Background App Refresh made its debut in 2013 alongside iOS 7, five years after the launch of the initial iPhone. This feature enables a specific app to update its content without requiring manual opening by the user.
One can choose to disable this feature entirely, enable it only when connected to Wi-Fi, or allow it when connected to either Wi-Fi or the cellular network. Users have the flexibility to decide which apps are permitted to fetch data when not actively in use.
Adjusting or disabling Background App Refresh settings is a popular iPhone battery-saving technique, especially for older models. Understanding what occurs when you disable an app’s ability to refresh in the background and why selective management of this feature is crucial.
When Background App Refresh is enabled for a specific app, the app will periodically retrieve new data from the internet, update data using location services (if enabled), and synchronize information across Apple devices. These activities consume power and connectivity, potentially leading to unwanted battery drainage and cellular data consumption.
It is generally recommended to allow frequently used apps to refresh in the background. When optimizing Background App Refresh to extend battery life and maintain iPhone performance, certain considerations can guide decision-making.
Background App Refresh does not grant apps permission to run continuously or initiate at will. The iPhone’s operating system determines when to activate apps and their runtime duration, minimizing the impact on battery life. However, poorly designed apps can still consume excessive power.
Navigation apps like Apple Maps, Google Maps, and Waze have a unique scenario: they can run in the background even with Background App Refresh turned off, especially during turn-by-turn navigation. This mode significantly increases power consumption as GPS and other location services operate continuously to track real-time location.
Communication and productivity apps like WhatsApp, Slack, Calendar, Reminders, Notes, and Google Drive benefit from background refreshing. Enabling Background App Refresh for these apps preloads chats for seamless conversation continuation and automatically syncs essential events and documents across devices.
Health and fitness enthusiasts using Apple’s apps or third-party fitness trackers should enable background refreshing to update and sync health data for accurate statistical insights.
Conversely, it is advisable to disable Background App Refresh for social media, streaming, shopping, and gaming apps to avoid unnecessary battery drain and data usage. These apps will update upon opening and may cause significant resource consumption if left to refresh in the background.
Even if Background App Refresh is entirely off or disabled for specific apps, users will still receive notifications from those apps. For critical notifications such as flight updates from airline apps like Delta or Southwest, it is essential to maintain background refresh permissions to ensure timely alerts.
App notifications are delivered through Apple’s Push Notification service (APNs) from developers’ servers, independent of background app activity. By enabling notifications for specific apps, users can receive alerts on the Lock Screen, Notification Center, or Apple Watch irrespective of background refresh settings.
To customize Background App Refresh settings, navigate to Settings > General > Background App Refresh. Here, users can review and adjust settings for individual apps. Disabling this feature for an app may result in slightly longer loading times for updated content upon reopening. Similar settings exist for iPad and Apple Watch, utilizing Background App Refresh in comparable ways.
Having ensured no missed notifications, this is an opportune moment to revisit Background App Refresh settings. It remains a simple yet effective method to tailor iPhone performance, battery longevity, and data utilization.
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