Background app refresh is a setting feature that allows apps to automatically download updates and new content. Additionally, it constantly updates apps running in the background. The feature is enabled by default on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. However, while it’s convenient for many reasons and keeps your apps up to date, it can also drain your battery and consume all your data.
This article will explain what background app refresh is and how it works on iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches. Additionally, we will cover how to disable this feature on all of these devices.
What is background app refresh on an iPhone?
Background App Refresh is pre-installed and enabled on your iPhone by default to ensure your apps are up to date at all times. You may think that an application only starts running the moment you open it. On the contrary, your iPhone apps run in the background all the time, even when you’re not using them.
That’s why we can say that background app refresh is responsible for keeping your apps up to date. In other words, every time you open a certain app, you will be presented with completely new information and content. The apps that use background app refresh the most are social media apps, such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and the like. If there are new posts, photos, tweets, and other types of content, they will be immediately pushed to the top of the screen.
When it comes to storage apps, like iCloud, Google Drive, and Google Photos, they will automatically sync any new photos, videos, or files to your cloud (if you’ve enabled auto-sync). Similarly, if you installed news apps, updating the app in the background will make sure you see new headlines and current events. Even if there are no updates, this app update feature will constantly check for new information and updates.
While background app refresh is useful for several reasons, it also has a couple of drawbacks. For example, since this feature uses both Wi-Fi and data connections, it could increase your monthly phone bill. This primarily applies to iPhone users with limited data plans. What’s more, background app refresh is known to drain your iPhone’s battery. The reason for this is that all your apps run in the background, even when you are not using them. Disabling this feature saves data and preserves battery life.
The good thing about this feature is that it can be disabled, either partially or completely. Not only that, but you can also limit its performance to Wi-Fi only. Doing this will save your data to a large extent.
How to Disable Background App Refresh on iPhone
If you want to turn off the Background App Refresh feature on your iPhone, here’s what you need to do:
- Go to Settings on your home page.
- Proceed to the “General” tab in the list of options.
- Tap the “Background App Refresh” tab. You will then see all the apps running in the background.
- Select the “Background App Refresh” option again.
- Choose “Off.”
You can also choose between “Wi-Fi” and “Wi-Fi & Mobile” options and enable or disable background app refresh for certain apps. It’s a good idea to turn off this feature for apps that you don’t use frequently or at all.
If you’re wondering what will happen to your apps when you disable this feature, don’t worry. Turning off background app refreshing doesn’t mean they will no longer update or that you will have to update them manually. It simply means that you need to open the app in order to update it. You may have to wait a couple of moments for new content to load.
If you’re using apps that require constant updates and new information for work, school, or something important, it’s best to leave Background App Refresh turned on for those apps.
What is background app refresh on an iPad?
Background app refresh is also enabled by default on your iPad and works the same as it does on your iPhone. Whether you use your iPad for school, work, or personal reasons, you want it to last as long as possible. This means slower battery consumption and shorter charging time. While there are many things you can do to preserve your iPad’s battery life, disabling background app refresh is one of the easiest solutions. If your iPad uses cellular data, it’s all the more reason to disable background app refreshing.
How to disable background app refresh on iPad
Disabling this feature on your iPad works similarly to how you would do it on your iPhone. Follow the steps below to disable background app refresh on your iPad:
- Locate your Settings on your home page.
- Go to the “General” tab.
- Tap “Background app refresh.”
- Choose the “Background App Refresh” option once again.
- Select “Off.”
If you don’t want to turn off background app refresh for all but specific apps on your iPad, simply go back and turn on the switch for each app. However, if you want to disable this feature to preserve data and battery life, it is recommended to disable it completely. You can enable and disable this feature as many times as you like.
If you are wondering which apps consume the most battery power so you can turn off background app refresh, here is how you can check:
- Head to Settings on your iPad’s home page.
- Locate “Battery” in the menu.
- Go to “Battery usage by app.”
Here you can see which applications you use the most and which consume the most of your iPad’s battery. If you are interested, tap the “Show Activity” option on the right side. This will reveal exactly how much time you spend on each app.
What is background app refresh on an Apple Watch?
Believe it or not, background app refresh also works on your Apple Watch. To be more specific, it runs on all Apple devices that use apps. You might think that this feature doesn’t affect the performance of your Apple Watch, but it does shorten your battery life and use up your data if you’re not connected to Wi-Fi.
If your Apple Watch is not using cellular data and is connected to your iPhone via Bluetooth, it will drain your phone’s data. Since Background App Refresh is already running for your phone’s apps, it needs twice as much power to run on both devices. This is why you should consider disabling this app update feature.
How to turn off background app refresh on Apple Watch
Here’s how you can turn off background app refreshing on your Apple Watch:
- Launch the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Navigate to “My Watch.”
- Proceed to the “General” tab in the menu.
- Locate “Background App Refresh” and tap on it.
- Tap the green switch to disable this feature.
If you don’t want to turn off background app refresh for all apps on your Apple Watch, you have the option to select specific apps from the list.
Make the most of background app refresh
Background app refresh is useful for many reasons. It keeps all your apps up to date and constantly checks for new updates. However, this feature consumes battery power and uses mobile data from your device. Therefore, it is often better to disable it for certain applications or for everything.
Have you ever turned off the Background App Refresh feature? Did you disable it for all apps or just specific ones? Tell us in the comments section below.
