Stopping phone apps using mobile data

**TonyC** · 1st January 2023, 09:50 AM

Hi All, and a happy new year.

Is there any way you can stop an app from accessing mobile data?
Instagram and Spotify in particular, but I have others I would like disabled as well.
I have background data off, but they are still using more data than I think they should, and more data then I have.
Phone is a Samsung Note 9, Android 10.
Thanks in advance.

Tony

**p38arover** · 1st January 2023, 10:42 AM

I know how to do it on an iPhone but not Android.

**101RRS** · 1st January 2023, 11:27 AM

Go into settings, select Apps and Notifications - under recent apps listed at the top you will see See All $% apps - select that - then select the app you are are interested in from the list - you will see near the top Open, Uninstall, Force Stop - select Force Stop and this will stop the app but not remove it. If you open it you will have to go through the process again.

Garry

**TonyC** · 1st January 2023, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by 101RRS

Go into settings, select Apps and Notifications - under recent apps listed at the top you will see See All $% apps - select that - then select the app you are are interested in from the list - you will see near the top Open, Uninstall, Force Stop - select Force Stop and this will stop the app but not remove it. If you open it you will have to go through the process again.

Garry

Thank for that, but there must be a better way.
For the last month I've just been turning off mobile data, unless I need it on, with no change in Instagram, Spotify sometimes gets a bit cranky as does Google Maps.

Tony

**101RRS** · 1st January 2023, 01:14 PM

It literally takes 2 secs to do. About as long as it does to turn mobile data off.

**TonyC** · 1st January 2023, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by 101RRS

It literally takes 2 secs to do. About as long as it does to turn mobile data off.

But it doesn't solve the problem if I'm listening to music on Spotify in the car.
I'm using a saved play list, Spotify needs to be running and it's using mobile data.

Tony

**RobMichelle** · 1st January 2023, 01:49 PM

I’m confused to what advice your after. Your post asked about turning off apps, which has been described, now you say it doesn’t fix the problem, you wanted to turn apps off specially Spotify now you won’t Spotify running?

**TonyC** · 1st January 2023, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by RobMichelle

I’m confused to what advice your after. Your post asked about turning off apps, which has been described, now you say it doesn’t fix the problem, you wanted to turn apps off specially Spotify now you won’t Spotify running?

No, I want to stop some/many apps from accessing mobile data, not stop them from running.

Tony

**PhilipA** · 1st January 2023, 02:56 PM

I have a solution for easy isolation of apps from mobile data.
get an Iphone. Each app on an iphone has the option of mobile data.
You just go the to the apps in settings and move the mobile data button to the left.
Sorry but I couldn't resist. I tried but the devil got me.
Regards PhilipA

**DiscoDB** · 1st January 2023, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by TonyC

No, I want to stop some/many apps from accessing mobile data, not stop them from running.

Tony

Other than blocking background data Android doesn’t allow you to block individual apps if they are running in the foreground. (Without turning all data off across all apps).

So you will need to run another app to act as a firewall to block data usage on an app by app basis - like NetGuard.

Being Android you will need to do your own research if you want to use another app to control your device.

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