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How to Turn Off Battery Optimization on a Samsung Phone: A Deep Dive

Want to unleash the full potential of your Samsung device without pesky battery limitations? You’re in the right place. We’re going to explore the ins and outs of disabling battery optimization, ensuring your apps run smoothly and efficiently, even if it means a slight dip in battery longevity.

The short answer? You can turn off battery optimization on a Samsung phone by going to Settings > Apps > (Select the App) > Battery > Optimize battery usage > Tap the dropdown at the top to select ‘All’ > Toggle the app’s switch to the ‘Off’ position. This process prevents the operating system from restricting the app’s background activity, allowing it to function without hindrance.

Understanding Battery Optimization on Samsung Phones

Samsung’s battery optimization is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s designed to extend your phone’s battery life by restricting background activity of apps you don’t frequently use. On the other hand, this feature can sometimes be overly aggressive, preventing essential apps from sending notifications, syncing data, or running smoothly in the background. This is especially frustrating for apps like email clients, fitness trackers, and messaging services. Learning to manage these settings is crucial for maximizing your device’s utility without being chained to a charger.

Navigating Samsung’s One UI for Battery Settings

Samsung’s user interface, One UI, offers a relatively straightforward way to manage battery optimization. However, the exact location of settings may vary slightly depending on your specific device model and the version of One UI you’re running. Regardless, the core principles remain the same. We’ll guide you through the general process and highlight some potential variations you might encounter.

Step-by-Step Guide to Disabling Battery Optimization

Follow these steps to turn off battery optimization for a specific app on your Samsung phone:

Open the Settings app. This is usually represented by a gear icon on your home screen or app drawer.
Navigate to “Apps.” Scroll through the settings menu until you find the “Apps” option and tap on it.
Select the App. You’ll see a list of all the apps installed on your device. Locate the app you want to exempt from battery optimization and tap on its name.
Go to “Battery” Settings. In the app’s information screen, look for the “Battery” option. It might be labeled simply as “Battery” or “Battery usage.” Tap on it.
Choose “Optimize battery usage.” You should see an option labeled “Optimize battery usage.” Select this option.
Change the View to “All Apps”. At the top of the screen, you will see a dropdown menu that is by default set to “Apps not optimized”. Tap on this and change it to “All”.
Toggle the Switch to “Off”. You’ll see a list of all your apps, with a toggle switch next to each one. Find the app you want to disable battery optimization for, and flip the switch to the “Off” position (usually greyed out).

Alternative Method: Using Device Care

Samsung also provides a “Device Care” feature that incorporates battery optimization. Here’s how to access the settings through this route:

Open the Settings app.
Go to “Battery and device care.” Scroll down the Settings menu to find the “Battery and device care” option, and tap on it.
Select “Battery.” Tap on the “Battery” option within the “Battery and device care” menu.
Choose “More battery settings.” Look for “More battery settings” at the bottom of the screen and tap on it.
Tap “Adaptive battery” Disable this setting.

This method disables the intelligent optimization feature, affecting all apps in general but still allowing control for specific apps.

Considerations Before Disabling Battery Optimization

Before you go on a battery optimization disabling spree, it’s important to understand the implications. Disabling optimization can lead to:

Increased Battery Drain: Apps running freely in the background consume more power.
Higher Data Usage: Background syncing and data refresh can increase your data consumption.
Potential Performance Impact: While less likely on modern Samsung phones, some older devices might experience a slight performance dip with more apps actively running.

Think carefully about which apps truly need unrestricted access. Prioritize essential services like messaging apps, email clients, and location-based apps that you rely on for real-time updates. For less critical apps, consider leaving battery optimization enabled to preserve battery life.

When to Re-Enable Battery Optimization

There are situations where re-enabling battery optimization might be beneficial:

Travel: When you’re on the go and have limited access to charging, extending battery life becomes paramount.
Low Battery: If your battery is running low and you need to conserve power, re-enabling optimization can buy you valuable extra time.
App Issues: If an app starts behaving erratically or consuming excessive battery, re-enabling optimization can help diagnose the problem.

FAQs About Battery Optimization on Samsung Phones

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about battery optimization on Samsung phones:

1. Will disabling battery optimization improve my app’s performance?

Yes, disabling battery optimization can often improve app performance, especially for apps that rely on background activity. This ensures that the app receives timely updates, can sync data regularly, and doesn’t get unexpectedly terminated by the system.

2. Does disabling battery optimization completely prevent apps from being killed in the background?

No, disabling battery optimization doesn’t guarantee that apps will never be killed. The Android operating system may still terminate apps in the background to free up resources if the system is running low on memory. However, disabling battery optimization significantly reduces the likelihood of this happening.

3. How can I see which apps are currently optimized?

Go to Settings > Apps > (select an app) > Battery > Optimize battery usage. Change the dropdown menu at the top from “Apps not optimized” to “All”. Apps with the toggle switched “On” are currently optimized.

4. Can I disable battery optimization for all apps at once?

No, unfortunately, Samsung doesn’t provide a global switch to disable battery optimization for all apps simultaneously. You need to adjust the settings for each app individually.

5. Will disabling battery optimization void my phone’s warranty?

No, disabling battery optimization is a standard user setting and will not void your phone’s warranty.

6. What is “adaptive battery” and how does it relate to battery optimization?

Adaptive Battery is a feature that learns your usage patterns and prioritizes battery power for the apps you use most often. It limits battery usage for apps you rarely use. It’s found in Settings > Battery and device care > Battery > More battery settings > Adaptive battery. Turning this off means that you are manually in control of battery optimization for all apps.

7. How does “sleeping apps” affect battery optimization?

Samsung also has a “Sleeping apps” feature that automatically puts apps you haven’t used in a while to sleep, preventing them from running in the background. You can find and manage these settings in Settings > Battery and device care > Battery > Background usage limits. Apps in “Sleeping apps” are heavily restricted, and disabling battery optimization for those apps is particularly important if you want them to function properly.

8. Why is my app still being optimized even after I disabled battery optimization?

There are several possible reasons: the “Sleeping apps” feature might be interfering, the operating system might be terminating the app due to low memory, or you might have inadvertently re-enabled battery optimization for the app. Double-check your settings and ensure that the app is not in the “Sleeping apps” list.

9. How can I exclude an app from the “Sleeping apps” list?

Go to Settings > Battery and device care > Battery > Background usage limits > Never sleeping apps and tap the “+” icon to add the app to the list of “Never sleeping apps”.

10. Is it better to use power saving mode or disable battery optimization for specific apps?

It depends on your needs. Power saving mode applies a range of restrictions to extend battery life, while disabling battery optimization for specific apps gives you more granular control. If you need to significantly extend battery life, power saving mode is a better option. If you only want to ensure certain apps function properly, disabling battery optimization for those apps is more effective.

11. Will disabling battery optimization drain my battery faster when the phone is idle?

Potentially, yes. If you have multiple apps with battery optimization disabled, they might continue to consume power in the background even when the phone is idle, leading to faster battery drain.

12. How do I reset all battery optimization settings to default?

Unfortunately, there is no single button to reset all battery optimization settings to default. You would need to manually go through each app and re-enable battery optimization individually. However, factory resetting your device would accomplish this, but it’s a drastic measure and will erase all your data.

By understanding these concepts and following the steps outlined above, you can effectively manage battery optimization on your Samsung phone and tailor it to your specific needs. Remember to monitor your battery usage and adjust your settings accordingly to find the optimal balance between performance and battery life.