How To Enable Background App Refresh For Specific Apps

The Background App Refresh feature on iPhone allows apps to update their content in the background when your device is connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data. This means that apps can fetch new information, update notifications, or refresh content while you are not actively using them.

However, enabling Background App Refresh for all apps can drain your battery and consume significant data. For this reason, iOS allows you to control which apps can refresh in the background, giving you the flexibility to prioritize important apps while restricting others.

This guide will explain everything you need to know about enabling Background App Refresh, managing it for specific apps, and optimizing its settings to balance performance, data usage, and battery life.

Understanding Background App Refresh

Before diving into the steps, let’s look at what Background App Refresh does and why it is important:

1. How It Works: When enabled, apps periodically refresh their content in the background. For example, a news app can fetch the latest headlines, or a messaging app can retrieve new messages without requiring you to open it.

2. When It Runs: It only works when your iPhone is on and connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data. Apps do not refresh in the background if the device is in Low Power Mode or if Background App Refresh is turned off.

3. Why It Matters: It improves your user experience by ensuring content is up-to-date when you open an app. However, too many apps refreshing in the background can lead to higher battery drain and increased data usage.

Steps to Enable Background App Refresh for Specific Apps

Step 1: Open the Settings App

1. Unlock your iPhone and locate the Settings app.

2. Tap on the Settings icon to open it.

Step 2: Access Background App Refresh Settings

1. In the Settings menu, scroll down and tap General.

2. Select Background App Refresh from the list of options.

Step 3: Enable Background App Refresh

1. At the top of the screen, you’ll see the Background App Refresh option. Tap on it.

2. You will be presented with three options:

• Off: Disables Background App Refresh for all apps.
• Wi-Fi: Allows Background App Refresh only when connected to Wi-Fi.
• Wi-Fi & Cellular Data: Enables Background App Refresh when connected to either Wi-Fi or cellular data.

3. Choose Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi & Cellular Data, depending on your preference.

Step 4: Enable for Specific Apps

1. Once Background App Refresh is enabled, return to the previous screen.

2. Scroll through the list of installed apps. Each app has a toggle switch next to its name.

3. Find the app(s) you want to enable Background App Refresh for.

4. Toggle the switch ON for the app(s) you want to allow.

For example:

1. Turn ON Background App Refresh for messaging apps like WhatsApp to ensure you receive timely notifications.

2. Turn OFF Background App Refresh for apps like games or rarely used tools to conserve battery.

Optimizing Background App Refresh for Battery Life

Background App Refresh can impact your iPhone’s battery life, especially if too many apps are running background tasks.

To optimize battery usage:

Monitor Battery Usage

1. Go to Settings > Battery.

2. Review the list of apps and check which ones consume the most battery

3. If an app is using a lot of background activity, consider disabling Background App Refresh for that app.

Turn Off Background App Refresh for Non-Essential Apps

Apps like social media, games, or streaming services may not need to refresh content in the background.

Turn OFF Background App Refresh for these apps to conserve battery life.

Use Low Power Mode

When your iPhone is in Low Power Mode, Background App Refresh is automatically disabled to save battery.

To enable Low Power Mode:

1. Go to Settings > Battery.

2. Toggle ON Low Power Mode.

Optimizing Background App Refresh for Data Usage

If you are on a limited data plan, Background App Refresh can use up significant cellular data.

Here’s how to manage it:

Enable Background App Refresh for Wi-Fi Only

1. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.

2. Select Wi-Fi instead of Wi-Fi & Cellular Data.

This ensures that apps only refresh when you are connected to Wi-Fi, saving cellular data.

Use Cellular Data Monitoring

1. Go to Settings > Cellular.

2. Review the list of apps and their cellular data usage.

3. If a particular app is consuming too much data, disable its Background App Refresh.

3. Disable Background App Refresh for Data-Heavy Apps

Turn OFF Background App Refresh for apps like:

1. Streaming apps (e.g., Netflix, Spotify)

2. Social media apps (e.g., Instagram, Facebook)

3. Online games

These apps often use more data to fetch multimedia content.

When Should You Enable Background App Refresh?

Here are some scenarios where enabling Background App Refresh for specific apps can be useful:

1. Messaging Apps: Enabling Background App Refresh ensures you receive notifications for new messages or updates.

2. News Apps: If you frequently check news updates, Background App Refresh keeps the headlines up-to-date.

3. Weather Apps: Allows weather apps to refresh forecasts and send alerts in real time.

4. Fitness Apps: Fitness and health apps can sync data in the background, ensuring accuracy.

5. Navigation Apps: Apps like Google Maps or Waze can update traffic conditions.

When Should You Disable Background App Refresh?

Disabling Background App Refresh is recommended for:

1. Battery Conservation: If your iPhone battery drains quickly, disabling this feature for unnecessary apps can help.

2. Low Data Plans: To reduce data usage, turn off Background App Refresh for apps that are not critical.

3. Rarely Used Apps: Apps you don’t use frequently don’t need to refresh content in the background.

4. Games and Streaming: These apps often perform background activities that are not always necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does Background App Refresh Use a Lot of Battery?

Yes, Background App Refresh can consume battery, especially if multiple apps are refreshing content simultaneously. To save battery, enable it only for essential apps.

2. Does Background App Refresh Work on Low Power Mode?

No, Low Power Mode automatically disables Background App Refresh to conserve battery.

3. Can I Enable Background App Refresh for Only One App?

Yes, iOS allows you to enable Background App Refresh for specific apps while disabling it for others.

4. Will Turning Off Background App Refresh Stop Notifications?

No, Background App Refresh does not impact push notifications. Apps like WhatsApp and iMessage will still send notifications even if Background App Refresh is turned off.

5. Does Background App Refresh Use Cellular Data?

Yes, if you select Wi-Fi & Cellular Data, apps can refresh content using your cellular data. To avoid this, set Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi Only.

6. How Do I Know Which Apps Are Using Background App Refresh?

Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh. The list will show all apps with the toggle switch indicating whether Background App Refresh is enabled.

Advanced Tips for Managing Background App Refresh

1. Use Automation with Focus Modes

Create Focus modes in Settings > Focus to restrict apps that can run in the background during specific times.

2. Manually Refresh Content

If you disable Background App Refresh, you can still refresh app content manually by opening the app and pulling down to update.

3. Monitor App Permissions

Some apps request unnecessary permissions to refresh in the background. Regularly review app settings under Settings > Privacy.

Conclusion

Enabling Background App Refresh for specific apps on your iPhone allows you to strike a balance between keeping important apps updated and conserving battery or cellular data. By selectively managing which apps can refresh in the background, you ensure that critical apps perform optimally without unnecessary resource consumption.

Whether you are looking to prioritize messaging apps, reduce battery drain, or save on data usage, the steps and tips in this guide will help you take full control of Background App Refresh on your iPhone.