MX Player Background Playback Not Working: Settings and Limitations

MX Player is a favorite for local video playback, but “background playback” can be confusing because it depends on which MX Player version you use, what Android allows in the background, and how aggressive your phone’s battery controls are. If MX Player stops when you leave the app, won’t keep audio playing with the screen off, or behaves differently across devices, this guide walks you through the most common settings, OS limitations, and practical workarounds.

1. What “Background Playback” Means In MX Player

People use “background playback” to mean a few different behaviors:

• Continuing audio when you switch apps (video stops, audio continues).
• Continuing video in Picture-in-Picture (PiP) while you use other apps.
• Continuing playback when the screen turns off (locked screen playback).
• Continuing playback when MX Player is not visible, without PiP.

Android treats each of these differently. Some behaviors require system features (like PiP), others require foreground services and persistent notifications, and some are restricted by OEM “battery saver” rules. Also, MX Player has different editions and features that vary by region and by whether you use the local player versus a streaming-focused build.

1.1 Why It Works On Some Phones But Not Others

Even with the same MX Player version, the device and Android version can change the outcome because:

• Android limits background execution more heavily in newer versions.
• Manufacturers add extra “app killing” layers on top of Android.
• Battery optimization can stop apps after you leave them.
• Audio focus rules can pause playback if another app takes over audio.

So a fix that works on a Pixel may not be enough on a Xiaomi, OnePlus, or Samsung without additional battery and auto-start adjustments.

1.2 Quick Self-Check: Which Type Of Background Playback Do You Want?

Before changing settings, decide your target behavior:

• If you want audio-only while multitasking, you are looking for “play in background” or “audio only” behavior.
• If you want video visible while multitasking, you are looking for Picture-in-Picture.
• If you want playback with the screen off, you are looking for lock-screen playback and battery optimization exceptions.

This matters because the troubleshooting steps differ.

2. Common Reasons MX Player Background Playback Stops

If MX Player pauses the moment you press Home, the screen turns off, or you switch apps, the most common causes fall into a few buckets: app settings, Android settings, battery restrictions, and feature limitations.

2.1 Battery Optimization And “Restricted” Background Mode

Android may prevent an app from running freely in the background to save battery. If your device is set to aggressively optimize MX Player, it can pause playback when the app is not in the foreground or when the screen turns off.

Things that can break background playback include:

• Battery Saver mode enabled.
• Per-app battery set to “Restricted”.
• Adaptive Battery putting MX Player into a limited bucket.

On many devices, the simplest practical fix is ensuring MX Player is not “restricted” and, if necessary, exempting it from battery optimization. This does not guarantee background video playback is allowed, but it often helps with audio continuation and lock-screen stability.

2.2 Manufacturer “App Killers” (MIUI, ColorOS, One UI, OxygenOS)

Some Android manufacturers ship additional task managers that close apps shortly after you leave them, even when Android’s standard settings look correct. Symptoms include playback stopping after a few seconds, or only when the screen locks.

Common OEM features that interfere:

• Auto-clean or “close apps after lock”.
• Background activity limits hidden under Security or Battery apps.
• Auto-start disabled, preventing reliable background behavior after screen off.

If you have a Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, or Realme device, you may need to allow auto-start (if present) and disable “clean on lock” for MX Player.

2.3 Missing Permissions Or Notification Blocking

When apps run long tasks in the background (including media playback), Android commonly expects a visible notification (especially if the app uses a foreground service). If notifications are disabled for MX Player, the system may be more likely to stop it, or you may lose controls on the lock screen.

Check that MX Player notifications are allowed, including media playback controls.

2.4 Audio Focus Conflicts With Other Apps

If another app starts audio (a game, social app, or another media player), Android’s audio focus system can pause or duck MX Player. This can look like “background playback not working,” but it is actually normal audio focus behavior.

• Try reproducing the issue with other audio apps closed.
• Check if Bluetooth headsets trigger another assistant or music app automatically.

3. MX Player Settings To Check First

MX Player’s menus can vary by version, but these are the settings that most often affect background behavior.

3.1 Look For “Background Play”, “Audio Only”, Or Playback Controls

Depending on your build, MX Player may provide a way to continue audio while you do other things (sometimes framed as background play or audio-only mode). If you do not see anything related to background play, it may be a limitation of your edition or region, or the feature may not exist in your specific version.

