Keep Background Services Alive on Android (by Brand

Recording the track can be very useful for observers -to know which areas are sufficiently covered- and for scientists -to estimate densities-.

Even though we use proper Android background services and notifications, some Android phones^* may unexpectedly stop recording your movement when it runs in the background - for example, when the screen is off or while using another application.

^*Brands known to be affected so far, are:
· Xiaomi
· Huawei
· OnePlus
· Oppo
· Realme
· Vivo
· Samsung

This happens because certain phone brands apply aggressive battery-saving policies that automatically switch off background services to save power, for example GPS recording. These power saving settings need to be switched off.

In general, to record your track properly we recommend:

· Allow the app to run in the background.
· Exclude it from battery optimization.
· Enable auto-start and allow background activity.

For Samsung (One UI):

1. Go to the Settings menu > Battery
2. Click on Background usage limits
3. Click on ‘Never automatically put apps in standby’ and select the NaturaList app
Alternative method: Settings > Apps > NaturaList > Battery and select ‘Not restricted’.

For Xiaomi / Redmi / Poco (MIUI):

1. Go to the Settings menu > Battery & Performance 
2. Click on Battery usage 
3. Disable the option "Close apps that drain the battery" 
4. Switch to the Settings > Apps > Manage apps menu 
5. Click on ’Background autostart‘ and then on ’Allow"

Unfortunately, these restrictions are not part of standard Android behaviour and vary by manufacturer. Without adjusting them, your phone may stop the recording after just a few minutes — even without warning.

It usually takes less than a minute and only needs to be done once.