Keep apps running
How to Stop Samsung Killing Apps in the Background (One UI 8)
By the llcloud team 4 min read
Quick answer
On a Galaxy, add the app to Never sleeping apps under Settings > Battery > Background usage limits, turn off Put unused apps to sleep, set the app's battery to Unrestricted and lock it in recent apps with Keep open. Also add it to Excluded apps in Device care. Device Care can still force-stop apps now and then, which switches accessibility off until you turn it back on.
Samsung's One UI has one of the friendliest battery managers to set up, and one of the most persistent. Apps go to sleep after a few days unused, memory cleans close them, and Device Care can force-stop them in the background. Here is how to keep an app running on a Galaxy with One UI 7 or One UI 8, and what to do when it gets closed anyway.
Why does my Samsung close apps in the background?
On top of Android's own limits, One UI sorts apps into lists. Sleeping apps only run now and then, Deep sleeping apps never run in the background, and Never sleeping apps are left alone. With Put unused apps to sleep on, an app you have not opened for a while moves into the sleeping lists by itself, even if it works for you all day in the background. Device Care adds automatic optimization and memory cleaning, which close background apps on their own schedule.
That hurts apps that run quietly all the time, like a notification light or a DNS filter. The hub guide on why Android kills background apps explains the general picture.
How do I keep an app awake on a Samsung Galaxy?
Do all of these, in order. Menu names below are from One UI 7 and 8. On older versions the battery screens sit under Settings > Battery and device care instead of Settings > Battery.
1. Add the app to Never sleeping apps
- Open Settings > Battery > Background usage limits.
- Tap Never sleeping apps.
- Tap the + sign, select the app and tap Add.
2. Turn off Put unused apps to sleep
On the same Background usage limits screen, switch off Put unused apps to sleep. Also check that the app is not listed under Sleeping apps or Deep sleeping apps. If it is, remove it there.
3. Set the app's battery to Unrestricted
- Open Settings > Apps and tap the app.
- Tap Battery and choose Unrestricted.
- Back on the app's screen, turn off Remove permissions if app is unused (the wording differs by version, look for a switch about unused apps).
4. Tame Device Care
- Open Settings > Device care > Memory and tap Excluded apps. Add the app so memory cleans skip it.
- In Settings > Device care > Auto optimization, look at what is switched on. Samsung says auto optimization closes background apps as part of its work. If your app keeps stopping, try turning it off. A scheduled Auto restart is fine to keep, because the app starts again after a reboot.
5. Lock the app in recent apps
- Open the app, then open recent apps.
- Tap the app's icon at the top of its card.
- Choose Keep open. A small lock appears, and Close all now skips it.
6. Check the extras
- Keep Power saving off when you rely on the app, or check whether your version lets it keep apps running.
- If the app still stops, turn off Adaptive battery. It is under Settings > Battery, on some versions behind More battery settings or the three-dot menu.
- If you installed Good Guardians, its Battery Guardian module can also close apps. Check its app power saving list.
Is there anything Samsung still does after all this?
Yes, sometimes. Even with every step above, Device Care can still force-stop an app now and then. One Galaxy S25 Ultra owner told us they were turning the light back on by hand every day or two. None of these settings is a guarantee. They lower the odds a lot, and the next section is how to recover in a few seconds.
If the light or the app's switch is off again
A force-stop switches off the app's accessibility service, and no app can switch it back on by itself. To do it by hand:
- Open Settings > Accessibility > Installed apps.
- Tap the app, switch it on and confirm.
AuraDisplay notices when this happens. Since version 3.5.4 it posts a notification saying Android switched off its accessibility access, usually with a Turn back on button that opens the right screen. Make sure AuraDisplay is allowed to post notifications, or that warning cannot reach you. Its Keep AuraDisplay Running option in the app's settings adds a foreground service with a notification you can hide, which makes stops rarer.
For a VPN-based filter such as Repel's tracker filter, also turn on Always-on VPN: open Settings > Connections > More connection settings > VPN, tap the gear next to the app and switch it on. The wording differs by version.
What else helps on a Galaxy?
Once the app stays alive, the light itself is the next thing to get right. Our Samsung notification light guide covers Edge Lighting, Always On Display and the punch-hole ring, and AuraDisplay vs Samsung Edge Lighting compares the two. If the light shows unlocked but not with the screen off, read notifications on Always On Display.
Sources
Questions
How do I stop Samsung putting an app to sleep?
Open Settings > Battery > Background usage limits, tap Never sleeping apps, tap the plus sign and add the app. On the same screen, turn off Put unused apps to sleep. On older One UI versions the path starts with Settings > Battery and device care. Then set the app's own battery use to Unrestricted for the best chance it stays awake.
Why does my Samsung keep turning off an app's accessibility service?
Because the app was force-stopped, and Android switches accessibility off on a force-stop. On a Galaxy that is often Device Care or a memory clean doing it in the background. The app cannot turn it back on itself, so you need Settings > Accessibility > Installed apps. Adding the app to Never sleeping apps and Excluded apps makes it happen less often.
Does Keep open in recents stop Samsung closing an app?
It stops Close all in recents and most memory cleans from closing it, which helps. It does not override every battery rule, so combine it with Never sleeping apps and Unrestricted battery. To lock an app, open recents, tap the app's icon at the top of its card and choose Keep open. A small lock appears on the card.
Should I turn off Adaptive battery on Samsung?
Only if the other steps were not enough. Adaptive battery learns which apps you use less and limits them, which can catch quiet background apps like a notification light. Turning it off affects every app, so try Never sleeping apps and Unrestricted first, then switch Adaptive battery off if the app still stops.
