Many smartphone users are faced with a situation where important notifications from instant messengers arrive with a delay, music stops when the screen is minimized, and activity trackers stop counting steps. This is not due to a breakdown of the gadget, but due to the aggressive work energy saving optimization systemsbuilt into the manufacturer’s shell. Modern versions of the operating system Android are designed to maximize battery life, often to the detriment of background activity of apps.
Developers Google are constantly tightening the rules for the operation of background processes. Starting from version Android 8.0 Oreo, strict limits were introduced on running services in the background. Later, in Android 9 Pie and higher, a mechanism appeared that forcefully puts the application to sleep if the user does not interact with the screen for a long time. Therefore, the question of how to ensure that the software functions continuously requires an integrated approach to system settings. Doze Mode, which forces the application to sleep if the user does not interact with the screen for a long time. Therefore, the question of how to make the software function continuously requires an integrated approach to system settings.
In this article we will analyze specific steps for excluding apps from optimization lists, setting up special modes and using tools for developers. You will learn how to prevent forced termination of processes and ensure stable operation of navigators, music players and remote access tools at all times.
Managing battery optimization and exceptions
The first and most effective step is to manually remove the application from the control of the energy saving system. By default Android considers that any app that is not in use right now should be stopped to save battery. You need to explicitly indicate to the system that specific software is important.
Go to the main settings of your device and find the section responsible for power. The path may differ depending on the brand, but the logic remains the same. You need to find the item Battery or Energy saving. Inside this menu there is usually a list of all installed apps or a separate item Battery optimization.
Select the desired application from the list. In the settings menu that opens, you will see operating mode options. The standard mode is often called "Optimized" or "Smart Control". You need to switch it to the option No restrictions or Do not optimize. This action will allow the app to consume CPU resources even when the screen is off.
- ⚡ Go to Settings → Applications → Select application → Battery.
- 🔋 Set the operating mode “No restrictions” or “Unlimited consumption.”
- 🚫 Disable the “Adaptive Battery” function for a specific service, if such an option is available separately.
⚠️ Attention: Completely disabling battery optimization for a large number of apps can lead to a noticeable reduction in the battery life of the smartphone. Use this setting selectively only for critical software.
Some manufacturers, such as Xiaomi, Huawei or Samsung, have their own aggressive task managers that override system settings. Android. In such cases, you may need to go to the special “Security” or “Phone Manager” application and add the app to the white list manually. Ignoring this step often negates all other settings.
Setting up notifications and priorities
A frequent reason for an application to stop working is that its notifications are blocked by the system. If a app is not allowed to show notifications, the system may consider it inactive and terminate its process. This is especially true for instant messengers and email clients.
In the notification settings for each application there is a category of importance. Make sure that all types of alerts are enabled for the selected service. Particular attention should be paid to item Importance or Priority. Set it to High or Urgent to make notifications appear on top of other windows and make a sound.
Also check your Do Not Disturb settings. If enabled on a schedule, this mode may block background data synchronization. Add important applications to the list of exceptions in Do Not Disturb mode so that they can work even at night.
In new versions Android 12 and higher, the “Live Notifications” function or the ability to pin notifications has appeared. Using this feature signals to the system that the user is constantly interacting with this service, which prevents him from being put to sleep.
If notifications arrive with a delay, try sending yourself a test message. This will “wake up” the push notification servers and update the access token for your device.
Pinning applications in memory (Pinning)
One of the most reliable ways to keep an application in RAM is to visually pin it in the multitasking menu. This method tells the task manager that this app cannot be unloaded when clearing the memory or rebooting the interface.
Open the menu of recently running applications by pressing the square button or swiping up from the bottom and holding. Find the application card you need. In most shells (MIUI, OneUI, ColorOS), when you long press on the card or when you swipe down, a lock icon appears.
Click on the lock. Now, even if you click the "Clear All" button or the system decides to free up memory, this application will remain running. On the multitasking screen, a closed lock symbol will be displayed next to the icon.
| Brand / Skin | Action to pin | Indicator |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung (One UI) | Swipe down on the application icon | Lock icon on the right |
| Xiaomi (MIUI/HyperOS) | Long press on the card or swipe down | Lock icon on the card |
| Pixel (Stock Android) | Click on the icon above the card | Text “Pinned” |
| Huawei (EMUI) | Swipe down on the application card | Lock in the corner |
It is worth remembering that pinning an application does not give it complete immunity from rebooting the phone itself. After completely turning off and turning on the device, you will have to run the app manually again to reactivate the protection.