Practical steps to try inside the player:

• While a video is playing, open the overflow menu and look for audio-only or background-related options.
• Check Settings for Player options that mention background, audio, headset, or lock screen behavior.
• Confirm you are playing a local file if your goal is local background playback. Streaming builds can behave differently.

3.2 Picture-in-Picture If You Want Video While Multitasking

If your goal is “video continues while I open other apps,” PiP is usually the Android-supported way to do it. Not all video apps support PiP, and on some devices PiP can be disabled per app.

If MX Player supports PiP on your device, enabling PiP for MX Player in Android settings is often required. If MX Player does not support PiP in your version, Android cannot force it.

3.3 Decoder And Playback Stability Settings (Secondary, But Sometimes Relevant)

Decoder issues usually cause crashes or playback errors, not immediate stopping when backgrounded. Still, if MX Player crashes when you lock the screen or switch apps, try:

• Updating MX Player to the latest version available to you.
• Switching decoder mode (hardware versus software) if you see consistent crashes.
• Testing with a different file to rule out a corrupted container or audio track.

4. Android System Settings That Most Often Fix Background Playback

Most “background playback not working” reports end up being Android background restrictions rather than an MX Player toggle. These steps are the highest-yield checks.

4.1 Disable Battery Restrictions For MX Player (Recommended Test)

Exact labels vary, but the goal is to prevent the OS from restricting MX Player’s background activity.

1. Open Android Settings.
2. Go to Apps, then MX Player.
3. Open Battery.
4. Set battery usage to “Unrestricted” or turn off optimization for MX Player (wording varies).

Then test again by starting playback, pressing Home, and locking the screen.

4.2 Allow Background Data (If You Are Playing Network Content)

If you are trying to play network streams and playback stops when backgrounded, ensure background data is allowed. Otherwise, Android may pause network access when the app is not active.

• Settings, Apps, MX Player, Mobile data and Wi-Fi (or similar)
• Enable Background data (if present)

This matters less for local files but can matter a lot for streaming playback.

4.3 Ensure Notifications Are Enabled For MX Player

For ongoing playback, notifications often carry the media controls and help Android treat the app as an active session. If you disabled notifications for MX Player, enable them and retest.

• Settings, Apps, MX Player, Notifications
• Allow playback controls or media notifications (if categories exist)

4.4 Enable Picture-in-Picture Permission (If Supported)

If you want a floating mini-player:

1. Go to Settings, Apps, Special app access (or Advanced), Picture-in-Picture.
2. Find MX Player and enable it.

If MX Player still does not enter PiP, the app may not support PiP for your build, or it may only trigger PiP through a specific gesture or on-screen control.

5. Device-Specific Fixes For Aggressive Task Management

If battery optimization changes do not help, your device may be applying extra background-kill rules. These vary, but the patterns are consistent.

5.1 Xiaomi (MIUI) And Similar Skins: Auto-Start And Locking The App

On some Xiaomi builds, you may need to allow auto-start and prevent the system from clearing the app from memory.

• Enable Auto-start for MX Player (if the option exists).
• Open recent apps and “lock” MX Player so it is not auto-cleared (feature varies).
• Disable any “cleaner” features that close background apps when the screen locks.

Not every Xiaomi device has the same menus, but searching Settings for “autostart”, “background”, “battery”, and “clean” usually finds the relevant controls.

5.2 Samsung: Sleeping Apps And Background Limits

Samsung devices can place apps into “sleeping” categories. If MX Player is sleeping, background playback can become unreliable.

• Settings, Battery and device care, Battery, Background usage limits.
• Remove MX Player from “Sleeping apps” or “Deep sleeping apps” (if present).

5.3 OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, Realme: Background Activity And App Launch Rules

These vendors sometimes gate background execution through additional “app launch” or “background activity” settings.

• Allow background activity for MX Player.
• Allow auto-launch (if present).
• Disable power-saving profiles that restrict background tasks.

6. Real Limitations: When Background Playback Cannot Work

Some cases are not “broken settings” but genuine limitations imposed by the OS, the app, licensing, or the chosen playback mode.

