How to stop the Galaxy Note5 from killing background apps and enjoy better multitasking
posted by Luis D.
/ Sep 02, 2015, 8:28 AM
If you only use one app, minimize it, open another one, and then switch to the previous app, you will have to wait for the app to reload. It seems the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, just like the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy S6 before it, tends to aggressively close tasks in the background.
What does that mean for your multitasking efforts? Well, if you open more than 5 apps in the background, the phone will automatically close them and you won’t be able to continue from where you left. Five apps is too little for a smartphone with so much RAM.
Thankfully, it appears that the multitasking fix for rooted Galaxy Note 4 devices we published a while ago also works on a rooted Galaxy Note5. That's expected, seeing how similar their firmwares are. Here's what you need to do!
1. Install the build.prop editor app from Google Play (link).
2. Go to the #DHA Properties part and change the following entries' values like this:
ro.config.dha_cached_max=12
ro.config.dha_empty_max=36
3. Add the following lines below these entries:
ro.config.dha_th_rate=2.3
ro.config.dha_lmk_scale=0.545
ro.config.sdha_apps_bg_max=70
ro.config.sdha_apps_bg_min=8
4. Finally, delete the following four lines from the build.prop file:
ro.config.dha_cached_max=
ro.config.dha_empty_max=
ro.config.dha_th_rate=
ro.config.dha_lmk_scale=
5. Save the changes and reboot your Note5. Now, the phablet shouldn't be closing tasks so aggressively.
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source: Naldotech
What does that mean for your multitasking efforts? Well, if you open more than 5 apps in the background, the phone will automatically close them and you won’t be able to continue from where you left. Five apps is too little for a smartphone with so much RAM.
Thankfully, it appears that the multitasking fix for rooted Galaxy Note 4 devices we published a while ago also works on a rooted Galaxy Note5. That's expected, seeing how similar their firmwares are. Here's what you need to do!
1. Install the build.prop editor app from Google Play (link).
2. Go to the #DHA Properties part and change the following entries' values like this:
ro.config.dha_cached_max=12
ro.config.dha_empty_max=36
3. Add the following lines below these entries:
ro.config.dha_th_rate=2.3
ro.config.dha_lmk_scale=0.545
ro.config.sdha_apps_bg_max=70
ro.config.sdha_apps_bg_min=8
4. Finally, delete the following four lines from the build.prop file:
ro.config.dha_cached_max=
ro.config.dha_empty_max=
ro.config.dha_th_rate=
ro.config.dha_lmk_scale=
5. Save the changes and reboot your Note5. Now, the phablet shouldn't be closing tasks so aggressively.
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Review
source: Naldotech
31 Comments
1. seret6
Posts: 279; Member since: Aug 14, 2013
I dont wanna root my new note, ot renders the warranty useless
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 8:34 AM 10
22. Mxyzptlk unregistered
Now you know how the overblown bendgate fiasco felt.
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 12:24 PM 0
28. Mxyzptlk unregistered
Seems like a cop out excuse because the bendgate thing required a good amount of force to bend the iPhone 6. But keep trying.
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 3:37 PM 3
31. Deicide
Posts: 82; Member since: Jul 02, 2011
The iPhone 6 didn't bend so easily yet the iPhone 6+ on the other hand... Besides Apple did add some more rigidity later on, so it did acknowledge it was a serious problem. I mean come on, no other phone bent that easily as seen on Unboxtherapy's channel.
posted on Sep 03, 2015, 2:09 AM 2
13. TechieXP1969
Posts: 14967; Member since: Sep 25, 2013
You can root it, add those lines of code and then remove the root easily.
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 9:21 AM 0
2. Martin_Cooper
Posts: 1774; Member since: Jul 30, 2013
You know you are a s**tty in software department when a user has to hack the phone just to use the simplest of its features properly like multitasking.
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 8:40 AM 12
4. xioxas
Posts: 21; Member since: May 04, 2015
with 4GB RAM LPDDR4 and it still trying to kill your background apps when you multitasking, powerfull indeed
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 8:45 AM 2
27. MedLEB unregistered
Yeah, That sucks, I think they are trying to save battery life, to use small batteries.
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 2:57 PM 0
5. GreatBigPhoney
Posts: 70; Member since: Jan 27, 2015
Maybe it's just me...but this hasn't been an issue for me so far, at least I have noticed it is much better than my Note 4 was.
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 8:52 AM 2
14. buccob
Posts: 2946; Member since: Jun 19, 2012
Well this was in fact proven by Android Authority
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDWX6qJjY-0
I tried doing the same task with my Xperia Z3 Compact while watching the video and with its "measly" 2GB of RAM it performed much better
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 9:22 AM 3
6. medicci37
Posts: 1361; Member since: Nov 19, 2011
I'm so tired of all this bs with Samsung & Android. Impossible to get a Android phone with the features I want. Ik Apple has issues to but I'm seriously thinking about getting a iPhone 6s plus when they come out
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 8:54 AM 3
9. tonyv
Posts: 54; Member since: Mar 12, 2014
yep, i'm about to join apple once again since the 3GS. seems like you have to have a Nexus device in order to enjoy Android how it was intended. unfortunately, Google is only putting top cameras in their phablet Nexus devices. oh well.
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 9:06 AM 1
12. darkkjedii
Posts: 30720; Member since: Feb 05, 2011
Mine doesn't have the aggregate ram management issue. It just works.
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 9:17 AM 5
19. darkkjedii
Posts: 30720; Member since: Feb 05, 2011
Oops aggressive
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 11:04 AM 2
24. enthasuium
Posts: 150; Member since: Nov 21, 2013
poor Article,
Do this : Enable Developer mode by pressing lollipop logo ten times, Goto developer mode : Select Background process limit : Select ATMOST 4 Process . This will make minimum 5-6 background app open
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 12:37 PM 1
33. pixelkicks
Posts: 1; Member since: Sep 10, 2015
So does this remove the limit then? I'm about to get a new Note 5 in the next couple of weeks but this task killing problem poses a big problem for me as I always have tons open.
If this works it needs more visibility, as this is literally the only place on the internet I've seen it!
posted on Sep 10, 2015, 5:50 AM 0
25. M.O.A.B
Posts: 317; Member since: Feb 13, 2015
why doesn't samsung push those lines as an update ??!
in fact the real question is why did they choose this aggressive ram management in the first place ?!! why didn't the note 5 come out of the box with the best multitasking experience in the market ? especially that they said in the conference that it has 4 GB of ram so you'll multitask to your heart's content !!
"1 or 2 Gigs is not enough , so we included 4GB of RAM ,, this is the most amount of ram we've included in our phones, you'll be able to keep up with your massages, post updates to social media and multitask to your heart's content"
that's a lie samsung !! you must be ashamed ,, even the s6 should hold apps much much more than it does now
i've played with a note 5 in a shop and i have to say it not as bad as it appears in youtube, but it's still much worse than it should be
sorry guys but this multitasking thing is frustrating me so much !! especially when i see the xperia z3 compact performing much better in mutitasking than the note 5 with half amount of RAM !!
posted on Sep 02, 2015, 12:43 PM 4
26. M.O.A.B
Posts: 317; Member since: Feb 13, 2015
what makes this even more funny is that i got my hands on a galaxy s duos 2 several days ago and guess what ? it can hold 10 apps at the same time all active and running in the background !! and the note 5 with 4GB LPDDR4 RAM can't do at least better than that ??!
^^^^
sorry forgot to add that in the first comment ..
