SAMSUNG GALAXY
How to put apps to sleep on a Samsung Galaxy phone
In short
Open Settings, Battery, Background usage limits. Leave Put unused apps to sleep on, then tap Deep sleeping apps, the + button, tick apps and tap Add. Apps that must always work, such as a messenger, go under Never auto sleeping apps.
Well, it is annoying to watch the battery drop on a day you have hardly touched the phone. Apps you rarely open can drain battery, and putting them to sleep stops them running in the background. One UI can freeze them until you open them again.
7 of 7 steps show a real screenshot from our Galaxy S26.
Steps
- 1
Open Battery
Open Settings and tap Battery.
- 2
Tap Background usage limits
It is below Power saving on the Battery page.
- 3
Leave Put unused apps to sleep on
With this switch on, apps you have not used for a while are put to sleep by themselves. It was on on ours.
- 4
Open Deep sleeping apps
Deep sleeping apps stay inactive in the background until you open them. Sleeping apps is the milder list. Both showed 0 on ours.
- 5
Tap +
The page says deep sleeping apps may not receive updates or notifications. Tap + at the top right to add apps. Ours said No apps.
- 6
Tick apps and tap Add
Select apps lists all apps. Tick the ones to stop and tap Add at the top.
- 7
Protect the apps that must keep working
Back on Background usage limits, tap Never auto sleeping apps and + to add apps such as a messenger, your alarm or a fitness tracker. Ours had No apps.
If you do not see this option
- Background usage limits is not on the Battery page On our S26 it is just below Power saving. Or tap Search in Settings and type Background usage limits.
- Your lists show 0 Ours showed 0 next to every list. Our Galaxy A57 had six apps added to Deep sleeping apps by the phone itself; on our S26 there were none yet.
If this does not work
- Notifications from an app stop arriving The Deep sleeping apps page says those apps may not receive updates or notifications. Remove the app from the list, or add it to Never auto sleeping apps so it can keep working in the background.
- An app you put to sleep does not update The same note applies: deep sleeping apps may not receive updates. Open the app when you need it, or take it off the list.
- Not sure how to take an app off? Samsung says to open the list on Background usage limits, tap More options (the three dots), choose Remove apps, select the apps and tap Remove.
Good to know
Don't fret, you can change these settings back any time. The page says the app becomes active when you open it.
More ways to save battery: Samsung Galaxy battery draining fast? 6 fixes.
The difference between the two lists matters, because it decides whether you still hear from an app. Samsung says sleeping apps may run in the background again if you start using them, while deep sleeping apps never run in the background and only work when you open them. Choose deep sleep for apps you open rarely, such as the Calculator app in Samsung's example.
About this guide
- Device
- Android
- Shown on
- Samsung Galaxy S26 (SM-S942N, Korean model), One UI 9, Android 17 (build S942NKSS4BZIG)
- App
- Settings
- Path
- Settings › Battery
- Real screenshots
- 7 of 7 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 1 official, linked below
The screenshots are from our Samsung Galaxy S26, the Korean model SM-S942N, with One UI 9 and Android 17 (build S942NKSS4BZIG), in Dark mode. Samsung's US page gives the path as Settings, Battery and device care, Battery. We only looked at these pages and added no apps.
What changed: every step re-shot on our own Galaxy S26 (Korean model SM-S942N) on One UI 9, dark mode, with the steps rewritten for the One UI 9 screens.
Sources
Links checked October 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.What to do next
Make your Galaxy battery last Step 3 of 6
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