☑️ Checking that the application is pinned
Using developer mode
For advanced users for whom the standard settings are not enough, there are hidden tools in the developer menu. Here you can globally change the behavior of the system in relation to background processes. However, use these settings with caution.
Activate developer mode by clicking 7 times on the build number in the About phonesection. After this, a new item For developerswill appear in the settings. Scroll down the list to the “Applications” section.
Find the setting Limit of background processes. By default, there may be a limit of 2-4 processes. Change this value to No limits. This will allow the system to keep in memory many more running apps at the same time.
Also in this menu there is an item “Do not turn off the screen” when charging is connected. If your application needs to run 24/7 (for example, video surveillance or mining), connecting to power with this option enabled will prevent the phone from going to sleep.
⚠️ Attention: Setting the background process limit to "Unlimited" can lead to full RAM and a slower interface on devices with low amounts of RAM (less than 4 GB).
Another important setting is to disable optimization Doze Mode via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), but this requires connecting to a computer. For most users, changes in the graphical interface of the developer menu are enough.
How to enter developer mode on a locked menu?
If the manufacturer has hidden the developer menu, try entering the code ##4636## in the dialer. This will open a test menu, where you can also find radio and battery usage settings, although you cannot access the full developer menu from here.
The specifics of how different Android shells work
It is important to understand that “clean” Android and custom shells behave differently. Manufacturers like Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo and Honor are famous for their extremely aggressive killing of background processes for the sake of record numbers in autonomy tests.
On devices Xiaomi it is critically important to go to the “Security” application → Permissions → Autostart and Allow the desired app to launch along with the phone. Without this step, after rebooting, the application will not start until you open it manually.
In smartphones Samsung there is a “Sleep of inactive applications” function, which automatically disables apps that you have not used for more than a month. Check the list in the battery settings and remove important services from there, otherwise they will be forcibly stopped.
Devices Huawei and Honor have the “Launch Applications” function, where control can be manual, automatic or controlled. For guaranteed operation, select “Manual control” and enable all three checkboxes: Autorun, Indirect launch and Work in the background.
There is no universal solution: owners of Chinese brands (Xiaomi, Huawei) need to configure autorun and permissions in proprietary security utilities, and not just in the Android system settings.
Advanced methods and working with ADB
If graphic settings do not help, you can use the debugging tool ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method allows you to send commands directly to the system, bypassing interface restrictions. You will need a computer and installed device drivers.
Connect your phone to the PC, enable USB debugging and enter the command to disable deep sleep mode for a specific package. This is especially useful for applications that the system persistently considers “rarely used.”
adb shell dumpsys deviceidle whitelist +com.example.appReplace com.example.app with the actual package name of your application. You can find it out through applications like App Inspector or in the settings of Android itself. This command adds the application to the Doze mode ignore white list.
You can also prevent the system from “freezing” the application. In some cases, a command that removes restrictions on background activity helps:
adb shell pm set-restricted-background-states 0 com.example.appUsing ADB gives maximum control, but requires technical literacy. Mistakes in entering commands can lead to system instability, so proceed carefully.
The application package name is often different from its name on the screen. For example, Telegram may have the package name org.telegram.messenger, and YouTube may have the package name com.google.android.youtube.
⚠️ Attention: Settings interfaces and menu item names may change with firmware updates. If you do not find the described item, use the search in the phone settings by entering the keyword “Battery” or “Autostart”.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why does the application turn off even after all the settings?
Perhaps the device’s RAM is critically low, and the system is forced to close processes for the interface to work. Also check to see if the Power Saver mode is enabled globally, which ignores individual application settings.
Does turning on the "Unoptimized" mode affect battery life?
Yes, it does. The app will consume power in the background even if you are not using it. For messengers, the consumption is minimal, but for navigators or streaming services, the discharge can speed up by 10-20% per day.
Is it possible to make a game run in the background without minimizing?
Regular games are not designed to run in the background and pause the rendering process when minimized. In order for the game to continue to work (for example, for farming resources), you need to use the split-screen mode or the “Floating Window” function, if it is supported by your shell.
Are these settings reset after updating Android?
Often yes. Major system updates may reset permissions and battery settings to default values. It is recommended to check the configuration after each major firmware update.
Will installing the application on an SD card help?
No, it will probably do harm. Applications installed on an external memory card run slower and are more often unloaded by the system, since access to an SD card is less stable and energy efficient than to internal memory.