Why applications close themselves and how to fix it

Many smartphone users are faced with an annoying situation: you minimized the messenger or browser to answer a call, and when you returned a minute later, you found that the application had restarted from the very beginning. This is not just an inconvenience, it is the loss of unfinished actions, reset of progress in games and unnecessary waste of mobile traffic. This system behavior is the result of the aggressive work of the memory manager, which seeks to free up RAM space at any cost.

Modern Android shells, such as MIUI, One UI or ColorOS, are often configured to maximize battery saving, which leads to premature termination of background processes. The system perceives unused applications as “parasites” consuming resources and mercilessly kills them. However, for many use cases this behavior is redundant and interferes with comfortable work.

In this article we will analyze in detail the mechanisms responsible for forcing tasks to end and show how to configure your gadget so that the necessary apps remain in memory as long as necessary. You will learn about hidden developer settings, features of working with the battery and methods of fixing important processes in RAM.

Reasons for forced termination of background processes

The main culprit of the problem is limited space random access memory (RAM). When free space runs out, the Android system begins to prioritize tasks. The active window receives all resources, and processes in the background are marked as candidates for deletion. This is the standard operating algorithm of the Linux kernel, on which the mobile OS is based.

The second factor is energy saving algorithms. Smartphone manufacturers are introducing their own add-ons on top of stock Android that try to improve battery life. They analyze the user's behavior and, if the application is not active for several minutes, can limit its access to the network or processor, which is essentially tantamount to closing it.

• 🔋 Aggressive power saving modes that disable background synchronization.
• 🧹 Built-in memory cleaners that work on a schedule or when the screen is locked.
• 📉 Lack of free RAM due to a large number of simultaneously running services.

It is worth noting that the behavior of the system may differ depending on the firmware version. For example, on MIUI shell, cleaning algorithms work differently than on stock One UI. Understanding the specifics of your device is the first step to solving the problem. Xiaomi With the MIUI shell, cleaning algorithms work differently than on stock Pixel or Samsung with One UI. Understanding the specifics of your device is the first step to solving the problem.

⚠️ Attention: Completely disabling all restrictions may lead to accelerated battery drain, as applications will constantly run in the background and consume processor energy.

Setting restrictions on background activity in the system

The first thing you need to do is check the standard battery settings for a specific application. In modern versions of Android, energy management has become very granular. You can manually indicate to the system that a certain app is important and should not be subject to restrictions.

Go to the section Settings → Applications → Select the desired application → Battery. Here you will see several operating mode options. The default option is often “Optimized” or “Smart Saving”. You need to change this setting to "No restrictions" or "Do not limit". This will give the application the right to work in the background as long as it deems necessary.

This setting is especially critical for instant messengers, navigators and music players. If you use delivery or taxi services, similar settings should be applied to their customers so as not to miss notifications about the status of the order. Ignoring this item negates all other attempts to keep the application in memory.

After changing a setting, the system may display a warning that this will increase battery consumption. This is fine. Confirm the action. Now the OS kernel will consider this process a priority and will try not to unload it from RAM even if there is a shortage of free memory.

Fixing applications in RAM through the multitasking menu

Most manufacturers have provided a simple visual way to secure important apps. This is the so-called "Lock" or "Block" function. It prevents accidental closing of the application when clearing all recent tasks with the "Close All" button or swipe.

To activate this function, open the menu of recently running applications (the square button or swipe up from bottom and hold). Find the application card you need. Depending on the smartphone model, you need to either click on the icon above the application window, or pull the card down (or up), or click on the three dots in the corner.

In the menu that appears, select the option "Pin", "Lock" or the lock icon. After this, a closed lock symbol will appear on the application card. Now, even if you press the clear memory button, this application will remain hanging in the list and will continue to work in the background.

Smartphone brand	Action to lock	Visual indicator
Samsung (One UI)	Pull the application icon down	Lock icon on the right
Xiaomi (MIUI/HyperOS)	Pull the application card down	Lock icon on the right
Honor / Huawei	Pull the card down	Icon lock
Google Pixel	Click on the icon above the window	Text "Locked"

This method is the safest and does not require deep intervention in the system. It is ideal for those cases when you need to keep 2-3 critical applications in memory, for example, a voice recorder during a lecture or a navigator during a trip.

Using the "Do not interrupt work" mode and special features

In some cases, standard battery settings are not enough, especially if the manufacturer has implemented very strict limits. This is where accessibility features or Uninterruptible modes come to the rescue. These tools are originally designed for people with disabilities, but do a great job of keeping apps on track.

Accessibility settings often have a list of installed apps. If you add your app there, the system will consider that it is vital for the user to interact with the device, and will stop closing it. The path to this setting usually looks like this: Settings → Accessibility → Installed services.

