Optimizing apps sounds great, until it says that after every reboot or for 24 hours straight. Then there’s nothing optimal about it. Clearly it’s not working as intended, and this issue can be pretty common after an update. You might also be wondering how to stop battery optimization of your apps in Android. We’ve got you covered for that too.
Method 1: Wipe Cache Partition
For many, wiping the cache partition totally wipes out this problem. It is normal for the message to appear one last time upon reboot, but not every reboot thereafter. The nice thing about wiping the cache versus performing a factory reset is that it won’t delete all of your personal data. Yes, you might have to re-enter some passwords, but it’s a lot less messy than the following method.
Step 1: Use Power/Volume Key Combination
On many devices you enter Recovery Mode by long-pressing the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously on your device.
Step 2: Release Buttons Incrementally
Release Power when you see the manufacturer logo, then Volume.
Step 3: Select Recovery
Navigate using the Volume buttons. Make selections using either the Power button or Volume Down.
Step 4: Choose Wipe Cache Partition
If you encounter a screen that says No Command long-press the Power button, then press Volume Up. Release in reverse order, starting with Volume Up, then Power. You can also clear the cache of individual apps, but it may not be as effective.
Step 5: Reboot
Method 2: Unplug Device Before Restart
In many instances, this message/problem only occurs when you reboot while your phone is charging. Since this change in habit is pretty easy to do, it doesn’t hurt to try it out. Often, a subsequent update from Google Play will correct the issue.
Method 3: Uninstall Troublesome Apps
Did this problem start after you installed an app? If so, try uninstalling it. If this doesn’t solve it, it’s easy enough to reinstall these apps, so it’s worth a short. Apps like Zedge, TrueCaller, TextPlus, MyFitnessPal, and even Facebook are not above causing this error. If an app is using an unusual amount of your battery, this is a clue you may need to uninstall. This method is key for how to stop optimizing apps in Android.
Step 1: Try Safe Mode
There are a couple of ways to do this depending on the device. One way is to press and hold the power button until the option to enter Safe Mode appears. The other method is to release the Power button when the manufacturers logo appears, and instantly long-press the Volume Down key until your device boots. You should then see Safe Mode to the lower left. If the Optimizing Apps message does not appear in Safe Mode, it’s probably a safe bet that an app is your issue. You can uninstall one app at a time, or Method 5’s Factory Reset will wipe the slate clean. It will also wipe out your settings and other data you might want to keep though, so if you go that route be sure to backup any critical data. Unless you want to start by going nuclear, try this approach first.
Step 2: Open Settings
This is the gear icon located in your Apps drawer.
Step 3: Visit Apps or Applications Manager
The name may vary slightly by device.
Ste 4: Tap the Offending App
If you still aren’t sure which app could be responsible for this, try checking out your Battery Stats. On Samsung devices, for instance, go to Settings > Device Maintenance > Battery.
Step 5: Choose Uninstall
If there is no option to uninstall, you may be dealing with a system app. The next best thing is to disable it.
Method 4: Remove Apps from Standby Mode (Prevent Battery Optimization for Select Apps)
If you are reading this article because you are having trouble with apps repeatedly and painstakingly optimizing at boot, this method isn’t going to help you. Another problem people experience with app optimization has nothing to do with the apps themselves being optimized; instead, apps’ performance is being sacrificed for the battery to be optimized. If this is what you are experiencing you have come to the right place. We’re going to show you how to turn off battery optimization for specific apps. Android Marshmallow’s Standby Mode puts your apps to sleep to conserve battery, but you might not want it to.
Step 1: Locate Battery Optimization Menu (Can Vary Greatly by Device)
Go to Settings > Battery, and if you see a menu icon in the upper right corner, tap on it. Some devices have you start out by going into Settings > Applications instead.
Step 2: Select Battery Optimization
Alternatively, if you see an option that says Not Optimized, tap on it. Other options to get to the list of apps are: Special Access, Advanced, or Menu.
Step 3: Choose “All Apps” or “Apps”
You don’t need to do this if you already see a list of apps.
Step 4: Find Your App(s)
Locate the app you don’t want in Standby Mode.
Step 5: Tap the App
If you still don’t see a list of apps, look for Optimize Battery Usage or Ignore Optimizations.
Step 6: Ensure the App isn’t Selected for Optimization
Again, this will look different on different devices. You may need to deselect the app, hit Allow, or Don’t Optimize. You might not need to do anything. As a reminder, these steps are intended to help you stop optimizing apps in Android when it comes to the battery, and will not help if you are having issues at boot.
Step 7: Finalize
If necessary, tap Done. Don’t be surprised if you see an unfavorable impact on your battery life. You are negating what your battery’s optimization settings were designed to do, but it might be worth it if you have something such as a messaging app from which you constantly need to receive data.
Method 5: Remove & Reinsert SD Card
Some users report having this problem when their SD card is encrypted or when some apps have been installed on the card instead of internal memory. Whatever the issue may be, finding out if it lies with the SD card is easy.
Step 1: Remove SD Card
Wait for your device to finish booting, although this should speed things up.
Step 2: Reinsert SD Card
Now move your apps back to your phone’s internal memory.
Step 3: Format SD
Go to Settings > Storage. The option may be listed as either Format SD Card or Erase SD Card, depending upon device.
Method 6: Rooted App: Optimizing Apps Fix
The developer of this app makes no promises, but his/her premise is solid, and the app has definitely helped many. Backup your data before use. Also of critical importance: never uninstall this app until you select the Unfix option. Download: Optimizing Apps Fixer [Root]
Step 1: Fix It!
There truly is only one button you need to press to begin, and this is it.
Step 2: Either Upgrade or Undo Fix After Every Update
If you update either your system or any of your apps, hit Unfix It before you reboot. Once you get logged in again, you can reapply the fix.
Method 7: Factory Reset
Think of it as a brand new phone… because it will be unless you backup your data!
Step 1: Visit Settings
It’s possible to factory reset from Recovery Mode as well.
Step 2: Select System
Now tap Reset > Factory Reset.
Step 3: Reset Phone
You may be asked to enter your password or PIN. Then, when you first login to Google, deselect syncing of your old apps.
Step 4: Restart
Reboot after erasing all of your data.
Method 8: Contact Carrier
Take your device to your service provider. This issue might be due to an app, or it could be the firmware itself. If the issue is determined to be an app, don’t reinstall it. Some carriers, such as Verizon, offer apps to assist with software repair. You may need to have new firmware flashed to your device. Sometimes a drastic measure is needed to stop optimizing apps in Android.
That’s All for Now
If an app you can’t live without is causing this, you could also try downgrading the app to its previous version before its last update. Make sure you disable auto updates until one is released that you actually want. It’s also good to know that help is on the way soon when it comes to your operating system. If you are one of many who are not yet running Android Nougat, you should see an improvement with this issue once you are, as this precise problem was on the radar when the update was being developed. Did we miss a method that has worked for you to stop optimizing apps on Android? Are you still struggling to stop optimizing apps? Let us know in the comment section below.
