Keep apps running
How to Stop OnePlus Killing Apps on OxygenOS 15 and 16
By the llcloud team 4 min read
Quick answer
On OxygenOS 15 and 16, open Settings > Apps > App management, tap the app, then Battery usage, and turn on Allow background activity and Allow auto launch. Turn off Pause app activity if unused and lock the app in recent apps. Recheck after system updates. If the app is force-stopped anyway, Android switches its accessibility service off and you turn it back on by hand.
OnePlus phones now run OxygenOS on the same base as OPPO's ColorOS, and they share its battery manager. It freezes apps once the screen goes dark, blocks apps from starting themselves and can close apps in recents. Here is how to keep an app running on OxygenOS 15 and 16, and how to recover when it gets closed anyway.
Why does my OnePlus close apps in the background?
OxygenOS adds per-app switches on top of Android's battery rules. Allow background activity decides whether an app may keep working with the screen off. Allow auto launch decides whether it may start itself, for example after a restart. With both off, ColorOS-based systems decide on their own when an app may run, and a quiet background app like a notification light or a DNS filter rarely makes the cut. The hub guide on why Android kills background apps explains the bigger picture.
How do I keep an app running on OxygenOS?
Do all of these. Wording below is from OxygenOS 15 and 16. Older releases are similar, and where a path differs it is noted.
1. Allow background activity and auto launch
- Open Settings > Apps > App management.
- Tap the app, then tap Battery usage.
- Turn on Allow background activity.
- Turn on Allow auto launch if it is listed. Some versions also show Allow foreground activity, which should stay on.
On some versions these switches are under Settings > Battery > More settings > App battery management instead.
2. Turn off battery optimization for the app
Open Settings > Battery > More settings and look for Optimise battery use or Battery optimisation. Find the app, often under an All apps filter, and choose Don't optimise. The wording differs by version.
3. Turn off Pause app activity if unused
On the app's screen in App management, switch off Pause app activity if unused. It can strip permissions from an app you rarely open, even one that works all day in the background.
4. Lock the app in recent apps
- Open the app, then open recent apps.
- Tap the menu above the app's card, or long-press the card, and choose Lock.
- A lock shows on the card, and Clear all skips it.
5. Check power saving and sleep options
Keep Power saving mode off under Settings > Battery when you rely on the app. Some versions also have a sleep-time option, called Sleep standby optimisation on older releases, that cuts background work overnight. If your app stops at night, look for it under Settings > Battery > More settings and switch it off.
6. Recheck after updates
OnePlus has been known to reset battery settings after a system update. After any OxygenOS update, spend a minute checking steps 1 and 2.
Which switch does what?
If you only have a minute, this is what each setting protects against.
| Setting | What it stops | Skip it and |
|---|---|---|
| Allow background activity | Freezing once the screen is off | The app sleeps until you open it |
| Allow auto launch | Being blocked from starting itself | It stays closed after a restart or a clean |
| Don't optimise | Android's own Doze limits | Work is delayed into short windows |
| Pause app activity if unused off | Losing permissions after a quiet spell | Notification access or other grants can vanish |
| Recents lock | Clear all | One tap in recents can force-stop it |
Allow background activity does most of the work. The others close the gaps it leaves.
Can OnePlus still close the app after all this?
Sometimes, yes. These steps lower the odds a lot, but no setting is a guarantee, and a low-memory moment or a cleaner can still end the app. The next section is how to recover quickly.
If the light or the app's switch is off again
When an app is force-stopped, Android switches its accessibility service off, and the app cannot switch it back on itself. To do it by hand:
- Open Settings and search for Accessibility. On some versions it is under Additional settings.
- Tap Downloaded apps (or Installed apps), then the app.
- Switch it on and confirm.
AuraDisplay watches for this. Since version 3.5.4 it posts a notification saying Android switched off its accessibility access, usually with a Turn back on button that takes you to the right screen. Allow AuraDisplay to post notifications so the warning can reach you. Also turn on Keep AuraDisplay Running in its settings. That foreground service makes stops rarer, though it cannot prevent every one.
For a VPN-based filter such as Repel's tracker filter, search Settings for VPN, tap the app and turn on Always-on VPN if your version offers it.
What next?
OPPO and realme phones share most of these menus, so the OPPO and realme guide is a useful cross-check. Once the app stays alive, set up the light with our guide to a notification light on Android, and read notifications on Always On Display for what to expect with the screen off.
Sources
Questions
Where is Allow background activity on OnePlus?
Open Settings > Apps > App management, tap the app and tap Battery usage. Turn on Allow background activity, and Allow auto launch if it is there. On some versions you reach the same switches through Settings > Battery > More settings > App battery management. The exact wording can differ slightly between OxygenOS releases.
Why does my OnePlus reset these settings?
OnePlus has a history of resetting battery choices after firmware updates, which dontkillmyapp.com also notes. If an app that worked well starts stopping after an OxygenOS update, go back through the battery usage and battery optimization steps and check that your choices are still there. Locking the app in recents can also help keep them.
Why does my OnePlus turn off an app's accessibility service?
The app was force-stopped. Android switches accessibility off on a force-stop, whether it came from you, a cleaner or the battery manager. The app cannot turn it back on by itself. Allowing background activity and locking it in recents make it rarer. When it happens, turn the service back on in the Accessibility settings.
