i.putExtra(EXTRA_EXIT, true);
i.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);
i.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
i.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TASK);
context.startActivity(i);

Source: How to quit android application programmatically

Don't use System.exit(). Android will attempt to restart the app after it exits. You could end up in a loop. — Johann, Dec 16 '19 at 12:16
`System.exit(0)/exitProcess(0)` is the only one that truly worked for me (removed the process and triggered `File.deleteOnExit()`). Of course how useful that is on Android is another question. — AndreKR, Nov 06 '22 at 01:44

score 78 · Answer 2 · edited May 13 '21 at 16:15

78

Actually everyone is looking for closing the application via an onclick event, wherever may be activity...

Add this code to an onclick event:

Intent homeIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
    homeIntent.addCategory( Intent.CATEGORY_HOME );
    homeIntent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);  
    startActivity(homeIntent);

edited May 13 '21 at 16:15

phrogg

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answered Apr 09 '14 at 11:12

Fayaz

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This actually does not "close the app completely" like PeakGen asked since the app is still running but it's a nice alternative – La masse Nov 29 '16 at 19:51
2

I don't think so，if an activity started with FLAG ACTIVITY NEW TASK，this way can not exit it – fozua Mar 26 '19 at 14:35

Anchit Mittal · Answer 3 · 2013-07-18T09:56:28.787

49

You can call System.exit(); to get out of all the acivities.

    submit=(Button)findViewById(R.id.submit);

            submit.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {

                @Override
                public void onClick(View arg0) {
android.os.Process.killProcess(android.os.Process.myPid());
                    System.exit(1);

                }
            });

edited Jul 18 '13 at 09:56

answered Jul 18 '13 at 09:50

Anchit Mittal

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It is just taking me to the first activity – PeakGen Jul 19 '13 at 07:47
13

@AnchitMittal System.exit(1) will not guarantee resetting the Activity stack or tasks (see http://developer.android.com/guide/components/tasks-and-back-stack.html). This approach, therefore, does not guarantee proper shutdown of the app (destroying all Activities) in due time. – IgorGanapolsky May 15 '14 at 20:22
Not all activity to exit. – jsingh Jan 27 '17 at 14:56
System.exit() only works if you have a mono-activity app, so it's very very limited – Windgate Apr 01 '22 at 10:41

score 48 · Answer 4 · edited Aug 03 '16 at 09:47

48

If you want to exit from your application, use this code inside your button pressed event:

public void onBackPressed() {
  moveTaskToBack(true);
  android.os.Process.killProcess(android.os.Process.myPid());
  System.exit(1);
}

edited Aug 03 '16 at 09:47

ישו אוהב אותך

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answered Sep 14 '15 at 18:38

Pir Fahim Shah

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score 26 · Answer 5 · answered Jun 05 '14 at 10:18

 @Override
    public void onBackPressed() {
        AlertDialog.Builder alertDialogBuilder = new AlertDialog.Builder(this);
        alertDialogBuilder.setTitle("Exit Application?");
        alertDialogBuilder
                .setMessage("Click yes to exit!")
                .setCancelable(false)
                .setPositiveButton("Yes",
                        new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
                            public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) {
                                moveTaskToBack(true);
                                android.os.Process.killProcess(android.os.Process.myPid());
                                System.exit(1);
                            }
                        })

                .setNegativeButton("No", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
                    public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) {

                        dialog.cancel();
                    }
                });

        AlertDialog alertDialog = alertDialogBuilder.create();
        alertDialog.show();
    }

What is different betweenn System.exit(1); and System.exit(0); — Pyae Phyo, Jul 06 '16 at 04:48
System.exit(1) means that the app finished with some error, while System.exit(0) means that the app finished without any error. This is how various linux/unix commands return (error) conditions upon exit. — iOS-Coder, Aug 22 '18 at 20:37

score 16 · Answer 6 · edited May 28 '15 at 12:51

16

It's way too easy. Use System.exit(0);

edited May 28 '15 at 12:51

Jibran Khan

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answered Dec 05 '13 at 19:43

Amon Olimov

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8

Hahahah. Not really too easy – TheRealChx101 Nov 29 '19 at 19:40
Not really too easy but it must be. This is not a hard topic. We just only want to close the app. That's it :( – Mehmet Gür Mar 21 '22 at 21:39

score 14 · Answer 7 · edited Mar 06 '18 at 08:43

14

Accually there are two possible situations:

You may want to exit from the activity
Or you want to exit from the application

You can exit from the activity using following code:

var intent = new Intent(Intent.ActionMain);
intent.AddCategory(Intent.CategoryHome);
intent.SetFlags(ActivityFlags.NewTask);
startActivity(intent);
finish();

But this will not kill the underlying activities in the same application. This will just minimize the application.

