Many gamers are faced with a situation where their favorite strategy or RPG closes immediately after minimizing the menu. This happens because modern operating systems Android aggressively save battery power and RAM by forcibly stopping “heavy” processes. Understanding the mechanisms of how background services work is necessary in order to continue farming resources, upgrading a character, or maintaining a connection to the server without keeping the screen constantly on.
The problem is relevant for both old and new smartphone models, including popular lines Samsung Galaxy, Xiaomi Redmi i Google Pixel. Manufacturers often use their own add-ons to the system, such as MIUI, One UI or ColorOS, which have unique algorithms for “killing” background applications. If you want the game to continue running when minimized, you will have to go through several stages of system setup.
In this article we will look at all the available methods: from standard settings to advanced tools for developers. We will also look at the risks of constantly running applications in the background and how to minimize device overheating.
Built-in battery optimization settings
The first and most logical step is to change the energy saving policy for a specific application. By default, the system considers games to be resource-intensive apps and limits their activity when you switch to another window. You need to manually tell the system that this application is a priority.
To do this, go to the main settings of your smartphone and find the section Applications or All applications. Find the game you want in the list and open its card. Next, you should find an item that may be called Battery, Charge consumption or Energy consumption. This menu usually offers three modes: "Limited", "Optimized" and "Unlimited".
Selecting a mode "Unlimited" removes most software restrictions on background activity. This allows the game to use the network connection and processor even when the screen is off. However, it is worth remembering that this will lead to faster battery drain.
⚠️ Warning: The "Unlimited" mode may cause excessive heating of the case if the game continues to render graphics in the background. Make sure that the device is in a cool place.
On some shells, for example MIUI from Xiaomi, there is an additional level of protection. Even if you allow work in the background, the system may freeze the application after a few minutes. In such cases, you need to go to the battery settings and disable the function Saving energy in the background specifically for this game.
For games that require constant online (MMORPG), be sure to enable permission for data transfer in the background in the settings of SIM cards and mobile data.
App blocking function in the multitasking menu
One of the simplest but most effective methods is to use the blocking function in the task manager. This method prevents the game from accidentally closing the game when clearing RAM using the "Close All" button. The algorithm of actions may differ slightly depending on the version Android and phone model.
Minimize the game and open the recent applications menu (square navigation button or swipe from bottom to top with a delay). Find the window with your game. On most devices, you need to click on the application icon at the top of the window or hold your finger on the game preview. In the menu that appears, select the option Lock or the lock icon.
After this procedure, a lock symbol will appear next to the game window. Now, when you press the clear memory button, the system will skip this application and leave it hanging in the RAM. This does not guarantee that the processor is working at full capacity, but it prevents the process from being completely unloaded from RAM.
- 🔒 On devices Samsung you need to pull the application window down so that the lock icon appears.
- 📱 On Xiaomi i Redmi you need to hold the window and click on the lock icon in the panel that appears.
- 🤖 On pure Android (Pixel, Motorola) you often need to click on the application icon above the window and select "Lock".
This method is especially useful for those who often minimizes the game to quickly respond in the messenger, and does not want to lose progress or connection to the server. However, it does not cancel the system restrictions on background activity set by the manufacturer to save energy.
Settings for developers and process limits
If standard methods do not help, you can use the hidden menu for developers. This section contains deep system settings that allow you to force processes to remain active. Be careful: incorrect settings can lead to unstable operation of the smartphone.
To activate this mode, go to Settings → About phone and quickly press 7 times on the item Build number. After the message "You have become a developer" appears, return to the main settings menu and find the new section For developers (usually at the very bottom or in the "System" category).
Inside this menu, find the section responsible for applications. We are interested in item "Background process limit". By default, there may be a limit of 2-4 processes or a standard limit. Change the value to No restrictions. This will prevent the system from killing processes to free up memory.
Settings → For developers → Applications → Background process limit → No restrictionsAlso in this menu there may be field Background mode or settings Standby Bucket. Make sure your game is not on any restricted app lists. Some shells allow you to add an application to the "White List" directly from this menu.
⚠️ Attention: Setting the limit to "No restrictions" may cause the phone to slow down when many applications are running simultaneously, since the RAM will become full.
Using these settings requires an understanding of how much RAM is available to your device. On smartphones with 4 GB of RAM or less, this setting may cause frequent interface reboots or lags in other apps.
Third-party utilities for holding applications
When the built-in tools are not enough, specialized applications from the store come to the rescue Google Play. These utilities create an observer service that constantly checks the status of the target application and restarts it if the system tries to terminate it.
