How to Disable Battery Optimization on Android: Step-by-Step Guide

Why Disable Battery Optimization

Android uses a power management system (Doze and App Standby) to limit background app activity and conserve battery life. While this is effective for rarely used utilities, critical services—such as messengers, activity trackers, music players, or navigation apps—may start to "fall asleep." Notifications arrive with a delay, data fails to sync, and music stops playing when the screen turns off.

Disabling optimization for specific applications restores their execution priority. You will get a stable background mode without needing to keep the application open at all times.

Preparation

Before configuring, ensure that:

• The device is running Android 8.0 (Oreo) or newer. Older versions use a different power management architecture, and menu paths may not match.
• You know exactly which application requires stable background operation. Disabling restrictions en masse will lead to rapid battery drain.
• Corporate profiles (MDM) are not enabled on the phone, as they often block changes to system battery settings.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Open App Settings

Navigate to Settings → Apps → Manage apps (or All apps). Locate the target application in the list of installed programs. If your interface differs, use the search bar in Settings and type Battery or Optimization.

Step 2: Navigate to the Power Consumption Section

Open the details page for the selected application. Scroll down to Battery saver, Battery, or Power usage. Depending on your Android version, this section may sometimes be hidden under Advanced or Permissions.

Step 3: Remove the Restriction

In the menu that appears, select Unrestricted, Don't optimize, or Allow background activity. The system will display a warning about potential increased battery consumption. Confirm your choice by tapping OK or Allow anyway.

Step 4: Configuration for Manufacturer Skins

On smartphones with manufacturer-customized interfaces, the standard path is often supplemented by additional toggles that must be configured alongside the main setting:

• Xiaomi (MIUI / HyperOS): Navigate to Settings → Apps → Other permissions → Battery saver → select No restrictions. In the same section, make sure to enable Autostart.
• Samsung (One UI): In the app's settings, open Battery → Unrestricted. Additionally, go to Settings → Device care → Battery → Background usage limits and remove the application from the "Deep sleeping apps" list.
• Realme / OPPO: Open Settings → Battery → Additional battery settings → Battery optimization. In the top menu, switch to All apps, locate the required application, and set its status to Don't optimize.

Verifying the Results

To verify that the settings have been applied, open the application and minimize it. Leave the phone untouched for 15–20 minutes with the screen locked. If you receive notifications in real time, and under Settings → Battery → Battery usage the application is displayed as actively running in the background, the process was successful.

For precise technical diagnostics, connect the device to a PC and run the following command in the terminal:

adb shell dumpsys deviceidle whitelist

The application's package name should appear in the output. This confirms that the system has excluded it from Doze mode.

Troubleshooting

• The option is unavailable or grayed out. This occurs if the application is assigned as a device administrator or was installed from a third-party APK. Uninstall the program, download it again from the official app store, and then repeat the steps.
• Applications are still being closed by the system. Modern Android skins use their own memory managers. Open the recent apps menu, locate the required application, long-press its card, and tap the lock icon. This will pin the process in RAM.
• Accelerated battery drain. If you notice a drop in battery life, revert the setting to Optimized or Smart mode. Alternatively, enable Unrestricted only while performing long-running tasks, and then restore the default parameters.