Modern smartphone users Android often face a paradoxical situation: you installed a messenger or navigator, but it is silent while the screen is off, or the music stops immediately after the device is locked. This is due to the aggressive power-saving policies that manufacturers implement into their shells on top of the underlying operating system. Background mode Application running is a fundamental feature that allows apps to perform tasks while you use other tools or have your phone in your pocket.
However, manufacturers are constantly tightening the restrictions to extend battery life, which often leads to disruptions in important services. If you want your email to arrive instantly and your activity tracker to not lose your workout data, you'll need to manually configure permissions. In this article, we'll take a closer look at how to bypass system restrictions and ensure the stable operation of your applications.
Understanding how Android manages resources will help you avoid losing important notifications. We will look at the settings for different versions of the operating system and popular shells, such as MIUI, One UI and ColorOS. The key point is to disable "Smart" battery optimization for specific apps, which is often hidden deep in the system menus.
Principles of background processes in Android
Operating The system Android uses a sophisticated memory and power management system that automatically stops processes that are not currently in use. When you minimize an application, it does not always continue to work at full capacity; it often goes into a frozen or cached state. This is done so that processor does not waste power on tasks that you do not need right now.
There are several types of background activity. Some processes are legitimate and necessary: playing music, navigation, receiving messages. Others may be malicious or simply poorly optimized, consuming resources unnecessarily. The system analyzes the behavior of the application and can forcefully terminate its operation if it considers that it has too much influence on autonomy devices.
Starting with version Android 8.0 Oreo, Google has introduced strict restrictions on the background execution of services. Now apps can't just run services in the background; they should use JobScheduler or WorkManager for deferred tasks. This means that the old methods of constantly running in the background are no longer effective, and developers, as well as users, have to find workarounds through system settings.
- 📱 Active mode: The application is open on the screen and uses maximum processor resources.
- 💤 Background mode: The application is minimized, but performs useful tasks (downloading files, listening GPS).
- 🧊 Cached state: The process is frozen in RAM for quick startup, but does not consume power.
- 🛑 Stopped process: The system or user has completely terminated the application.
It is important to understand the difference between background activity and background data updating. The first allows the application to execute code, the second only downloads content if there is a network. For the correct operation of messengers, it is critically important to allow background activity, otherwise you will not receive push notification until the app is opened.
Basic settings through the system menu
The first and most obvious step to allow background operation is checking the standard settings applications. In clean Android and most shells, the path to these settings is unified, although the names of the items may differ slightly. You need to find a specific application in the list of installed apps and study its rights.
Open Settings your smartphone and go to the Applications or Applications and notificationssection. Find the desired app in the list (for example, Telegram or Yandex.Navigator). Here you are interested in the item Battery or Battery consumption. This is where the switch that controls the life of the process in the background is hidden.
In the battery menu you will see several options for restrictions. By default, "Optimize" or "Smart Limit" is often selected. You need to change this setting to "No restrictions" or "No restrictions". This will signal to the system that this application has priority and does not need to be throttled to save power.
⚠️ Attention: After enabling the "Unlimited" mode, the application may consume more battery power, even when the screen is off. Monitor consumption statistics if the app starts to work incorrectly.
It is also worth checking the section Mobile data and Wi-Fi inside the application settings. Make sure that the Background data transferoption is enabled. If this item is disabled, the application will be able to work in the background, but will not be able to download new information from the network, which will make its work useless.
Settings for Xiaomi, Samsung and Huawei shells
Owners smartphones from Chinese manufacturers and companies Samsung face the most aggressive energy saving algorithms. The MIUI (Xiaomi), EMUI (Huawei) and One UI (Samsung) shells have their own task managers that ignore system settings Android and stop processes at their discretion.
On devices Xiaomi with the MIUI or HyperOS shell, you must go to the application Security → Battery. Here you need to find the desired application and set the energy saving mode to Unlimited. In addition, MIUI has a separate autorun: go to Settings → Applications → Permissions → Autostart and activate the slider for your app.
Users Samsung with the One UI shell should pay attention to the "Sleep Mode" function. Go to Settings → Device maintenance → Battery → Background restrictions. Make sure the app is not in the "Deep Sleep Apps" list. It is also useful to add important apps to the "Unlimited applications" list in the menu Background restrictions.
On smartphones Huawei and Honor the situation is similar. You need to open Settings → Battery → Launch applications. Disable automatic control for the desired app and in the window that appears, manually allow Autostart, Indirect launch and Work in the background.
| Manufacturer | Settings section | Key parameter | Recommended value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi / Redmi | Security / Battery | Energy saving | No restrictions |
| Samsung | Device maintenance | Background restrictions | Unlimited |
| Huawei / Honor | Battery / Launch applications | Manual control | All 3 items included |
| Realme / OPPO | Battery / More | Allow autorun | Enabled |
Do not forget that interfaces are updated and item names may change. If you don't find an exact match, look for synonyms or use the settings search. The main thing is to find power management for a specific application package.
