Background battery usage (unrestricted, optimised, restricted)

Android lets you choose how much each app may do in the background with three battery settings: Unrestricted, Optimised and Restricted. Optimised is the default and balances battery life and features. Restricted saves the most battery but can delay notifications and syncing.

1The three settings

Unrestricted allows background activity without battery limits. Optimised lets the system limit the app based on your use. Restricted stops most background work, so the app may miss notifications until you open it.

2Doze and App Standby

Independently of these settings, Android uses Doze when the phone is idle and App Standby buckets that rank apps by how recently you used them. Apps you rarely open get fewer chances to run in the background.

3Phone makers

Many phone makers add their own, stricter background limits, for example on Xiaomi, Huawei, Samsung and OnePlus phones. If an app's notifications arrive late, the maker's battery settings are often the reason.

How to change an app's background battery setting

1. Open Settings > Apps and select the app.
2. Tap App battery usage (or Battery).
3. Choose Unrestricted for apps that must run reliably, such as alarms or messaging.
4. Choose Restricted for apps that drain battery and that you do not need in the background.

Related articles

• Battery Saver and Adaptive BatteryWhat Android's Battery Saver and Adaptive Battery do, what they limit, and how to check which apps use the most battery.
• App hibernation (unused apps)How Android puts unused apps into hibernation, removes their permissions and frees space, and how to exempt an app.
• Google Play servicesWhat Google Play services does on an Android phone, why it uses battery and storage, and how to update or reset it safely.

Sources

1. Optimize for Doze and App Standby (Android Developers) developer.android.com
2. Power management resource limits (Android Developers) developer.android.com

Last reviewed: 2026-10-08