Android GPS Background Recording Checklist

Keeping Dinghy Coach Recording for Long Sessions

GPS track recording apps can be killed by Android's battery management — often silently, and often at exactly 60 minutes. This checklist covers the settings required to prevent that across all major Android brands.

Part 1 — All Android Devices (Start Here)

These apply to every phone regardless of manufacturer.

1.1 Location Permission

• Settings → Apps → Dinghy Coach → Permissions → Location

  • Set to "Allow all the time" (not "Only while using")

  • This is essential — without it, GPS stops the moment the screen locks

1.2 Battery Optimisation

• Settings → Apps → Dinghy Coach → Battery

  • Set to Unrestricted

  • Do not leave on "Optimised" (the default) — this will throttle or kill GPS after a period of inactivity

1.3 Disable Power Saving Mode

• Settings → Battery → Power Saving Mode

  • Turn OFF before starting a recording session

  • Power saving mode can throttle or disable GPS entirely

1.4 Disable Adaptive Battery (Android 9+)

• Settings → Battery → Adaptive Battery

  • Turn OFF

  • Adaptive Battery uses machine learning to restrict apps it thinks you use infrequently — a once-a-week sailing app is exactly the kind of thing it targets

1.5 Keep Screen On (Optional but Recommended)

• Running with the screen on (or using a screen lock exemption) prevents the deepest Doze states from activating

• Consider a car/boat mount with power connected during long sessions

Part 2 — Samsung (One UI)

Samsung has some of the most aggressive and complex battery management of any Android manufacturer. Multiple settings must be configured — doing only one is often not enough.

2.1 App Battery Setting

• Settings → Apps → Dinghy Coach → Battery

  • Set to Unrestricted

2.2 Never Sleeping Apps

• Settings → Battery and Device Care → Battery → Background Usage Limits → Never Sleeping Apps

  • Tap + and add Dinghy Coach

  • Do this BEFORE setting Unrestricted in step 2.1 — setting Unrestricted first hides the app from the Never Sleeping list

2.3 Disable "Put Unused Apps to Sleep"

• Settings → Battery and Device Care → Battery → Background Usage Limits

  • Toggle "Put unused apps to sleep" → OFF

  • Even if you add the app to Never Sleeping, this global toggle can override it after 3 days of non-use

2.4 Confirm App Is Not in Deep Sleeping Apps

• Settings → Battery and Device Care → Battery → Background Usage Limits → Deep Sleeping Apps

  • Check Dinghy Coach is not listed here

  • If it is, tap it and remove it

2.5 Memory Optimisation Exclusion

• Settings → Battery and Device Care → Memory → Excluded Apps

  • Tap + and add Dinghy Coach

2.6 Adaptive Power Saving

• Settings → Battery and Device Care → Battery → More Battery Settings

  • Disable Adaptive Power Saving

Part 3 — Xiaomi / Redmi (MIUI)

MIUI is one of the most aggressive background-process killers on the market. This is the most likely cause of the 60-minute cutoff seen on Redmi Note 7 devices. Multiple steps are required.

3.1 App Battery Setting

• Settings → Apps → Manage Apps → Dinghy Coach → Battery Saver

  • Set to No Restrictions

3.2 Autostart (Critical — Easy to Miss)

• Security App → Permissions → Autostart

  • Enable Autostart for Dinghy Coach

  • This is a separate toggle from battery settings and is frequently missed. Without it, MIUI can kill the app regardless of other settings.

3.3 App Battery Saver (Security App)

• Security App → Battery → App Battery Saver

  • Find Dinghy Coach → Set to No Restrictions

3.4 Lock App in RAM

• Open Dinghy Coach and start recording

• Press the Recents button

• Swipe up on the Dinghy Coach card to reveal a lock icon and tap it

• Locked apps survive the RAM manager and recent-apps sweeps

3.5 MIUI Optimisations (Developer Options)

• Settings → About Phone → tap MIUI Version 7 times to enable Developer Options

• Settings → Additional Settings → Developer Options

  • Disable MIUI Optimisations

  • This disables the 60-minute background process cutoff

3.6 Clear Cache When Locked

• Security App → Battery → Settings (top right)

  • Set "Clear cache when device is locked" → Never

Part 4 — Motorola

Motorola runs close to stock Android but has a few specific additions.

4.1 App Battery Setting

• Settings → Apps → Dinghy Coach → Battery

  • Set to Unrestricted

  • On newer Motorola devices this option is one level deeper than expected — search Settings for "managing background apps" if you can't find it

4.2 Adaptive Battery

• Settings → Battery → Adaptive Battery

  • Turn OFF

  • Motorola's Adaptive Battery is more aggressive than it sounds — apps used infrequently (like a weekend sailing app) are prime targets

4.3 Background Restriction Check

• Settings → Apps → Dinghy Coach → Advanced → Battery → Background Restriction

  • If it says "Background activity restricted" → tap and select Remove

Part 5 — OnePlus (OxygenOS)5.1 App Battery Setting

• Settings → Apps → Manage Apps → Dinghy Coach → Battery

  • Set to No Restrictions

5.2 Battery Optimisation

• Settings → Battery → Battery Optimisation → (three dots) → All Apps

  • Find Dinghy Coach → Set to Don't Optimise

5.3 Deep / Advanced Optimisation

• Settings → Battery → Battery Optimisation → (three dots)

  • Disable Advanced Optimisation (or Enhanced Optimisation on older models)

  • Disable Deep Optimisation / Sleep Standby Optimisation

5.4 Lock App in Recents

• Open Dinghy Coach, then go to Recents

• Long-press the app card and select Lock (or tap the app icon and choose Keep Open)

Part 6 — Huawei / Honor (EMUI / HarmonyOS)

6.1 App Launch Manager

• Settings → Battery → App Launch

  • Find Dinghy Coach → Disable "Manage Automatically"

  • Enable all three manual options: Auto-launch, Secondary launch, Run in background

6.2 Protected Apps

• Settings → Advanced Settings → Battery Manager → Protected Apps

  • Enable protection for Dinghy Coach

6.3 Battery Optimisation Ignore List

• Settings → Apps → Advanced → Ignore Optimisations

  • Press Allowed → select All Apps

  • Find Dinghy Coach and set to Allow

6.4 Keep Running After Screen Off

• Settings → Apps → Dinghy Coach → Battery

  • Uncheck Power-intensive prompt

  • Check Keep running after screen off

6.5 Startup Manager

• Settings → All → Startup Manager

  • Enable Dinghy Coach

Part 7 — Google Pixel (Stock Android)

Pixel devices running stock Android are the most well-behaved. Usually only the standard steps (Part 1) are needed.

7.1 App Battery Setting

• Settings → Apps → Dinghy Coach → Battery → Battery Optimisation

  • Set to Don't Optimise

7.2 Adaptive Battery

• Settings → Battery → Adaptive Battery

  • Turn OFF if sessions are stopping prematurely

Part 8 — OPPO / Realme / Vivo

These brands share underlying platform code with similar battery management.

8.1 App Battery Setting

• Settings → Battery → More Settings → App Battery Saver

  • Find Dinghy Coach → Set to No Restrictions (or Allow Background Running)

8.2 Auto-Start

• Security Centre (or Phone Manager) → Privacy Permissions → Startup Manager

  • Enable Auto-start for Dinghy Coach

8.3 High Power Consumption Prompt

• Settings → Apps → Dinghy Coach → Battery

  • Disable High Power Consumption Prompt

Quick Reference

Further Reference

The community resource dontkillmyapp.com maintains up-to-date, device-specific instructions for all major manufacturers and is the best place to check for newer device models or OS versions not covered here.