iPhone Background App Refresh: What It Does and When to Turn It Off
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Background App Refresh lets some suspended iPhone apps check for updates and new content while you are not actively using them. You can leave it on globally and disable it only for apps that do not need background updates. Turning it off does not sign you out, delete app data, or automatically stop normal push notifications.
Where Background App Refresh is in iOS 26
- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap Background App Refresh.
- Tap Background App Refresh again to choose Off, Wi-Fi, or Wi-Fi & Cellular Data.
- Return to the app list and turn the feature on or off for individual apps.
Apple explains that after you switch away from an app, it may run briefly before becoming suspended. A suspended app is not actively using system resources, but Background App Refresh can allow it to check for new content.
Should you turn it off to save battery?
It can be reasonable to disable Background App Refresh for apps that frequently fetch content you do not need. However, there is no universal percentage of battery life you will save. The old version of this article claimed a 15% improvement from laboratory testing; CASEBX did not have evidence supporting that measurement, so the claim has been removed.
If battery drain is your concern, first check Settings → Battery to see which apps are actually using power. That is more useful than assuming Background App Refresh is the cause.
Wi-Fi vs. Wi-Fi & Cellular Data
Choose Wi-Fi if you want compatible apps to refresh in the background without using cellular data for that activity. Choose Wi-Fi & Cellular Data if staying current away from Wi-Fi matters more than conserving mobile data. Choose Off if you prefer apps to update when you open them.
What happens if you force-quit an app?
Apple notes that if you quit an app from the App Switcher, it might not be able to run or check for new content before you open it again. Routinely force-quitting every app is therefore not a useful way to “free RAM” or improve Background App Refresh behavior.
What Background App Refresh does not control
Background App Refresh is not the master switch for every background feature. Audio playback, navigation, notifications, downloads, and other system-supported background activities can follow different rules. An app can therefore still deliver a notification even when Background App Refresh is disabled, depending on how the app and notification service work.
Why the setting can be unavailable
If a setting is unavailable, check whether Low Power Mode or device-management restrictions are affecting background activity. Also confirm that your iPhone is running the expected iOS version before following a menu path from an older guide.