6.1 Android Background Execution Limits Are Stricter In Newer Versions

Android has progressively limited what apps can do in the background to protect battery and performance. If an app is not designed to keep playing using supported mechanisms (like a proper media session and foreground service for audio, or PiP for video), the OS may stop it when backgrounded.

That means:

• Background video playback without PiP is often not allowed or not reliable.
• Background audio can be reliable if implemented as an active media session with proper system integration.

6.2 Picture-in-Picture Requires App Support

PiP is an Android feature, but apps must implement it. If MX Player does not support PiP in your version, you can enable the system permission and still see no change.

Also, some devices or profiles (work-managed devices) can disable PiP entirely.

6.3 Streaming Content Versus Local Files Can Behave Differently

For local video files, the main challenge is staying alive in the background. For streaming, you also have network constraints:

• Background data restrictions can pause the stream.
• Wi-Fi sleep policies can interrupt network playback when the screen is off.
• Some streams require an active UI or DRM path that is not designed for background playback.

6.4 Some Phones Simply Do Not Allow Long-Running Background Work Without Foreground Indicators

Modern Android expects long-running background work to be user-visible in some way (for example, an ongoing notification for foreground services). If a player tries to run silently in the background, the system may stop it. If you dislike persistent notifications, keep in mind that removing them can make background playback less reliable.

7. Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Checklist (Fastest To Slowest)

Use this checklist in order. After each change, test by playing a video, pressing Home, switching apps for 30 to 60 seconds, then locking the screen.

7.1 The 10-Minute Fix List

1. Update MX Player (and reboot your phone afterward).
2. Enable MX Player notifications.
3. Set MX Player battery usage to Unrestricted (or disable optimization).
4. Turn off Battery Saver temporarily and retest.
5. Check PiP permission and test PiP if that is your goal.

7.2 If It Still Stops: OEM Controls

1. Search Settings for Auto-start and enable it for MX Player (if present).
2. Disable any “clean on lock” or auto-cleaner features.
3. Remove MX Player from Sleeping or Deep Sleeping lists (Samsung).

7.3 If Only Bluetooth Or Headphones Trigger The Problem

• Disable other music apps’ auto-play features.
• Test with Bluetooth disconnected to see if audio focus is being stolen.
• Check whether a voice assistant is starting in the background and interrupting playback.

8. FAQs About MX Player Background Playback

8.1 Why Does MX Player Stop When I Lock My Screen?

Most commonly, the OS is restricting background activity or the device is applying aggressive battery management. Set MX Player to Unrestricted battery usage, allow notifications, and disable any OEM cleaner settings. If your goal is video while locked, note that many apps cannot keep video rendering when the screen is off. Audio-only is more feasible than full video.

8.2 Can MX Player Play Video In The Background Like YouTube?

Continuous video in the background (with no PiP and with you using other apps) is not generally how Android expects video apps to behave. The supported approach is usually Picture-in-Picture for visible video, or audio-only playback if the app supports it. If your MX Player build does not support those features, Android settings alone cannot add them.

8.3 I Enabled Unrestricted Battery, But It Still Stops. Why?

Two common reasons remain:

• Your manufacturer has extra background restrictions beyond standard Android settings.
• MX Player may not implement the specific background mode you want on your version, especially for background video without PiP.

8.4 Will Allowing “Unrestricted” Battery Drain My Battery?

It can increase battery usage if you leave playback running or if the app stays active longer in the background. If you only need the setting while listening occasionally, consider switching it back after troubleshooting. However, for reliable background media playback, many devices require looser battery restrictions.

8.5 Is There A Workaround If PiP Or Background Audio Is Not Available?

Your realistic options are:

• Use an app that explicitly supports PiP or background audio for your use case.
• Convert the video to audio (for podcasts or lectures) and play it in an audio player.
• Keep MX Player in the foreground and avoid locking the screen if the device kills it.

Workarounds that rely on hacks or system modifications can carry security and stability tradeoffs, and behavior can change after OS updates.

Citations

• Background execution limits and behavior changes in modern Android. (Android Developers)
• Picture-in-Picture overview and requirements. (Android Developers)
• Battery optimization (Doze and App Standby) concepts. (Android Developers)
• Background playback with a MediaSessionService. (Android Developers)