Clear all recent tasks Programmatically

Question

I am trying to remove all recent tasks through a program. Before posting a question, I googled it, but no luck at all.

I tried to use ActivityManager.killBackgroundProcess(pckagename), but it also does not remove the task from a recent task list.

I also tried the link Android, how to clear the recent task list which could get from Home button in most phone? Reflection is a possible way?

I always get the following exception

java.lang.SecurityException: Permission Denial: removeTask() from pid=23297, uid=10051 requires android.permission.REMOVE_TASKS

Even if I already specified the android.permission.REMOVE_TASKS permission in the manifest.

How can we clear the list of recent tasks programmatically, so that the user can see no recent tasks in a recent task list?

Please use [this link](http://stackoverflow.com/a/42228794/1252158) and you will get the simplest way to do this. — Summved Jain, Feb 14 '17 at 14:47

score 7 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 13 '13 at 20:39

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REMOVE_TASKS is a signature-level permission. It can only be held by apps written by the developers of the device firmware, such as a device manufacturer or ROM mod author.

answered Oct 13 '13 at 20:39

CommonsWare

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so if we have rooted device then can we perform this operation?????even if i am trying to remove my own task from recent by this way i m not being able to do it....thanks for your reply – Praween Kumar Mishra Oct 14 '13 at 07:19
is there any alternate to perform this operation. I want that user can not be able to see the list of recent task by any means. – Praween Kumar Mishra Oct 14 '13 at 07:27
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@praween: "so if we have rooted device then can we perform this operation?" -- no. "is there any alternate to perform this operation" -- hopefully not. "I want that user can not be able to see the list of recent task by any means" -- then build your own ROM mod. – CommonsWare Oct 14 '13 at 10:26
New design of the recents list in recent Android versions makes it a mess, and having no option to clean up it from code (with some special permission and without OS signature) is regrettable. I mean others developers' tasks, not your own. – Stan Jun 27 '15 at 08:12

score 6 · Answer 2 · edited Nov 10 '17 at 14:41

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Try this out in android manifest inside the launcher activity:

 android:excludeFromRecents="true"

edited Nov 10 '17 at 14:41

MahNas92

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answered Jan 21 '14 at 05:29

Harshal Benake

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 17 '14 at 22:19

I just met with the same problem. My duty was to remove a 3th party app from recent list.

Okay, I don`t know how clear the recent list, but I know, how not to put your app there. start it with: FLAG_ACTIVITY_NO_HISTORY flag .

This worked for me, I hope I can help with it for you. details: min SDK level 14

Cheers,

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited Dec 07 '16 at 16:06

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In your AndroidManifest.xml, you need to add this:

uses-permission android:name="android.permission.KILL_BACKGROUND_PROCESSES"

edited Dec 07 '16 at 16:06

Robert Columbia

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answered Dec 07 '16 at 15:58

Jacks Nogueira

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Clear all recent tasks Programmatically

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