Solution for users

What optimization apps does Samsung have?

Android 11: Battery optimization, Auto-optimize, Adaptive battery, Adaptive power-saving, Background restrictions, lists of Sleeping apps, Unused apps, Deep sleeping apps, Never sleeping apps

Android Pie and higher: Device care, Background restrictions, lists of Sleeping apps, Unused apps, Auto-disable unused apps

Android Oreo and Nougat: App power monitor, Background restrictions
Android Marshmallow or below: Smart manager

Android 13

The settings are mostly the same as Android 11 below, with a few changes:

The “Optimize battery usage” option doesn’t exist anymore under “Special Access”.
Under “Device Care” there is no “Automation” or “Advanced” option anymore.
Lock Recent App is not available.
“Auto-optimize daily”, “Adaptive power saving”, and “Optimize battery usage” are not available

Per-app battery optimizations



Adaptive battery




Remove permissions if app is unused



List of “Alarms and Reminders”



Auto-optimizations



Adaptive power saving



Lists of Sleeping apps, Unused apps, Deep sleeping apps, Never sleeping apps



The “Put unused apps to sleep” option is the major headache we see on Samsung - a non-standard app-killing feature that isn’t present in AOSP implemented only by Samsung which puts an app you did not use for X days to a mode with restricted background processing. On some releases, the period was as short as 3 days. So if you did not use your alarm clock over the weekend your alarm would not ring.

Android 11

On Android 11 Samsung will prevent apps work in the background by default unless you exclude apps from battery optimizations. This is a severe divergence from standard Android process management policies.
Yes, this is a long way to go! Devs cannot ask for it automatically as they risk being kicked out from the Play Store due to policy violations.

Lock the app in Recent

Open Recent apps.
Find Your app.
Long-press the icon of the app

Battery optimization

To keep your apps working properly make sure you enable:
Settings -> Apps -> Your App -> Battery -> Battery optimization -> All apps -> Your app -> Don’t optimize.



Optimize battery usage

Settings > Apps > (⁝) menu > Special Access > Optimize battery usage



Auto-optimize daily + Adaptive power saving


Open Battery > (⁝) menu.
Choose Automation.
Adjust.


On some phones the route differs:


Device care and tap the 3-dot menu.
Tap on Advanced.
Disable Auto-optimization.


Adaptive battery


Open Battery -> More battery settings.
Disable Adaptive battery.


Lists of Sleeping apps, Unused apps, Deep sleeping apps, Never sleeping apps


Open Battery > Background usage limits
Check the lists.

Warning: Make sure Put unused apps to sleep is disabled. Otherwise, Samsung will put your apps back to sleep after a few days 3 by default even if you have woken them up manually!

Android Pie and 10

Battery optimizations are turned on by default. It is possible the disabled restrictions might get revert after OS update or reboot. By default any app which is not started in 3 days is put to sleep and background tasks including alarms will stop working.

Put unused apps to sleep

Phone settings -> Device care -> Tap on the Battery item -> (⁝) 3-dot menu > Settings
Uncheck Your app from this list.

Auto-disable unused apps

Phone settings -> Device care -> Tap on the Battery item -> (⁝) 3-dot menu > Settings
Uncheck Your app from this list.

Background restrictions

Check that Phone settings -> Apps -> Sleep as Android -> Battery -> Background restriction state as App can use battery in background for the apps you need to run in the background.

Sleeping apps

Sleeping apps menu is the sniper’s nest for Samsung’s app killing policies. Make sure to follow the instructions very carefully to prevent the apps from being killed.



Start Device care from phone settings
Tap Battery
Tap the 3-dot menu > Settings



Disable all toggles (except Notifications)
Tap "Sleeping apps"
Wake up all the apps using the trashcan icon

On some phones, the layout may differ:



Start Device care from phone settings.
Tap Battery.
Open App power management.



Disable the option Put unused apps to Sleep.
Remove your app from the lists in Sleeping apps and Deep sleeping apps.
Add you app to the list in Apps that won't be put to sleep.

Warning: Make sure Put unused apps to sleep and Auto-disable unused apps is disabled. Otherwise, Samsung will put your apps back to sleep after a few days 3 by default even if you have woken them up manually!


Game Boosting features

Samsung optimizing features that monitor your phone usage and can alter your settings. Although such feature might be useful, in some cases you don’t wish to loose all background processed. This can results in termination of background processes when you play games (for example blue light filter apps will stop, or notification are delayed).
There are Game Booster app, Game optimizing service, and Game Launcher.

Go to Apps and then click the Samsung app settings. Scroll to the Game Booster.
Turn off as much as you can. Then click Block During Game and shut off everything.
Next, in apps, find the game optimizing service - this cannot be disabled, but you can remove all permissions.
Last, search apps again and find the Game Launcher. You can remove the permissions and then disabled it.


Open Samsung app settings.



Find Game booster app.
Disable all the options.



In Samsung app settings find Game optimizing.



Remove all its permission.
Find Game launcher and disable it.

Optimize battery usage

Battery optimizations are hidden under each app’s settings section. To disable the optimization for the app, you need to expand the sub-menu, so the list reveals the apps, that are restricted. Open System settings -> Apps -> Your app -> Optimize battery usage, expand the list, and then set the app to “not optimized” with the toggle.



Optimize battery usage.
Expand the list.

Android Oreo and Nougat 8 + 7

With the introduction of their flagship Galaxy S8 (and with some earlier experiments), Samsung has introduced an attempt at prolonging battery life called App power monitor.

App power monitor

App power monitor can be turned off completely, or you can manage the apps individually.

For your apps to work correctly in the background, you need to whitelist them in App power monitor and add them to Unmonitored apps:

Open the Settings -> Device maintenance -> Battery, and at the bottom you’ll see a list of your most frequently used apps.
Apps that are sleeping will appear in the Sleeping apps list at the bottom (tap it to expand the list).
List of Unmonitored apps is at the very bottom (longer scrolling is needed) - these are apps that you specifically want to exclude (whitelist) from App power monitor evil reach.
When inside the Unmonitored apps menu, you can tap the 3-dot menu to add or delete apps from the list.

Android Marshmallow and below

On other Samsung phones, the path may look like this:

Phone settings > Applications > select three dot menu (top right corner) > Special Access > Optimize Battery usage > Find your app on the list and make sure that it is not selected.

Note: If you enable “Edge Lighting” for your app, the app will not be able to wake up your screen. To allow your app to wake up your screen, please remove it from the Edge Lighting applications list.

Updated on: 29/04/2024