Your athan reminder did not play. Here is why.

Android aggressively suspends background alarms. A few settings changes make prayer reminders reliable again.

For: Android users whose prayer notifications arrive late or not at all

Share

Why this keeps happening

Doze mode suspends alarms

When your phone is idle, non-exempt apps lose their scheduled alarms.

Manufacturer power managers

Several Android skins add their own app-killing layer on top of stock Android.

Do Not Disturb

A DND schedule can silence the adhan even when the notification fires correctly.

How to fix it

  1. 1

    Turn off battery optimisation for the app

    Settings, Apps, your prayer app, Battery, Unrestricted.

  2. 2

    Allow autostart if your phone offers it

    Several manufacturers require this for alarms to survive a reboot.

  3. 3

    Add the app to Do Not Disturb exceptions

    So the adhan sounds even during quiet hours.

  4. 4

    Set a pre-prayer reminder

    Ten to fifteen minutes ahead gives you time to finish what you are doing.

How our approach compares

CapabilitySalah Companion: Prayer TimesTypical alternatives
Works after rebootYesOften needs reopening
Per-prayer sound choiceYesOne global sound
Pre-prayer heads-up5-45 minutesFixed or missing

Frequently asked

Will a pre-prayer reminder replace the adhan?

No — you can have both, and set a different sound for each.

Does the app need to stay open?

No. Once alarms are scheduled and battery optimisation is off, reminders fire in the background.

Why do notifications work for a few days and then stop?

That pattern almost always points to adaptive battery learning. Android watches how often you open an app and gradually restricts the ones it thinks you have abandoned — even though a prayer reminder is exactly the kind of app you should not need to open. Marking the app as unrestricted in battery settings takes it out of that learning loop, and the reminders stay reliable from then on.

My phone is a Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Samsung or Huawei. Is there anything extra?

Yes. Several manufacturers add an app-killing layer on top of stock Android. Look for Autostart, Startup manager, Protected apps, or Sleeping apps and make sure the prayer app is allowed to start on its own and excluded from any deep sleep list. On Samsung, also remove the app from Sleeping apps and Deep sleeping apps under Battery care. Without those settings, alarms disappear after every reboot.

Should I use notifications or alarms for the adhan?

An alarm-style reminder is more reliable because Android treats exact alarms differently from ordinary notifications, but it is also more intrusive. A good middle ground is an alarm for Fajr, when missing it has the highest cost, and standard notifications with sound for the other four. Give Fajr its own tone so you recognise it while half asleep.

Can I keep the adhan silent during meetings?

Yes. Set a quiet window in the app and it will show the notification without sound during those hours, or use a pre-prayer heads-up ten minutes earlier so you can find a natural pause. Adding the app to your Do Not Disturb exceptions is what makes the sound work outside those hours — otherwise the system silences it even when the notification fires correctly.