Keep apps running
How to Stop vivo and iQOO Killing Apps (Funtouch OS, OriginOS)
By the llcloud team 4 min read
Quick answer
On a vivo or iQOO phone, allow the app under Settings > Battery > Background power consumption management, turn on Autostart, set its battery use to Unrestricted and lock it in recent apps. Names differ between Funtouch OS 15 and OriginOS 5, so search Settings for each switch. If the app is force-stopped anyway, Android turns its accessibility service off until you turn it back on.
vivo and iQOO phones run Funtouch OS outside China and OriginOS on some newer models, and both close background apps firmly. Apps need your permission to use power in the background and to start themselves, and the built-in cleaner force-stops what it finds. Here is how to keep an app running on Funtouch OS 15 and OriginOS 5, and how to recover when it gets closed anyway.
Why does my vivo phone close apps in the background?
vivo watches how much power each app uses in the background, and unless you allow it, a background app is limited or frozen once the screen is off. Apps also need Autostart to launch themselves, for example after a restart. The i Manager app's cleaner and Clear all in recents can force-stop apps outright. dontkillmyapp.com notes that vivo's restrictions are not fully documented, which is why menu names vary so much. Quiet background apps like a notification light or a DNS filter are hit first. The hub guide on why Android kills background apps explains the bigger picture.
How do I keep an app running on Funtouch OS and OriginOS?
Do all of these. Paths below are the most common on Funtouch OS 15 and OriginOS 5. When yours differs, search Settings for the switch name.
1. Allow background power consumption
- Open Settings > Battery.
- Tap Background power consumption management (on some versions High background power consumption).
- Tap the app and allow it to use power in the background.
2. Set the app's battery use to Unrestricted
- Open Settings > Apps and tap the app (on some versions Settings > Apps > Apps).
- Tap Battery and choose Unrestricted, or set battery optimization to Not optimised. The wording differs by version.
- On the same screen, switch off Pause app activity if unused if it is there.
3. Turn on Autostart
Search Settings for Autostart and switch the app on. On many models it is under Settings > Apps, sometimes inside Permissions or Special access. On older vivo phones it lived in i Manager > App manager > Autostart manager.
4. Lock the app in recent apps
- Open the app, then open recent apps.
- Swipe the app's card down, or open its menu, and tap Lock (some versions say Lockdown).
- A lock shows above the card, and Clear all skips it.
5. Keep power saving off
Under Settings > Battery, keep Power saving and Super power saving off when you rely on the app. Some versions also have a sleep or night mode for battery that limits background work while you sleep. If your app stops overnight, look for it on the same screen.
6. Go easy on i Manager
The i Manager cleaner and speed-up tools close apps to free memory. Avoid running them for apps you depend on.
Which switch does what?
If you only have a minute, this is what each setting protects against.
| Setting | What it stops | Skip it and |
|---|---|---|
| Background power consumption | Freezing once the screen is off | The app sleeps until you open it |
| Unrestricted battery | Android's own Doze limits | Work is delayed into short windows |
| Autostart | Being blocked from starting itself | It stays closed after a restart or a clean |
| Recents lock | Clear all and i Manager cleans | One tap can force-stop it |
| Power saving off | Phone-wide background limits | Every background app is held back |
The background power setting matters most on vivo, so start there if you are short on time.
Can vivo still close the app after all this?
Yes, at times. These steps make it much rarer, but no setting on Funtouch OS or OriginOS is a guarantee. A low-memory moment or a clean can still end the app, so it helps to know the recovery steps.
If the light or the app's switch is off again
When an app is force-stopped, Android turns its accessibility service off, and the app cannot turn it back on by itself. To do it by hand:
- Open Settings > Shortcuts & accessibility > Accessibility (on some versions just Settings > Accessibility).
- Tap Downloaded services (or Installed apps), then the app.
- Switch it on and confirm.
AuraDisplay checks for this. Since version 3.5.4 it posts a notification when Android switches off its accessibility access, usually with a Turn back on button that opens the right screen. Allow AuraDisplay to post notifications so the warning gets through. In its settings, Keep AuraDisplay Running adds a foreground service that makes stops rarer, though it cannot block 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. If you would rather have nothing running at all, Private DNS blocks trackers with no app in the background.
What next?
With the app staying alive, set up the light with our guide to a notification light on Android. If your vivo has an AMOLED screen, notifications on Always On Display explains what the light can and cannot do with the screen off.
Sources
Questions
Where is high background power consumption on vivo?
On most recent vivo and iQOO phones it is under Settings > Battery > Background power consumption management. Tap the app and allow it to use power in the background. Some versions call the screen High background power consumption or High background power usage instead. If you cannot find it, search Settings for background power.
How do I turn on Autostart on vivo?
On current Funtouch OS and OriginOS versions, search Settings for Autostart, or look under Settings > Apps, sometimes inside a Permissions or Special access section. Switch the app on in the list. Very old Funtouch OS versions kept it in the i Manager app under App manager. Without Autostart, a closed app cannot start itself again.
Why does my vivo phone switch off an app's accessibility service?
The app was force-stopped, and Android switches accessibility off on a force-stop. On vivo that is often i Manager's cleaner, Clear all in recents or the battery manager. The app cannot switch it back on itself. Turn it back on under Accessibility in Settings, then work through the steps here so it happens less often.