☑️ Check shell settings
Using the "Unlimited Data" mode
Another important aspect is the operation of the application when the screen is off and saving traffic. In some cases, the system will block background data transfer if data saving mode is enabled or if an application is marked as consuming a lot of resources. To allow background running in the network context, you need to change the data usage settings.
Go to Settings → Network and Internet → Mobile network (or Wi-Fi). Find the item Traffic saving. If it is enabled, click Unlimited access or Exceptions. Add the necessary applications there. This will allow them to ignore global restrictions on data transfer in the background.
It is also worth checking the settings of the Wi-Fi itself. Some devices have an option to "Pause Wi-Fi when sleeping." If it is active, then when the screen is locked, the phone will turn off Wi-Fi, and background processes will not be able to update. Change the setting to Always or Only when charging, depending on your needs.
If the application works over Wi-Fi but does not work over the mobile network, check the settings APN and make sure that mobile data is allowed for the application in the “Data transfer” section.
Often users forget that the “Battery Saver” mode blocks background activity globally. If you have power saving turned on (usually the battery indicator is yellow), no permissions for individual applications will help - the system will forcefully stop all background processes.
Accessibility and blockers
Some applications, especially those related to memory cleaning or antivirus apps, may conflict with system settings. They may perceive the background activity of other apps as a threat or garbage and close them. In addition, there are system “task killers” built into the firmware.
Check whether you have third-party “cleaners” installed (Clean Master, DU Battery and the like). They often have their own permissions to control other applications. If such software is installed, add the necessary apps to the Whitelist of the cleaner itself. Otherwise, it is better to remove such utilities, since modern versions Android can manage memory more efficiently.
It is also worth paying attention to the section Special features (Special Access). It is located along the path Settings → Applications → Special. access (three dots in the menu). Here you can find settings Unlimited data use and Change system settings. Resolving these items may be critical for specific utilities, such as automation systems or launchers.
⚠️ Attention: Granting access to “Change system settings” gives the application broad rights. Enable this mode only for trusted apps that really need it to work.
If you use corporate profiles or remote management (MDM) apps, they may have their own security policies that prohibit background work. In this case, you will not be able to bypass the restriction without device administrator rights.
What to do if the settings are reset?
Some shells (especially MIUI) can reset the settings after a reboot. In this case, try uninstalling updates to the Security or Manager app itself, if possible, or use ADB to force the configuration to be saved.
Advanced methods: ADB and debugging
For advanced users who are not helped by standard methods, there is a tool ADB (Android Debug Bridge). It can be used to force battery optimization to be disabled for any package, even if the shell interface hides this option. This is the most reliable way to ensure that it starts in the background.
First you need to enable Developer mode (click on the build number in About phone7 times) and activate USB debugging. Then connect your phone to your computer and install ADB. The command to disable battery optimization is as follows:
adb shell dumpsys deviceidle whitelist +com.package.nameInstead com.package.name you need to substitute the real name of the application package (for example com.whatsapp). This command adds the application to the system whitelist, ignoring Doze mode restrictions. To return everything to the way it was, use the minus sign instead of the plus sign.
You can also prevent the system from putting the application to sleep via ADB. The command adb shell pm grant allows you to issue specific permissions that are hidden in the regular menu. However, using ADB requires caution: an incorrect command can break system components.
Using ADB is the most powerful method, but it requires a connection to a PC and knowledge of the exact names of application packages. For ordinary users, it is better to limit yourself to interface settings.
Remember that after resetting the phone or updating the firmware, settings made via ADB may be reset. In this case, the procedure will have to be repeated. This is the price for deep interference in the operation of the system operating system.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why does the application still close after setup?
This may be due to a lack of RAM. If you run a heavy game, the system will shut down background processes to free up resources, regardless of battery settings. Also check if you have the "Energy Saver" mode enabled throughout the system.
Does the background mode affect the speed of the phone?
Yes, many active background processes can slow down the interface and reduce performance in games. Leave in the background only what you really need: instant messengers, navigators, smart watches. It is better to close browsers and games completely.
Is it safe to disable battery optimization?
For individual applications - yes, it is safe. The only risk is that the battery will drain faster. It is not recommended to disable optimization for system processes or unknown applications, as this can lead to cyclic reboots.
How to find the package name for the ADB command?
The package name can be found through analyzer applications (for example, App Inspector) or by looking at the link to the application in the Google Play Store - this is the part of the address after id=. Also, the package name is often displayed in the application settings at the very bottom of the information page.
Do you need to restart the phone after changes?
Usually changes take effect instantly. However, if the application is already stuck in a stopped state, restarting it will help start it again with new permissions. After updating the system, the settings may be reset, so it makes sense to double-check them.