The App Switcher on an ordinary iPhone or iPad contains all the user’s recently-used apps. They’re in a state of suspension until re-opened, allowing the system to more efficiently load and prepare the app for the end user. But have you ever picked up your phone a day later and still saw a mess of apps in your App Switcher that you wish wasn’t there?
iOS developer Snail is out with a new jailbreak tweak this week called KillYourApps that gives end users more control over their App Switcher and how it handles recently-used apps, and we really think you’re going to like it.
A demonstration video, embedded below, has been provided by the developer to help showcase how the tweak works:
Despite the name, we want to reassure you that this isn’t just another jailbreak tweak that incorporates a button for force-closing all your App Switcher’s apps in one fell swoop. Instead, it lends a more intelligent way of force-closing certain apps that may reside in your App Switcher. Let us explain…
The KillYourApps tweak implements an elegant background app management system that helps clear those apps you probably don’t need suspended anymore. It supports:
- Automatic timed app-killing procedures so that apps force-close after a user-defined amount of time
- Immediate app-killing procedures so that apps force-close when leaving an app or locking your device
- Whitelisting certain apps that you don’t want force-closed under any circumstances
- Preventing Now-Playing music and video apps from being force-closed when in use
While force-closing apps means that your iPhone or iPad needs to inefficiently re-load everything again on next app launch instead of referencing suspended app resources, there are two scenarios where users may still prefer to force-close apps:
- Some apps deploy malicious tactics to perform unwanted actions in the background, such as tracking activity across apps. Force-killing these apps will prevent those background activities from taking place.
- Some apps have sensitive data in them, and you may not want that information suspended so that it’s immediately accessible when you pick your device back up again from a sleep state. Force-closing these apps prevents privacy leaks and other unwanted consequences.
KillYourApps adds a dedicated preference pane to the Settings app where you can configure a bevy of different settings to suit your needs:
Here, you can:
- Toggle KillYourApps on or off on demand
- Apply timer-based force-close app settings to all apps
- Enter a timeframe (in seconds) after which apps will be forcefully closed
- Select individual apps that will be affected by timer-based force-closure
- Apply locked device-based or immediate force-close app settings to all apps
- Select individual apps that will be affected by force-closure upon closing them or locking your device
- Select apps for your whitelist so that they’re always excluded from force-closure by the KillYourApps tweak
- Respring your device to save any changes you’ve made
The intelligent features found in the KillYourApps tweak are helpful in preventing unwanted background tasks and privacy issues with certain apps. Rather than simply force-closing all your apps with a button like many other jailbreak tweaks have done in the past, this tweak takes more pragmatic approach by letting the user decide what happens to certain apps and when.
If you’re interested in learning more about KillYourApps, or trying it out for yourself, then you can head over to the Havoc repository where you can purchase the tweak for $1.49. KillYourApps supports jailbroken iOS 14, 15, and 16 devices, including those running rootless jailbreaks.
What are your thoughts regarding the KillYourApps tweak? Do you plan to take advantage of it? Let us know why or why not in the comments section down below.