Get the App

Reminder Reliability on Android

If you've noticed that Life Load reminders sometimes arrive late — or not at all — when the app is closed, you're not alone. This is an Android platform limitation, not a bug. Here's why it happens and how to fix it.

Why reminders can be delayed

Android uses a feature called Doze mode to save battery. When your phone is idle with the screen off, Doze mode defers alarms and notifications from most apps — including Life Load. Manufacturer skins (Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, OnePlus, etc.) often add additional battery restrictions on top of stock Android, making the problem worse.

Built-in calendar apps like Google Calendar and Samsung Calendar don't have this problem because they use server-side push notifications or have system-level privileges that bypass Doze mode entirely. Life Load's reminders use local notifications, which are subject to these restrictions.

On iOS, this is generally not an issue — iOS handles local notifications more reliably in the background.

How different apps handle reminders

App Reminder method Affected by Doze? Reliability
Google Calendar Server-side push (FCM) No High
Outlook Server-side push (FCM) No High
Samsung Calendar System-level alarm No High
Apple Calendar (iOS) OS-level notification N/A (iOS) High
Life Load Local notification Yes Medium (without calendar sync)
High (with calendar sync)

The fix: enable calendar sync

The best way to get reliable reminders is to sync Life Load events to your device calendar. When you do this, your phone's built-in calendar app takes over reminder delivery — using the same system-level privileges that make Google Calendar and Samsung Calendar reliable.

Calendar sync is private and local — events are written directly to your device calendar. Nothing is sent to our servers.

How to enable calendar sync

1

Open Settings

In Life Load, go to Settings → Calendar Sync.

2

Turn on sync

Toggle "Sync to device calendar" on. Grant calendar permission when prompted.

3

Choose your calendar

Pick which calendar account to sync to (Google, Outlook, Samsung, etc.). Your Life Load events will appear there.

Extra step: disable battery optimization

For the best experience, also exempt Life Load from battery optimization. This helps with location-based reminders and background sync. The steps vary by manufacturer:

Samsung (One UI)

  1. Open Settings → Apps → Life Load
  2. Tap Battery
  3. Select "Unrestricted"

Xiaomi (MIUI / HyperOS)

  1. Open Settings → Apps → Manage apps → Life Load
  2. Tap Battery saver
  3. Select "No restrictions"

Huawei (EMUI / HarmonyOS)

  1. Open Settings → Apps → Apps → Life Load
  2. Tap Battery
  3. Disable "Manage automatically" and enable "Run in background"

OnePlus (OxygenOS)

  1. Open Settings → Apps → App management → Life Load
  2. Tap Battery usage
  3. Select "Don't optimise" (or "Allow background activity")

Google Pixel (Stock Android)

  1. Open Settings → Apps → Life Load → Battery
  2. Select "Unrestricted"

You can also reach your app's battery settings directly from Life Load: if the app detects that battery optimization is restricting background activity, it will prompt you with a link to Open Settings.

Still having trouble with reminders? and we'll help you get sorted.