Do you ever want to listen to a video or keep an app running on your Android phone, but turning the screen off pauses playback or stops the app entirely? BleKip is a free Android app designed to solve this exact problem. This guide dives deep into BleKip, explaining its features, benefits, and how to use it effectively.
What is BleKip?
BleKip is a lightweight utility app that keeps your Android device awake with the screen off. This allows apps and videos to continue running in the background, even when the display is turned off. It’s particularly useful for:
- Listening to audiobooks or podcasts:Â Keep the screen off to conserve battery while you listen.
- Watching long videos:Â BleKip prevents the screen from timing out during extended viewing sessions.
- Running background tasks:Â Use BleKip to ensure essential apps like GPS navigation or fitness trackers keep functioning.
- Preventing screen burn-in on OLED displays: By keeping the pixels completely off with a black screen, BleKip helps prevent burn-in, a common issue with OLED technology.
How Does BleKip Work?
BleKip utilizes a clever approach. When you activate the app, it keeps your device awake using a partial wake lock. This lock prevents the phone from entering sleep mode, ensuring apps and background processes continue uninterrupted.However, BleKip goes a step further by turning off the display entirely. This significantly reduces battery consumption compared to keeping the screen on at low brightness.
Here’s a breakdown of BleKip’s functionality:
- App Launch: Open BleKip and toggle the switch on. A black screen appears, indicating the display is off.
- Partial Wake Lock: BleKip acquires a partial wake lock, keeping the device awake in the background.
- Display Deactivation: The display turns off completely, minimizing battery usage.
- Background Processes:Â Apps and videos continue to run uninterrupted.
- Deactivating BleKip: Simply toggle the switch off within the app, and the screen will return to normal functionality.
Benefits of Using BleKip
- Extended Video Playback: Enjoy uninterrupted video playback for lectures, online courses, or entertainment without worrying about the screen turning off.
- Improved Battery Life:Â The black screen significantly reduces battery drain compared to keeping the display on.
- Reduced Screen Burn-In Risk: By turning off pixels entirely on OLED displays, BleKip helps prevent screen burn-in, a permanent display issue.
- Convenient Background App Function:Â Keep essential apps like GPS navigation or fitness trackers running seamlessly without the screen needing to be on.
- Lightweight and User-Friendly: BleKip is a small app with a simple interface. No complicated settings or permissions are required.
How to Use BleKip
Using BleKip is straightforward:
- Download and Install:Â Search for “BleKip” on the Google Play Store and install the app.
- Launch BleKip:Â Open the BleKip app.
- Activate Black Screen: Toggle the switch on in the app. The screen will turn off, and a black screen will appear.
- Start Your Activity: Open your desired video, music player, or app and begin using it. Everything will continue running in the background.
- Deactivate BleKip: When finished, open BleKip again and toggle the switch off. Your screen will return to normal functionality.
Additional Tips:
- Notification Access: Consider granting BleKip notification access. This allows you to quickly activate or deactivate BleKip from the notification bar without opening the app.
- Customizable Shortcut (Android 12+): For Android 12 and above, you can create a custom tile for BleKip in the quick settings menu for even faster access.
Is BleKip Safe?
BleKip is a safe and secure app. Here’s why:
- Limited Permissions: BleKip only requests basic permissions like controlling the display, which is necessary for its functionality.
- No Ads or In-App Purchases:Â The app is entirely free and doesn’t bombard you with advertisements or in-app purchases.
- Transparent Functionality:Â BleKip’s core function of keeping the screen off while maintaining background processes is clear and straightforward.
For additional peace of mind, you can always check BleKip’s app permissions and reviews before installation.
Alternatives to BleKip
While BleKip is a great option, here are some alternative apps that offer similar functionality:
- Black Screen:Â This app keeps the screen off while allowing some user interaction through gestures.
- Naptime:Â Offers various screen dimming and timeout options to extend playback time.
- Keep Screen On:Â Provides a simple way to prevent the screen