How to close an Android app using UiAutomator?

Question

How can I close an especific Android app using UiAutomator API? Like when you manually press the Recents button and swipe the app you want to close.

Answer 1

Better way (not device, OS version, UI or orientation specific):

Runtime.getRuntime().exec(new String[] {"am", "force-stop", "pkg.name.of.your.app"});

Tested and working on a Nexus 5X with android 6.0

Answer 2

This is how I kill all android apps at once with uiautomator:

public static void killApps()
{
    UiDevice device = UiDevice.getInstance(InstrumentationRegistry.getInstrumentation());
    try
    {
        device.pressHome();
        device.pressRecentApps();

        // Clear all isn't always visible unless you scroll all apps down
        int height = device.getDisplayHeight();
        int width = device.getDisplayWidth();
        device.swipe(width/2,height/2, width/2, height, 50);

        UiObject clear = device.findObject(new UiSelector()
            .resourceId("com.android.systemui:id/button")
            .text("CLEAR ALL")
        );
        if (clear.exists())
        {
            clear.click();
        }
    }
    catch (RemoteException e)
    {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
    catch (UiObjectNotFoundException e)
    {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
}