Understanding what background app refresh is and how to enable or configure it on your device can significantly improve your mobile app experience, ensuring you have access to the latest information at your fingertips.
Imagine this: you’re heading out and need to check the latest traffic updates or weather forecast. Thanks to background app refresh, your go-to navigation and weather apps are already up-to-date, saving you time and frustration.
But how can you harness the full power of this feature on your device? We’ll guide you through the ins and outs of background refresh, making your mobile experience smoother and more enjoyable.
Table of Contents
What Is Background App Refresh?
Background app refresh is a feature of iOS and Android that allows apps to update their content from the internet, even while you’re not using them. In contrast, we say that apps use data in the foreground when you open and actively use them.
It is useful because it makes using apps more seamless, but it also has a few negative side effects.
How does Background App Refresh work on iPhone and Android?
This is a feature that is available on both iPhone and Android devices. It allows apps to update their content even when they are not in use or actively running on the device. This feature can be beneficial for users since it ensures that the apps remain up-to-date and ready to use at any time.
The Background App Refresh feature works by periodically checking for new data and updates from various apps. This process occurs when the device is idle, and the app is not active. The device must be connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular network for the feature to work correctly.
The good part? Allowing apps to refresh in the background keeps you from having to wait for new information to be fetched when you launch an app. The not-so-good part? It can potentially keep your phone or tablet from performing at its best when it comes to battery life and data usage.
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Do Apps Running in the Background Use Data?
Between email updates, text messages, videos, and photos, you’re probably well aware of the fact that your smartphone burns through quite a bit of data every day.
However, what you may not know is that your smartphone could be burning through data for stuff you don’t need, like those apps and services that are constantly running and updating in the background without you knowing it.
While one little app probably won’t use very much data, those little apps can add up to a serious drain on your data plan.
Do Background Apps Drain Your Battery?
In addition to being a potential drain on your data plan, Background App Refresh and background data usage can also have a negative impact on your phone’s battery life.
While the feature can be useful, it’s not likely that you need up-to-date information on every app installed on your phone. Limiting the number of apps that you allow to refresh and run in the background will be beneficial to your phone’s battery life.
Try turning it off on one of the apps that updates frequently (we’re looking at you, Facebook) and see if you experience any improvements. If your battery life or data limits are a concern, luckily, there’s a quick way to stop background apps.
What does Background App Refresh do?
It enables apps to perform all sorts of functions in the background; you would otherwise have to keep an app open for it to perform these. But what does background refresh actually do? Here are some examples of the actions it handles without you having to manually check:
- News apps grab the latest headlines so they’re updated when you open them
- Apps that track your mobile data usage collect information in the background
- Cloud storage services sync your files automatically
- Shopping apps detect that you’re at a store and prepare the latest digital coupons
- Social media apps preload the latest posts, so you don’t have to wait for them upon opening
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Should I Use Background App Refresh?
In most cases, It is convenient. However, there are two main reasons why you might want to turn it off.
First, by default, background app refresh is active on both mobile data and Wi-Fi connections. Apps can use quite a bit of data in the background, so if you’re on a limited data plan, background refresh can result in extra charges on your bill.
The other reason to disable background refresh is to save battery life. Apps running in the background consume battery power just like when you run them in the foreground. If you’re looking to maximize how long your device lasts between charges, you probably don’t want to waste battery on background tasks.
As far as which apps need background app refresh, that’s up to your preferences. Generally, you should keep it enabled for any apps you use frequently and disable it for apps you rarely open.
How to turn off background app refresh on iPhone
This is a very simple task that takes a matter of seconds. Plus, it’s just as easy to reverse, so you can switch the setting on and off as required. It’s just one of a number of tips and tricks you can perform to save your battery life. Here’s everything you need to know about how to turn off Background Refresh on your iPhone
1. Navigate to Settings, and once in the Settings menu, select General.
2. In the General submenu, select Background App Refresh at the top of the screen.
3. Select Off from the list of three options. Alternatively, you can set your iPhone only to use Background App Refresh when it’s connected to WiFi.
How to turn off Background App Refresh for a specific app on your iPhone and iPad
You can also choose to customize which apps do and don’t have Background Refresh turned on based on your usage habits.
This is useful if you have a few favourite apps that you’d like to keep refreshing in the background while still disabling the feature for non-essential apps.
Here’s how:
- Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
- From the list of apps shown, use the toggle to turn Background App Refresh on or off for each app.
How to Turn Off Background App Refresh on Android
Android doesn’t have a feature with the exact name “background app refresh;” this is an iPhone term. However, Android offers options that accomplish nearly the same functions. The option’s location and name will depend on your device; this set of instructions is for stock Android 13 on a Pixel phone.
To prevent an app from using mobile data in the background, head to Settings > Apps (Apps & notifications on older versions) > All apps. Tap the app in the list that you want to disable background app refresh for.
From this menu, you have two different options for disabling background activity in Android. If you want to prevent the app from using your cellular data in the background, select Mobile Data & Wi-Fi and disable the Background data slider.
This will prevent the app from using mobile data unless you’re using it in the foreground. Background usage when on Wi-Fi isn’t affected.
Your other option is to prevent the app from running in the background entirely. To do this, tap Battery on the app’s settings page (it’s under the Advanced section in Android 11 and older).
On older Android versions, tap Background restriction, followed by Restrict, to prevent the app from consuming too much power in the background. On Android 12 or later, tap the Restricted option here.
Unlike the iPhone’s background refresh feature, this does affect notifications. Thus, you should only restrict battery usage for apps if you don’t need real-time alerts from them.
CONCLUSION
Understanding Background App Refresh on your iPhone and Android is crucial for optimizing your mobile experience. This feature, essential to both platforms, ensures your apps stay up-to-date in the background, enhancing efficiency and saving valuable time.
Embrace the power of Background App Refresh to seamlessly access the latest information, promising a smoother, more responsive mobile journey. Stay informed, stay updated, and unlock the full potential of your smartphone with this fundamental feature.
FAQs
This means that apps won’t be able to use mobile data in the background – they will only be able to use it when you are actively using them. To do this, go to Settings > Data Usage and tap on the menu button in the top right-hand corner. From here, select ‘Restrict Background Data’.
This will prevent the app from using mobile data unless you’re using it in the foreground. Background usage when on Wi-Fi isn’t affected.
When Background App Refresh is enabled, apps can check for new data and updates even when you’re not using them, which can drain your battery and use up your data. Disabling Background App Refresh can help to improve your iPhone’s battery life and performance.
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