Level 3.0: Honeycomb

Question

Prevent Deep Sleep for Managed Apps

Forum|Forum|19 days ago
May 28, 2026
5 replies
307 views

We report the version numbers of certain apps on managed devices. I've noticed an unusual update pattern with some apps for some time now.
Although we use a payload for Managed Google Play to automatically update public apps, and the affected devices are actively in use, some apps are still running old versions. Updates for some apps simply aren't being performed. The adoption rate for current versions then continues to decline over time.

The cause seems to be an Android feature. Unused apps are disabled after a certain amount of time. For example, on Samsung devices, the affected apps are listed under "Deep sleeping apps" in the device's battery settings. In the app settings and in the Play Store, the apps are shown as disabled.

It seems that Deep Sleep is preventing updates in Managed Google Play. The affected apps must be launched or enabled manually. In general, I think it’s fine to save device resources by turning off unused apps. But in an enterprise environment, we do want to maintain version control over the apps and prevent outdated versions from being used. Updates include new features, bug fixes, and security patches. Even if an app isn't used for a while on an actively used device, its version should not be accidentally frozen.

Is there a policy to prevent certain apps from being disabled or entering deep sleep mode? At first sight, I couldn't find a setting for that. I'm not sure either whether this behavior is a bug or a feature. 🙂

Flo

Level 2.2: Froyo

Hello @Alex_Muc ,

By design with our EMM (Ivanti N-MDM) I dont think so but with OEM apps and a managed config, maybe you can do it. For Samsung example, with knox service plugin, you can try with this setting :

Alex_MucAuthor

Level 3.0: Honeycomb

The battery optimization allowlist in the Knox Service Plugin (/OEM Config) is a useful feature. So far, we haven't put it into production use, as we'd prefer to stick with the standard features of Android Enterprise whenever possible.
When I manually change the battery optimization settings for apps in Deep Sleep, they are reactivated. We would need to test whether the battery optimization allowlist can directly prevent Deep Sleep. I’m not sure to what extent the two mechanisms—battery optimization and Deep Sleep—are related.

Flo

Level 2.2: Froyo

I should try on adevice with this Knox Service Plugin configuration to disable the app from the Battery optimization allowlist and resync the device to see if the app reactivates on its own. This would confirm that this configuration prevents deep sleep as well as battery optimization.

However, even if that’s the case, it still won’t give you a native Android solution.

Kirk

Community Manager

Hey, happy Friday everyone!

Thanks for raising this @Alex_Muc and those involved in the healthy discussion around it, some good points made.

This does seem like a commercial feature that whilst its intentions are good, is causing hassle on the B2B side of things.

Allow us to dig into this internally and I’ll give you an update once I have something to share!

weberda

Level 2.0: Eclair

Hi @Alex_Muc and @Kirk

there is an ongoing investigation between Microsoft and Samsung (samsung case # 00349980) about the battery doze mode and deep sleep feature on Samsung device.

We have HUGE issues with Microsofts Conditional Access because of what Microsoft called “Authentication broker flip”. We have a bunch of apps in the battery optimization list but somehow Samsung has another feature to move apps into a sleep mode not considering the package identifier from this list.

For our scenario the devices are creating new Microsoft device records because of this “flip” and once this happens, users can’t sign-in to protected resources like email, intranet and everything.

We are working with them on this topic since autumn 2025! Still waiting for a solution or workaround.

agonzaleze

Level 1.5: Cupcake

Hi @weberda , we are facing the exact same issue and also got the same feedback about MS and Samsung identifying the the double device records due the authentication broker flip, in our scenario have to say we have identified this issue in Windows, MAC and iOS platform, even with different Android Manufacturers in COPE mode.

Did you got an update so far? From our site we have performed the Azure registry clenaup and ensure via KSP the battery optimization is preventing the Corp Apps going on sleeping mode, but still finding weird behavior on Deep sleep mode apps whether Corp apps such as Android Policy or KAI agent will fall into.

weberda

Level 2.0: Eclair

Hi @agonzaleze

Oh...okay as far as I understood so far I assumed that this is only happening on Android devices. Microsoft did something behind the curtains on our O365 tenant to fix the records on their side. What this is exactly all about was never told.

I have no new news so far, since weeks it is in discussion between Samsung and Microsoft. As we only have corporate Samsung devices we focused on those devices. We never have seen any internal reports for other manufacturers (BYOD with work profile). However, they told us that it seems to have some limitations when you configure battery optimization list, Samsung seems to send some apps to deep sleep without recognizing the configuration.

At the time of this writing I do NOT have 100% confirmation that this is the root cause. Still waiting for any reply and next steps.

Good to hear that we are not the only customer facing this...

Michel

Level 4.0: Ice cream sandwich

Interesting investigation @Alex_Muc ! this is indeed a good consumer feature that’s not very helpfull in business enviromments. But I must admit i’ve never heard customers complain about this. Is it something you found out becuase you document it all? Or are people starting to complain?

Big thumbs up for documenting all of this! Most companies don’t even look at a version, let alone write down wich versions haven been installed on what device and when. Excellent work

Kirk

Community Manager

So we've done a bit of digging internally, and wanted to flag something, though happy to be corrected by those with more hands-on experience here!

"Deep Sleep" as described is a Samsung-specific feature rather than something baked into standard Android power management. If that's right, it would mean this is more of a Samsung conversation than an Android Enterprise platform one, and the ongoing investigation Weberda mentioned between Microsoft and Samsung sounds like exactly the right place to be on that front.

One thing that might help us understand the scope a bit better: if anyone has the ability to test on a non-Samsung device (a Pixel would be the obvious one), it'd be really useful to see whether the same behaviour shows up there too.

A few questions to keep things moving:

Has anyone seen this on non-Samsung devices, or has it been exclusively Samsung in your environments?
For those using the battery optimisation allowlist workaround, has that held up reliably or are you still seeing apps drop into sleep?
Is this limited to specific app types (e.g. Microsoft apps) or is it broader than that?

Thanks to everyone participating in this discussion!

Moombas

Level 4.4: KitKat

On a non Samsung device you would call it “doze mode” i think and i currently have no knowledge of setting this in settings anywhere.

Something i know of additionally is this (Android native function):

And also “allow non-battery-optimized apps” (i see at least on Motorola devices in OEM config) to get apps out of being “optimized”. But i guess this is a manufacturer specific function.

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