If you want to exit from application use the following code to end its process:

android.os.Process.killProcess(android.os.Process.myPid());

for mono development just use

process.KillProcess(Process.MyPid());

edited Mar 06 '18 at 08:43

Komal12

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answered Feb 05 '14 at 12:00

Kasun

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Mypid() is your method or what...... so how u have write Mypid ...u have to write with method..... – Amitsharma Feb 28 '14 at 08:29
@amitsharma MyPid() is a method from Process class, which Returns the identifier of this process, which can be used with killProcess(int) and sendSignal(int, int) – Kasun Nov 20 '14 at 07:00
Would it stop the background service and broadcast receivers as well or just will safely close the app? – Usman Rana Dec 21 '16 at 12:51
so, what's the difference between `android.os.Process.killProcess(android.os.Process.myPid()); ` and `process.KillProcess(Process.MyPid());`? – DysaniazzZ Nov 12 '19 at 08:48

score 9 · Answer 8 · answered Oct 20 '16 at 19:50

How about this.finishAffinity()

From the docs,

Finish this activity as well as all activities immediately below it in the current task that have the same affinity. This is typically used when an application can be launched on to another task (such as from an ACTION_VIEW of a content type it understands) and the user has used the up navigation to switch out of the current task and in to its own task. In this case, if the user has navigated down into any other activities of the second application, all of those should be removed from the original task as part of the task switch. Note that this finish does not allow you to deliver results to the previous activity, and an exception will be thrown if you are trying to do so.

score 7 · Answer 9 · edited Apr 14 '15 at 09:28

7

android.os.Process.killProcess(android.os.Process.myPid());

edited Apr 14 '15 at 09:28

Zied R.

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answered Jul 18 '13 at 09:39

Kathir

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For my case, this saved my life. Thank you! – Lifka Aug 10 '19 at 21:40

Mahmood Ali · Answer 10 · 2017-02-26T14:00:05.213

4

this will clear Task(stack of activities) and begin new Task

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_HOME);
intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TASK);
intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
startActivity(intent);
System.exit(1);

edited Feb 26 '17 at 14:00

answered Feb 25 '17 at 11:05

Mahmood Ali

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Explain why you posted this code as an answer and what it does too. – M. Adeel Khalid Feb 25 '17 at 11:30
1

Welcome to Stack Overflow! While you may have solved this user's problem, code-only answers are not very helpful to users who come to this question in the future. Please edit your answer to explain why your code solves the original problem. – Joe C Feb 25 '17 at 12:13

score 4 · Answer 11 · edited Jun 08 '20 at 06:38

4

Intent homeIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
homeIntent.addCategory( Intent.CATEGORY_HOME );
homeIntent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);
startActivity(homeIntent);
System.exit(1);

Use this Code it's much useful, and you can exit all of the activities.

edited Jun 08 '20 at 06:38

Khaine775

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answered Jun 08 '20 at 05:33

Abdul Kadir

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score 3 · Answer 12 · edited Apr 14 '15 at 09:28

3

 @Override
    public void onBackPressed() {
        Intent homeIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
        homeIntent.addCategory( Intent.CATEGORY_HOME );
        homeIntent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);
        startActivity(homeIntent);
    }

edited Apr 14 '15 at 09:28

Zied R.

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answered Apr 14 '15 at 09:27

azeem khan

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score 3 · Answer 13 · answered Jun 13 '18 at 00:05

3

Achieving in Xamarin.Android:

    public override void OnBackPressed()
    {
        MoveTaskToBack(true);
        Process.KillProcess(Process.MyPid());
        Environment.Exit(1);
    }

answered Jun 13 '18 at 00:05

GONeale

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Is this a reference to System.Environment.Exit or Android.OS.Environment.Exit? – Moffen Jan 18 '19 at 00:39

score 2 · Answer 14 · edited Feb 05 '15 at 13:35

2

put this one into your onClic:

moveTaskToBack(true);
    finish()

edited Feb 05 '15 at 13:35

Andy

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answered Feb 05 '15 at 11:51

Stan Malcolm

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whats wrong with the downvoted. This is the answer. I got 2 activities, 1st is loginactivity and 2nd is mainactivity.... i wanted to exit app within mainactivity and dont want to go back to loginactivity...i insert this answer, and now I can close the app within mainactivity. – Azizi Musa Jul 13 '15 at 08:32
if you do this the application will still be running the background – Mohanad Haddadin Aug 11 '15 at 10:27
Working fine. My case is: splashActivity run MainActivity. When user press back on MainActivity application exits as expected. All other cases are got me back to the splash activity ! – Jviaches Mar 09 '19 at 02:16
Well, you should've finished the login activity as soon as login's finished:) And the answer is of course **not completely correct**, `movewTaskToBack` finishes nothing it just **hide** the app, and `finish` as mentioned by anyone else finishes only the current `activity`. So it quits current activity and hides the rest, if any presents. Anyway it should not get a down vote just for this... – Meow Cat 2012 Mar 14 '19 at 09:14

score 2 · Answer 15 · answered Sep 18 '15 at 19:24

Try this on a call. I sometimes use it in onClick of a button.