One of the popular solutions is an application Background Start or analogs like Auto Start. The way they work is to create a persistent notification in the curtain that keeps the application process active. The system sees that the service is running and does not apply aggressive energy saving algorithms to it.
The table below shows a comparison of popular methods of keeping games in the background:
| Method | Efficiency | Impact on the battery | Setting complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery settings | Medium | High | Low |
| Lock in the task menu | Low | Medium | Low |
| Developer mode | High | Very high | Medium |
| Third-party utilities | Maximum | High | High |
When using third-party apps, it is important to give them all the necessary permissions, including the right to display on top of other windows and access special features. Without this, the system may block the work of the optimizer itself.
Why do third-party applications work better?
System optimizers often have a higher priority than regular games. Third-party utilities use system APIs to create “unkillable” services that are more difficult to terminate using standard memory cleaning tools.
Features of working on different Android shells
Smartphone manufacturers modify Android source code in different ways, which creates unique challenges for games to run in the background. What works on one device may not work on another due to differences in power management architecture.
On smartphones Xiaomi (MIUI/HyperOS) there is aggressive autorun. Even if you have enabled running in the background, the game will not restart after a reboot or deep clean until you enable the switch Autostart in the application settings. It is also recommended to disable the function MIUI Optimization in the developer menu, although this will reset some permissions.
Devices Samsung with a shell One UI have the "Sleep applications" function. If you do not add a game to the "Never sleep apps" list in the battery settings, the system will limit its activity after 3 days of non-use in the background. It is also worth checking the settings Idle mode optimization.
Smartphones Huawei i Honor (EMUI and MagicOS shells) are known for their severe limitations. Here it is critical to go to the Launch applicationssection, disable automatic control and manually enable all three checkboxes: Autostart, Indirect launch and Working in the background.
⚠️ Attention: Settings interfaces may change with firmware updates. If you do not find the described item, use the search in the settings by entering the keyword “Battery” or “Autostart”.
Understanding the specifics of your shell allows you to fine-tune the system without resorting to radical measures like obtaining root access. Always check that the instructions are up to date for your firmware version.
There is no universal solution for all Android smartphones. The key to success is a combination of battery settings, blocking multitasking and taking into account the characteristics of the specific shell of the manufacturer.
Risks and impact on device autonomy
Before setting up the game to run constantly in the background, you need to understand the consequences for the device. Background mode means that the processor, modem and sometimes the video core continue to consume energy even when the screen is turned off.
The main risk is rapid battery drain. A game that drains your phone in 4 hours in active mode can do it in 6-8 hours in background mode just by maintaining a connection and performing minimal calculations. In addition, the lack of active cooling (since the screen is turned off and the heat dissipation may be worse) leads to heat accumulation inside the case.
- 🔋 Rapid battery wear due to constant charge-discharge cycles under load.
- 🔥 Overheating of the processor, which can cause throttling (reduced performance) or damage components.
- 📉 Increased consumption of mobile traffic if the game actively exchanges data with the server.
Some games do not work correctly in the background: they may continue to render frames, although the user does not see them. This creates unnecessary stress. It is recommended to use the "Energy Saving" modes within the games themselves, if such a function is provided by the developer for the background mode.
☑️ Check before turning on the background mode
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why does the game turn off even after all the settings?
Most likely, hardware overheating protection is triggered or there is a critical lack of RAM. Try closing all other applications before running the game in the background. Also check if the global power saving mode is enabled on the system.
Is it safe to use developer mode?
Yes, it is safe if you only change settings related to process limits. Do not disable USB debugging or animation unless necessary, as this may affect the stability of the interface. All changes can be reset to the factory settings in the developer menu.
Is it possible to run a heavy 3D game in the background?
Technically it is possible, but it is highly not recommended. Heavy 3D games require constant graphics rendering. In the background this will result in extreme heating and discharge. The background mode is suitable for strategies, text quests or games with the "AFK" mode, where the graphics are not rendered constantly.
Does this affect the warranty of the smartphone?
Software setting of resolutions and operating modes is not a violation of the warranty terms. However, if, due to constant operation in the background, physical damage to the battery occurs (swelling) due to overheating, the service center may refuse a free repair, citing improper operation.
How to undo all changes?
Return the battery settings to the "Optimized" mode, remove the lock in the multitasking menu and select the standard limit in the developer menu background processes. Rebooting your smartphone will also help reset temporary process holds.