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How to Exclude an App From Battery Optimization

Tap a step to see exactly how it works.

  1. Open battery settings

    Go into Settings, then "Battery" (or your device's equivalent) and find "Background usage limits".

  2. Find the app list

    Review the apps sorted into categories such as unrestricted, optimized, and restricted.

  3. Select the app to exempt

    Choose an app that genuinely needs to keep running in the background, such as a messaging app or alarm app.

  4. Set it to "Unrestricted"

    Moving the app into the "Unrestricted" category means it always runs normally, unaffected by battery-saving limits.

  5. Balance it against battery life

    Exempting too many apps can noticeably increase battery drain, so it's best to choose only the apps you genuinely need.

Don't let battery saving cost you an important notification

Battery-saving features that restrict background apps can cause messaging notifications to arrive late or alarms to go off behind schedule. Setting only the essential apps as exceptions helps prevent that problem.

Why manufacturers manage background apps so aggressively

Different phone manufacturers apply their own layer of background-app management on top of the base operating system, often more aggressive than users expect, which is why an app that behaves normally on one phone brand may get quietly throttled on another unless it's explicitly exempted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I just set every app to unrestricted?

Exempting every app defeats the purpose of battery saving and can meaningfully increase battery drain, so it's better to choose only the apps you truly need.

Does the menu location differ by manufacturer?

Yes β€” the exact menu name and location vary by manufacturer and OS version, so searching for "battery" within your settings app is often the fastest way to find it.