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Turn On or Off Background App Refresh on the iPad
Keep your favorite iPad apps ready to go when you need them
By Daniel Nations Daniel Nations Writer University of Texas at Arlington Daniel Nations has been a tech journalist since 1994. His work has appeared in Computer Currents, The Examiner, and other publications. He is a developer who has published apps in the Apple App Store, Google Play marketplace and Amazon Appstore; he also has worked as a data analyst and DB administrator. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 30, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apple iPad Macs Introduced with iOS 7 and still going strong on iOS 13, Background App Refresh is a feature that readies apps before you use them. Turn it on to allow your grocery store apps to gather current coupons before you get to the checkout line, or to have recent social media posts waiting for you when you open Facebook or Twitter. The instructions in this article apply to iPads with iOS 13 through iOS 7. Why Use Background Refresh
Background Refresh works great if you use specific apps on a regular basis. However, it drains battery life, as apps run in the background long enough to download the most current data. If you're concerned about battery life, turn off the Background App Refresh feature for some or all apps. This feature is all about convenience, but you probably don't need every app to refresh in the background. It may make sense for your Gmail app to have messages ready for you when you open it, and if you're a news fan, you'll want CNN to be current when you open your iPad. However, there's not much point in background refresh for your Amazon shopping app, your smart appliance controller, or your Kindle app. This feature is all about personalization. How to Choose the Background App Refresh Setting for Apps
By default, all apps are activated in the Background App Refresh settings. To change that, follow these steps: On the iPad Home screen, tap the Settings app to open it. Scroll down the left menu and choose General. Select Background App Refresh. To turn off the Background App Refresh feature completely, toggle the Background App Refresh switch to the Off position (white). To allow some apps to refresh and not others, turn the toggle switch next to the corresponding app to the On (green) or Off (white) position. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Enter Low Power Mode on the iPad How to Speed Up Your iPad and Improve the Performance The 18 Best Tips to Get More iPad Battery Life (Updated for iPadOS 15.5) How to Fix It When Facebook Messenger Won’t Load Messages How to Fix a Slow iPad How to Turn On/Off Location Services on the iPad How to Use iPhone Low Power Mode How to Fix It When Facebook Messenger Isn’t Sending Messages How to Turn On AirDrop on iPad 20 Ways to Improve Battery Life on Your iPod Touch How to Open the iPad's Settings iPhone Getting Hot? Here's Why and How to Fix It How to Turn On Low Data Mode on Your iPhone The History of iOS, from Version 1.0 to 16.0 How to Fix Your iPad's Battery Life How to Fix an iOS 11 Battery Drain Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies