Everything you need to stop Android from silently closing your apps in the background, with step-by-step fixes for Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Huawei and every other major phone brand.
Stop Android Killing Your Apps in the Background
A plain-English guide to disabling battery optimisation for every major phone brand — so your apps stay alive, your notifications arrive on time, and your alarms actually go off.
Why Does Android Kill Background Apps?
Since Android 6 (Marshmallow), Android has included a system called Doze mode that kicks in when your phone is idle, cutting background processes and network access to save battery. Android 9 added Adaptive Battery — a machine-learning layer that watches which apps you use least and restricts them further over time.
That would be fine on its own — but most major manufacturers (Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Huawei, and others) layer their own aggressive battery managers on top of Android’s standard system. These vendor restrictions are often far stricter than Google’s defaults, and they can silently kill apps that you haven’t opened for a day or two — even apps that are supposed to run continuously.
Which Apps Are Typically Affected?
Any app that needs to do work while you’re not actively using it can be a victim. Common examples:
- Messaging apps — WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal (delayed or missing notifications)
- Email clients — Gmail, Outlook (messages that only appear when you open the app)
- Alarm clocks & reminders — can fail to fire after a few days of inactivity
- Health & fitness trackers — GPS logging stops in the background
- Banking & OTP apps — one-time passwords arrive late or not at all
- Smart home / IoT apps — lose connection to devices
- VPNs & security tools — protection drops silently
- Navigation apps — stop updating location when the screen is off
How Aggressive Is Your Phone Brand?
The table below gives a rough idea of how aggressively each manufacturer restricts background apps out of the box. The more aggressive the brand, the more steps you may need to take.
| Brand / OS | Aggression Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Google Pixel (stock Android) | Low | Closest to standard Android; fewer extra steps needed |
| Motorola | Low–Medium | Generally well-behaved; Adaptive Battery can be over-zealous |
| Nokia (HMD) | Medium | Near-stock but Doze behaviour can be aggressive |
| Sony Xperia | Medium | Stamina Mode can restrict background activity |
| OnePlus / OxygenOS | Medium–High | Background activity limits are strict by default |
| Samsung / One UI | High | “Put apps to sleep” can activate after just 3 days |
| Oppo / Realme / ColorOS | High | “Background freeze” kills many apps |
| Vivo / Funtouch OS | Very High | Autostart must be enabled manually per app |
| Xiaomi / MIUI / HyperOS | Very High | Multiple layers of restrictions; settings can reset after reboot |
| Huawei / EMUI | Very High | Protected apps list must be managed manually |
Step 1 — The Universal Fix (Works on All Android Phones)
Regardless of your brand, start here. This is the standard Android route that works on Pixel, Motorola, Nokia, and as a first step on all other brands.
- Open Settings
- Tap Apps (sometimes called Apps & Notifications or Application Manager)
- Find and tap your app in the list
- Tap Battery
- Select Unrestricted (sometimes labelled Don’t optimise or Not optimised)
- Confirm if prompted
On Android 12 and newer you can also reach the full optimisation list via: Settings → Apps → ? (three-dot menu) → Special app access → Battery optimisation → All apps — then find your app and set it to Don’t optimise.
Step 2 — Brand-Specific Extra Settings
After the universal step above, check the card for your phone brand below. Many manufacturers require additional changes beyond the standard Android setting.
- Settings → Apps → your app → Battery → set to Unrestricted
- Settings → Battery and device care → Battery → Background usage limits → disable Put unused apps to sleep
- Settings → Battery → More battery settings → turn off Adaptive battery
- In Recent Apps, long-press your app’s thumbnail and tap Keep open (padlock icon)
? Samsung can re-add apps to the sleep list after a firmware update. Re-check after major updates.
- Settings → Apps → Manage apps → your app → Battery saver → No restrictions
- Open the Security app → Autostart → toggle your app ON
- MIUI 14 / HyperOS: Settings → Apps → your app → App permissions → Background autostart → Allow
- In Recent Apps, swipe your app card downward until a padlock appears — this locks the app in memory
? Xiaomi’s restrictions can reset after a reboot or system update. Repeat the Autostart step if problems return.
- Settings → Apps → your app → Battery usage → enable Allow background activity
- Disable Optimise battery use if shown
- Settings → Battery → Battery optimisation → switch list to All apps → your app → Don’t optimise
- Settings → Apps → your app → App battery usage → tap the row (not just the toggle) → set to Unrestricted
- Settings → Battery → disable Adaptive battery
- If still having issues, search in Settings for “managing background apps” and ensure your app is toggled on
- Settings → Apps → your app → Battery → select Background power consumption allowed
- Settings → Apps → your app → enable Autostart
- Check High background power consumption is not blocking the app
- Settings → Apps → your app → Battery usage → disable Background freeze
- Enable Allow background activity
- Check Settings → Battery → Power saving mode is off, or add the app as an exception
- Settings → Battery → App launch → find your app → disable Manage automatically
- Enable: Auto-launch, Secondary launch, Run in background
- Settings → Apps → your app → Battery → select Don’t optimise
- Settings → Battery → Battery Care or Stamina Mode → disable, or add your app as an exception
- Settings → Apps → your app → Battery → Unrestricted
Sony’s Stamina Mode is the main culprit on Xperia devices.
- Settings → Apps → your app → Battery → Unrestricted
- Settings → Apps → your app → Advanced → check Background restrictions is off
Nokia’s Android One devices are among the better-behaved — the standard fix is usually enough.
Don’t Forget: Data Saver & Background Data
Even if battery optimisation is disabled, Data Saver mode can prevent apps from receiving data in the background (no data = no notifications). Check this separately:
- Settings → Network & Internet (or Connections)
- Tap Data Saver
- Tap Unrestricted data (or Allowed apps) and enable your app
Also confirm background data is on for the app itself: Settings → Apps → [your app] → Mobile data & Wi-Fi → enable Background data.
How to Test That It Worked
- Apply all the relevant settings above for your brand
- Fully close the app (remove it from Recents) and lock your phone
- Wait 10–15 minutes without touching the phone
- Trigger a test event — send yourself a message, set an alarm for a minute ahead, or ask someone to message you
- Check whether the notification / alarm arrives promptly
- If still delayed, revisit your brand’s specific settings — especially Autostart on Xiaomi/Vivo, and Put unused apps to sleep on Samsung
Quick Visual Reference
Frequently Asked Questions
Will this drain my battery noticeably?
For most messaging, alarm, or utility apps: barely at all. The battery impact becomes noticeable only if you exempt many apps simultaneously, especially ones that do heavy data syncing or GPS logging. Be selective.
I disabled optimisation but notifications are still delayed — why?
Check the brand-specific extras: on Samsung, “Put unused apps to sleep” may still be on. On Xiaomi and Vivo, Autostart is a separate toggle in the Security app that’s easy to miss. Also check Data Saver isn’t blocking background data.
My settings reset after a system update — do I have to redo this every time?
Unfortunately, yes — especially on Samsung and Xiaomi. Make a note of the steps for your phone and recheck after major updates.
Is it safe to disable battery optimisation?
Yes, for trusted apps. Android will still apply its fundamental energy limits — you’re only removing the extra vendor-imposed layer on top. Avoid doing this for games or social apps, where the trade-off in battery life isn’t worth it.
Does this work on Android 14 / 15 / 16?
Yes. The setting names may vary slightly by version but the same principles apply through Android 16 (Baklava). OEM restrictions remain the dominant factor across all recent versions.
Where can I find instructions for my specific phone model?
The website dontkillmyapp.com maintains detailed, community-updated guides for individual phone models and OS versions, and is an excellent companion resource.