Does Turning Off Background App Refresh Improve Battery Life?

Turning off Background App Refresh can significantly improve your phone's battery life, especially if you're frequently away from a charger. Here's a detailed guide on how to disable this feature on both iPhones and Android devices, along with additional tips to maximize your battery savings.

What is Background App Refresh?

Background App Refresh is a feature that allows apps to update their content even when they are not actively in use. On iPhones, this feature is known as Background App Refresh, while on Android devices, it is related to background data usage. This means that apps like email, social media, and messaging services can continuously fetch new data, keeping the content fresh and ready for the next time you open the app.

How Does Background App Refresh Affect Battery Life?

Background App Refresh consumes both battery power and data. When apps refresh in the background, they use your phone's resources, including the processor, network, and battery. This constant activity can drain your battery faster, especially if you have multiple apps set to refresh frequently.

How to Turn Off Background App Refresh on iPhone

To turn off Background App Refresh on an iPhone, follow these steps:

Open Settings: Navigate to the Settings app on your iPhone.
Select General: Tap on the "General" option.
Select Background App Refresh: Tap on "Background App Refresh."
Choose Your Preference:
- Off: Select "Off" to disable background refreshing for all apps.
- Wi-Fi: Choose "Wi-Fi" to allow background refreshing only when connected to Wi-Fi.
- Wi-Fi & Cellular Data: Select "Wi-Fi & Cellular Data" to allow refreshing on both connections.

You can also selectively turn off background refreshing for specific apps by scrolling down the list of apps and toggling the switch next to each app.

How to Turn Off Background App Refresh on Android

For Android devices, the process involves using the Data Saver feature:

Open Settings: Navigate to the Settings app on your Android device.
Select Network & internet: Tap on "Network & internet."
Select Data saver: Tap on "Data saver."
Toggle Use data saver on: Enable the "Use data saver" option. This will stop background apps from using data unless your phone is connected to Wi-Fi.

You can also allow specific apps to use background data:

Open Settings: Navigate to the Settings app.
Select Network & internet: Tap on "Network & internet."
Select Mobile network: Tap on "Mobile network."
Select App data usage: Tap on "App data usage."
Select the App: Choose the app you want to allow background data for.
Toggle Background data on: Enable the "Background data" option for the selected app.

Additional Tips to Maximize Battery Savings

Low Power Mode

Both iPhones and Android devices have Low Power Mode or Battery Saver options that can automatically pause background app refreshing, among other settings. Enabling these modes can significantly extend your battery life, although they may also reduce device performance and screen refresh rates.

Selective App Management

Not all apps need to refresh in the background. Identify which apps are essential for you and allow only those to refresh. For example, you might want to keep WhatsApp or your email app refreshing in the background but disable it for less critical apps like social media or games.

Other Battery-Draining Settings

In addition to Background App Refresh, other settings can drain your battery:

Location Services: Constantly using GPS can drain your battery. Limit location services to only when necessary.
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi: Turn off these features when not in use to save battery power.
Push Email: Disable push email to prevent your email app from constantly checking for new messages.
Dynamic Wallpapers: Avoid using dynamic wallpapers, which can consume more battery power than static wallpapers.

Conclusion

Turning off Background App Refresh is a simple yet effective way to extend your phone's battery life. By understanding how this feature works and following the steps outlined above, you can make informed decisions about which apps should refresh in the background and which should not. Combining this with other battery-saving tips can help you get the most out of your phone's battery.