# Keeping Processes Alive on Android

OpenClaw runs as a server, so Android's power management and process killing can interfere with stable operation. This guide covers all the settings needed to keep your processes running reliably.

## Enable Developer Options

1. Go to **Settings** > **About phone** (or **Device information**)
2. Tap **Build number** 7 times
3. You'll see "Developer mode has been enabled"
4. Enter your lock screen password if prompted

> On some devices, Build number is under **Settings** > **About phone** > **Software information**.

## Stay Awake While Charging

1. Go to **Settings** > **Developer options** (the menu you just enabled)
2. Turn on **Stay awake**
3. The screen will now stay on whenever the device is charging (USB or wireless)

> The screen will still turn off normally when unplugged. Keep the charger connected when running the server for extended periods.

## Set Charge Limit (Required)

Keeping a phone plugged in 24/7 at 100% can cause battery swelling. Limiting the maximum charge to 80% greatly improves battery lifespan and safety.

- **Samsung**: **Settings** > **Battery** > **Battery Protection** → Select **Maximum 80%**
- **Google Pixel**: **Settings** > **Battery** > **Battery Protection** → ON

> Menu names vary by manufacturer. Search for "battery protection" or "charge limit" in your settings. If your device doesn't have this feature, consider managing the charger manually or using a smart plug.

## Disable Battery Optimization for Termux

1. Go to Android **Settings** > **Battery** (or **Battery and device care**)
2. Open **Battery optimization** (or **App power management**)
3. Find **Termux** and set it to **Not optimized** (or **Unrestricted**)

> The exact menu path varies by manufacturer (Samsung, LG, etc.) and Android version. Search your settings for "battery optimization" to find it.

## Disable Phantom Process Killer (Android 12+)

Android 12 and above includes a feature called **Phantom Process Killer** that automatically terminates background processes. This can cause Termux processes like `openclaw gateway`, `sshd`, and `ttyd` to be killed without warning.

## Symptoms

If you see this message in Termux, Android has forcibly killed the process:

```
[Process completed (signal 9) - press Enter]
```

<img src="images/signal9/01-signal9-killed.png" width="300" alt="Process completed signal 9">

Signal 9 (SIGKILL) cannot be caught or blocked by any process — Android terminated it at the OS level.

## Requirements

- **Android 12 or higher** (Android 11 and below are not affected)
- **Termux** with `android-tools` installed (included in OpenClaw on Android)

## Step 1: Acquire Wake Lock

Pull down the notification bar and find the Termux notification. Tap **Acquire wakelock** to prevent Android from suspending Termux.

<p>
  <img src="images/signal9/02-termux-acquire-wakelock.png" width="300" alt="Tap Acquire wakelock">
  <img src="images/signal9/03-termux-wakelock-held.png" width="300" alt="Wake lock held">
</p>

Once activated, the notification will show **"wake lock held"** and the button changes to **Release wakelock**.

> Wake lock alone is not enough to prevent Phantom Process Killer. Continue with the steps below.

## Step 2: Enable Wireless Debugging

1. Go to **Settings** > **Developer options**
2. Find and enable **Wireless debugging**
3. A confirmation dialog will appear — check **"Always allow on this network"** and tap **Allow**

<img src="images/signal9/04-wireless-debugging-allow.png" width="300" alt="Allow wireless debugging">

## Step 3: Install ADB (if not already installed)

In Termux, install `android-tools`:

```bash
pkg install -y android-tools
```

> If you installed OpenClaw on Android, `android-tools` is already included.

## Step 4: Pair with ADB

1. In **Wireless debugging** settings, tap **Pair device with pairing code**
2. A dialog will show the **Wi-Fi pairing code** and **IP address & Port**

   <img src="images/signal9/05-pairing-code-dialog.png" width="300" alt="Pairing code dialog">

3. In Termux, run the pairing command using the port and code shown on screen:

```bash
adb pair localhost:<PAIRING_PORT> <PAIRING_CODE>
```

Example:

```bash
adb pair localhost:39555 269556
```

<img src="images/signal9/06-adb-pair-success.png" width="600" alt="adb pair success">

You should see `Successfully paired`.

## Step 5: Connect with ADB

After pairing, go back to the **Wireless debugging** main screen. Note the **IP address & Port** shown at the top — this is different from the pairing port.

<img src="images/signal9/07-wireless-debugging-paired.png" width="300" alt="Wireless debugging paired">

In Termux, connect using the port shown on the main screen:

```bash
adb connect localhost:<CONNECTION_PORT>
```

Example:

```bash
adb connect localhost:35541
```

You should see `connected to localhost:35541`.

> The pairing port and connection port are different. Use the port shown on the Wireless debugging main screen for `adb connect`.

## Step 6: Disable Phantom Process Killer

Now run the following command to disable Phantom Process Killer:

```bash
adb shell "settings put global settings_enable_monitor_phantom_procs false"
```

Verify the setting:

```bash
adb shell "settings get global settings_enable_monitor_phantom_procs"
```

If the output is `false`, Phantom Process Killer has been successfully disabled.

<img src="images/signal9/08-adb-disable-ppk-done.png" width="600" alt="Phantom Process Killer disabled">

## Notes

- This setting **persists across reboots** — you only need to do this once
- You do **not** need to keep Wireless debugging enabled after completing these steps. You can turn it off
- This does not affect normal app behavior — it only prevents Android from killing background processes in Termux
- If you factory reset your phone, you will need to repeat this process

## Further Reading

Some manufacturers (Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, etc.) apply additional aggressive battery optimization that can kill background apps. If you still experience process termination after disabling Phantom Process Killer, check [dontkillmyapp.com](https://dontkillmyapp.com) for device-specific guides.