To preserve battery life, older versions of Android and many heavily customized manufacturer skins (like MIUI or EMUI) include an aggressive Wi-Fi sleep policy. If you lock your phone and do not touch it for 15 minutes, the operating system will automatically disable the Wi-Fi radio entirely to save power.
While this definitely extends your battery, it completely severs your phone from your home network. If you are relying on Wi-Fi calling, or if you are waiting for an urgent email and have a terrible cellular signal inside your house, turning off the Wi-Fi means you will miss the call or the notification entirely until you physically wake the phone back up.
You can configure your Android device to keep the Wi-Fi radio permanently active, even while the phone is fast asleep.
How to Keep Wi-Fi On During Sleep
This setting is usually buried in the Advanced Wi-Fi settings, though its location can vary based on your Android version.
- Open the Settings app on your Android device.
- Tap on Network & internet (or Connections).
- Tap on Wi-Fi.
- Tap the Settings gear icon next to your current network, or tap the three vertical dots and select Advanced (or “Wi-Fi preferences”).
- Look for a setting labeled Keep Wi-Fi on during sleep.
- Tap it, and change the selection from “Only when plugged in” or “Never” to Always.
If you cannot find this exact setting, your manufacturer may have moved it to the Battery menu. Go to Settings > Battery > Battery optimization (or Power Management) and ensure that Wi-Fi is exempt from sleep restrictions.
Your phone will now maintain a constant, steady connection to your wireless router, ensuring you receive real-time notifications even when the screen is off.