Why the 'Your phone is protected' notification exists
Android stops background apps to save battery. The only way an app is allowed to keep working is as a foreground service, and every foreground service must show a notification. That is the 'Your phone is protected' notification you see from Alert24. It is not an advert and not a nag; it is the sign that the service watching your sensors, charger and remote commands is alive.
If the notification disappears, the service was stopped. Alarms you armed will not fire and remote commands will not be received until the app runs again. Opening the app once restarts it, and it also restarts after a reboot. Some phones aggressively kill foreground services anyway; the next sections cover that.
You can silence the notification's channel in Android settings if you find it distracting. Do not force-stop the app or swipe it away from Recents on phones where that kills services.
Sensors versus battery: what actually costs
Not everything in Alert24 runs all the time. Roughly, from cheapest to most expensive.
| Feature | What runs | Battery impact |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing armed | The foreground service waits. No sensor listening, no location requests. | Small. Keeping a process alive costs little on its own. |
| Charger or earphone alarm armed | The app listens for plug and unplug events from Android. No polling. | Very small. These are events the system sends anyway. |
| Don't Touch My Phone armed | Accelerometer readings at a normal rate until the alarm fires. The feature disarms itself after it fires. | Small while armed. Motion sensors are designed for always-on use. |
| Anti-Pickpocket armed | The proximity sensor is watched by a second small service. | Small. Proximity is the same sensor your phone uses during calls. |
| Automation with trusted places | The app checks your location regularly to know whether you are at a trusted place. | Noticeable. Location is the most expensive thing on this list. Turn automation off if you do not use trusted places. |
| Remote Access on | A connection to your account waits for commands. | Small on Wi-Fi and mobile data. Locate requests use GPS only when you send one. |
| Alarm ringing | Siren at full volume, flash strobe and vibration for up to 5 minutes. | High, but short. It is meant to be. |
Phone settings by brand (no logos, same idea everywhere)
Stock Android asks you once to allow Alert24 to ignore battery optimisation, and that is usually enough. Many manufacturers add their own layer on top: sleeping app lists, autostart managers, 'app launch' controls, memory cleaners and background limits. They ship with aggressive defaults that kill any app they have not seen the user open recently, including anti-theft apps, alarms and fitness trackers.
Phones from Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco, Oppo and Realme, Vivo, Huawei and Honor, OnePlus and some Samsung models are the usual suspects. On each, look for the app's battery settings and set it to unrestricted or no restrictions, then find the autostart or app launch manager and allow Alert24, and finally check for a list of sleeping or deep-sleeping apps and remove it from there. Some phones also need the app locked in the Recents screen.
The community site dontkillmyapp.com keeps up-to-date, step-by-step instructions for every brand and Android version. Use it rather than guessing.
Reliability checklist
- Battery for Alert24 set to Unrestricted (Settings, Apps, Alert24, Battery)
- Autostart or App launch allowed for Alert24 on phones that have it
- Alert24 not in any 'sleeping apps' or 'deep sleep' list
- 'Display over other apps' allowed, otherwise the alarm screen cannot show
- The 'Your phone is protected' notification is visible
- Automation switches off for alarms you do not use, to save location checks
- After a system update, check the above again; updates sometimes reset them
Frequently asked questions
How much battery does Alert24 use per day?
It depends on the phone and which features are on. With alarms armed only when you need them and automation off, most people will not notice it. With automation and trusted places on, the location checks add a few percent. Android's own battery usage screen shows the real number for your phone.
Can I hide the notification?
You can silence its channel in Android notification settings so it stays out of the way. Removing it entirely is not possible, because Android ties it to the background service.
Does the alarm still work when the screen is off?
Yes. Sensors and charger events are delivered with the screen off, and the alarm screen appears over the lock screen. The phone must not be switched off.
Why did my armed alarm not fire?
Almost always a battery saver killed the app, or the overlay permission was turned off. See troubleshooting and the FAQ.
Reliable when it counts
Install Alert24, allow the background settings once, and it will be there the moment someone touches your phone.