Samsung’s Device Care tools let owners rein in background activity, reduce unwanted alerts and help ageing Galaxy phones last longer between charges.
On older Galaxy phones, battery life often comes down to how aggressively the handset reins in background activity. Samsung’s Device Care tools, available on devices running One UI 2.1 and later, give users a straightforward way to control which apps are allowed to keep working when they are not open. The result is less wasted power, fewer unnecessary notifications and, in many cases, a longer useful life for ageing hardware.
Samsung’s own support material says Device Care is designed to help users manage battery, storage, memory and security from one place, with automatic optimisation available as well as manual controls. On supported Galaxy devices, the relevant battery controls sit inside Settings, under Battery or Battery and device care, where users can view app-level power use and then open the Background usage limits menu. Samsung also says the same section can be used alongside power-saving tools and charging guidance to support battery health over time.
Within that menu, the key setting is to keep “Put unused apps to sleep” turned on. That lets the phone place little-used apps into a lower-power state automatically. Users can then add regularly used services to “Never auto sleeping apps” so they are not restricted by mistake. For apps that are clearly consuming too much power, Samsung allows them to be moved manually into “Deep sleeping apps”, which prevents them from running in the background unless opened directly.
That distinction matters because Samsung’s own guidance and independent explainers both note that Device Care is not only about battery saving. It is also a way to limit background checks, reduce persistent permissions use and stop unneeded alerts from draining attention as well as power. For owners of older Galaxy models, that makes the feature one of the most practical tools in One UI: a simple setting that can delay replacement by helping the phone remain usable for longer.
Disclaimer: This content is intended for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to exercise their own judgement, conduct due diligence, or consult a qualified expert before acting on any information provided.