It is also worth paying attention to the function Pin Window (Screen pinning). It allows you to freeze the application on the entire screen so that it is impossible to exit it without a special button combination. This is an extreme measure that completely blocks switching to other tasks, but ensures that the application will never close.

⚠️ Attention: The Pin Window function blocks the Home and Back buttons. To exit, you usually need to hold down the Back and Menu buttons at the same time, or swipe up and hold.

Use of these tools requires caution. You should not add all apps in a row to exceptions, as this can lead to conflicts in system services and unstable operation of the interface. Use them specifically only for those services that really need constant activity.

Advanced settings in the menu for developers

For advanced users there is a hidden section - Developer menu. This is where fine-tuning of system behavior is concentrated, including managing background processes. To get there, you need to quickly click on the build number 7 times in the "About phone" section.

Inside the developer menu, find the "Applications" or "Background Processes" section. There may be a "Background process limit" option here. By default, it is often set to "Standard Limit". Make sure this is not set to "No background processes" or a hard limit of 1-2 processes. It is best to leave the standard value or select “Do not limit” if such an option is available.

Also in this section there is an item “Inactive applications”. If this feature is enabled, the system will automatically pause applications that you have not used for a long time. Disabling this option may help preserve the state of apps in memory.

Settings → About phone → Build number (7 clicks) → System → For developers → Background process limit

What to do if the developer menu is reset?

Sometimes after a reboot, the developer settings may be reset to default values. In this case, the activation procedure must be repeated. Also, some manufacturers hide individual items depending on the firmware region.

Be careful when changing the settings in this section. Incorrect animation or GPU configuration can make the interface jittery or increase CPU load. Change only those parameters that directly relate to memory management and background tasks.

Third-party utilities and task automation

If the built-in system tools are not enough, you can use third-party automation software. Applications like Tasker or MacroDroid allow you to create complex scripts that will periodically “wake up” the desired application or change system settings on the fly.

Using such tools, you can create a macro: “If application X is not in focus for more than 5 minutes, send a fake click event or start a background service.” This tricks the system into thinking the application is active and prevents it from terminating. However, this method requires access rights and can be difficult to set up for a beginner.

• 🛠 Tasker is a powerful automation machine that requires training.
• 🤖 MacroDroid is a simpler alternative with ready-made templates.
• 🚫 Greenify is an outdated but sometimes useful management solution sleep mode (does not work on all versions of Android).

The use of third-party memory “accelerators” or “cleaners” is contraindicated in this case. They work on the principle of “unload everything unnecessary,” which directly contradicts your goal. The only exception is utilities specially tailored for specific brands (for example, official managers from the manufacturer), where you can configure white lists.

⚠️ Attention: Third-party optimization applications often cause slowdowns and battery drain, as they constantly run in the background. Use them with caution.

Diagnostics and additional influencing factors

Sometimes the problem lies not in the settings, but in the technical condition of the device or a software conflict. If even after all the settings the applications continue to crash, it is worth checking for firmware updates. Errors in memory management are often corrected by security patches.

You should also pay attention to a full cache. Paradoxically, too many temporary files can interfere with the correct operation of the memory manager. Clearing the cache via Recovery Mode or standard means can free up space for correct process swapping.

An important factor is the Android version. On older versions (below 10), memory management mechanisms worked differently, and manual intervention was more often required. On Android 12, 13, 14 and newer, the system has become much smarter, but also stricter in matters of privacy and energy.

If nothing helps, perhaps the application itself is written with errors and does not know how to correctly restore your condition. In this case, the problem is not in the system, but in the app code, and only waiting for an update from the developer or replacing it with an analogue can help.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Why does the application close immediately after the screen is locked?

Most likely, you have a hard power saving mode enabled. When the screen is locked, the system goes into deep sleep mode and disables network activity and processes for all applications except whitelists. Check the battery settings for a specific application and add it to the exceptions.

Does disabling optimization affect the speed of the smartphone?

No, this does not affect the overall speed of the interface. The only consequence is an increase in battery consumption, since the processor and radio module will work more often, servicing background application tasks.

Is it possible to completely prevent the system from closing any applications?

Technically, no. If the RAM is 100% full and there is a critical shortage of resources for the system kernel, Android will forcefully close processes to avoid a complete freeze of the device (bootloop). Priority is always given to system stability.

Will increasing virtual memory (RAM Plus) help solve the problem?

Partially. The internal storage expansion feature helps you keep more apps minimized. However, the speed of working with virtual memory is lower than with physical RAM, so switching between applications may be a little slower.

Are settings reset after rebooting the phone?

Settings in the "Battery" menu and "Pin to task menu" are saved after a reboot. However, the settings in the "Developer Menu" on some custom firmware may be reset to default values every time the device is rebooted.