How to fix memory leak bug on Android 5.0.x Lollipop

The infamous memory leak bug can finally be fixed on devices running Android 5.0.x Lollipop update, with due credit to XDA recognised developer and contributor, tonyp, who has developed an Xposed module to address the issue.

The new Xposed module is designed to fix the ColorFade memory leak that occurs due to the Screen Off animation not releasing its resources, and thereby crashing all memory-intensive apps running in the background as the device rapidly runs out of memory.

Those who cannot access the latest Android 5.1 update for their device due to some reason or would like to stick to the older Android 5.0 release with Xposed support can go ahead and download the Xposed module fix.

However, users must note that the device needs root access in order to support the Xposed module fix, which can be downloaded via Xposed Module Repo.

Those who are unsure about how Xposed framework functions within Android ecosystem can check out the official explanation and also download the latest Xposed Installer from the official repo:

"Xposed is a framework for modules that can change the behavior of the system and apps without touching any APKs. That's great because it means that modules can work for different versions and even ROMs without any changes (as long as the original code was not changed too much).

It's also easy to undo. As all changes are done in the memory, you just need to deactivate the module and reboot to get your original system back. There are many other advantages, but here is just one more: Multiple modules can do changes to the same part of the system or app. With modified APKs, you to decide for one. No way to combine them, unless the author builds multiple APKs with different combinations."

As the developer notes in his recent post on XDA forums, the Xposed Module works with all AOSP ROMs and it is not necessary to install the fix on custom ROMs like CM12 as they already include the necessary patch for the memory leak issue.

Folks at XDA Developers assert that there are more memory leaks in Lollipop than what has been uncovered by Google till date, and the Android maker has reportedly failed to fix a major memory leak in its Android 5.1 update, despite addressing a couple of minor memory issues.

Interested users may download the source code for the Lollipop memory leak fix from github.