Does your iPhone battery drain quickly or data starts disappearing suddenly? If yes, then the reason may be Background App Refresh. As smart as this feature is, it is also the enemy of battery and data. But don’t worry, in this article I will tell you in easy and simple language how to turn off Background App Refresh in iPhone.
What is Background App Refresh
When you close an app on iPhone, it doesn’t close completely. Some apps keep working silently in the background – like updating email, loading news feed or sending notifications. This is called background app refresh. Now imagine, you are sleeping and your phone keeps updating apps in the background all night.
Why Should You Turn It Off
Battery savings: When apps aren’t updated as frequently, your phone’s battery lasts longer.
Mobile data savings: Especially when you use mobile data instead of Wi-Fi.
Phone performance improves: If there’s less background work, your phone won’t slow down.
Fewer interruptions: You get rid of unnecessary notifications and updates.
How to Turn It Off
- Open your iPhone Settings.
- Scroll down and tap on the General option.
- Now you will find the option of Background App Refresh – tap on it.
- There will be three options here:
- Off – means completely off
- Wi-Fi – will work only on Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi and Mobile Data – will work on both
You can turn it off completely if you want or limit it to only Wi-Fi according to your need.
How to do this for a specific app
- Again go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
- There you will see a list of all installed apps.
- Turn off the toggle in front of any app.