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_HOME);
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
startActivity(intent);

It instead of closing your app , opens the dashboard so kind of looks like your app is closed.

read this question for more clearity android - exit application code

score 2 · Answer 16 · answered Mar 19 '18 at 10:52

2

Use this.finishAffinity(); on that button instead of finish(); If it does not work then you can also try by adding android:noHistory="true" in your manifest and then finish your activity by uisng finish(); or finishAffinity();

Hope it helps....:)

answered Mar 19 '18 at 10:52

Yesha Shah

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score 2 · Answer 17 · edited Nov 06 '19 at 21:40

2

Just call these two functions

 finish();
 moveTaskToBack(true);

edited Nov 06 '19 at 21:40

SDJ

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answered Apr 13 '19 at 03:37

younes

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Your answer came in lower quality posts. Please provide some explanation even though your code is self explanatory. – Harsha Biyani Apr 13 '19 at 05:37

score 2 · Answer 18 · answered May 22 '20 at 12:34

2

Link this method to your quit/exit button

public void quitGame(View view) {
        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.LOLLIPOP) {
            finishAndRemoveTask();
        } else {
            finish();
        }
    }

answered May 22 '20 at 12:34

Sihat Afnan

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score 1 · Answer 19 · answered Jul 18 '13 at 09:37

1

ghost activity called with singletop and finish() on onCreate should do the trick

answered Jul 18 '13 at 09:37

JesusS

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score 1 · Answer 20 · answered May 24 '16 at 19:54

1

It works using only moveTaskToBack(true);

answered May 24 '16 at 19:54

user3856297

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score 1 · Answer 21 · answered Jan 16 '18 at 09:05

1

Instead of System.exit(1) Just use System.exit(0)

answered Jan 16 '18 at 09:05

Kaze Tdr

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score 1 · Answer 22 · answered Jan 17 '19 at 06:04

1

finish();
 finishAffinity();
 System.exit(0);

worked for me

answered Jan 17 '19 at 06:04

prabhu

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4

1

Please add some explanation to your code. Additionally, it looks like other answers already covered that - so you should also explain what makes your solution better than the others – Nico Haase Jan 17 '19 at 09:22

score 1 · Answer 23 · answered Jan 26 '19 at 12:12

1

If someone still wonders, for Xamarin.Android (in my case also Monogame running on it) the command FinishAndRemoveTask() on Activity does the job very well!

answered Jan 26 '19 at 12:12

Konrad

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score 1 · Answer 24 · answered Mar 29 '19 at 18:47

1

in the fragment

getActivity().finishAndRemoveTask();

in the Activity

finishAndRemoveTask();

answered Mar 29 '19 at 18:47

Rodrigo Givisiez

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Sayooj · Answer 25 · 2016-02-27T05:54:03.510

0

just use the code in your backpress

                    Intent startMain = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
                    startMain.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_HOME);
                    startMain.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
                    startActivity(startMain);

edited Feb 27 '16 at 05:54

answered Feb 27 '16 at 05:45

Sayooj

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score 0 · Answer 26 · answered Nov 16 '16 at 11:08

If you are using EventBus (or really any other pub/sub library) in your application to communicate between activities you can send them an explicit event:

final public class KillItWithFireEvent
{
    public KillItWithFireEvent() {}

    public static void send()
    {
        EventBus.getDefault().post(new KillItWithFireEvent());
    }
}

The only downside of this is you need all activities to listen to this event to call their own finish(). For this you can easily create shim activity classes through inheritance which just listen to this event and let subclasses implement everything else, then make sure all your activities inherit from this extra layer. The kill listeners could even add some extra functionality through overrides, like avoiding death on certain particular situations.

score 0 · Answer 27 · answered Mar 19 '18 at 10:35

0

Just run the below two lines when you want to exit from the application

android.os.Process.killProcess(android.os.Process.myPid());
System.exit(1);

answered Mar 19 '18 at 10:35

Hassnain Jamil

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score 0 · Answer 28 · edited Mar 11 '20 at 09:23

0

Just call this:

finishAffinity();

edited Mar 11 '20 at 09:23

Igor F.

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answered Mar 11 '20 at 07:12

Muhammad Naveed

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While this code may answer the question, providing additional context regarding why and/or how this code answers the question improves its long-term value. – Igor F. Mar 11 '20 at 09:23

score 0 · Answer 29 · edited Feb 01 '21 at 15:48

0

This can work I tried it too.

this.finishAffinity();

edited Feb 01 '21 at 15:48

gehbiszumeis

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answered Feb 01 '21 at 15:22

Free Games Devs

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score 0 · Answer 30 · edited Oct 02 '22 at 07:12

0

In Fragment use getActivity().finishAffinity(); and clear fragment binding without memory leaks

edited Oct 02 '22 at 07:12

Siddhartha Mukherjee

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answered Sep 28 '22 at 07:16

sai dattu_14

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Abdullah alkış · Answer 31 · 2017-07-27T11:15:23.597

-1

If you use both finish and exit your app will close complitely

finish();

System.exit(0);

edited Jul 27 '17 at 11:15

answered Jul 25 '17 at 13:30

Abdullah alkış

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How to exit an Android app programmatically?

31 Answers31

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