How to turn off background app usage on iPhone or Android  

For everything from phone calls to photography, smartphones have become truly indispensable. The downside? 
This ubiquitous usage can lead to our phone battery draining faster than we'd like. One little-known culprit of quick battery drainage is a feature known as Background App Refresh on your iPhone® device. On an Android device, it’s known as background data usage. This service continuously operates in the background of your phone, often without your knowledge.
   Verizon experts are here to help you with all your tech, including tips to extend your phone battery's lifespan. Today, they’re sharing their knowledge on background application usage, including how to turn off apps running in the background on your device. 

All about Background App Refresh 

Background App Refresh lets apps on your iPhone to auto-update even if they're not actively in use. Android devices offer a similar function, allowing background data usage. One example could be your email app frequently updating for new messages or the Facebook app refreshing your news feed, even when you’re not using the app.

Do background apps use data?  

Your smartphone processes a multitude of data daily, including your text messages, videos and photos. But your phone may also be consuming data in ways you aren't aware of, like through apps running in the background and automatically refreshing. These background apps do use data. And while a single application might not consume much data, apps add up. The combined usage could impact your data plan significantly.  

Do background apps drain your battery?  

Yes, background data usage from applications may also drain your phone's battery life. While apps automatically refreshing in the background can be helpful, it’s unlikely that you need real-time updates from ALL your apps. Limiting the number of apps allowed to automatically refresh data could be a real lifesaver for your phone battery. Want to give it a shot yourself?   Here’s how to turn off background data usage for applications on almost any device:

Turning off Background App Refresh on iPhone and iPad

• Navigate to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.  
• To disable Background App Refresh entirely, tap Background App Refresh > Off 

Managing background app refresh for specific apps on iPhone and iPad   If you require real-time email updates, but don't care as much about your Facebook notifications refreshing automatically, you can customize which apps have Background App Refresh enabled. 



Here’s how: 

• Navigate to Settings > General > Background App Refresh
• Toggle Background App Refresh On or Off for each of the applications listed  

Turning off background data usage on Samsung Galaxy 

• Open Settings, then tap Connections > Data usage
• Under the Mobile section, tap Mobile data usage
• Choose an app from below the usage graph
• Disable Allow background data usage
• Repeat the process for all apps you want to restrict from refreshing in the background

Turning off background app data on Google Pixel  

• Go to Settings > Network & internet > Data Saver
• Toggle the switch to enable it

Still need assistance? No sweat. Verizon experts are here to help solve all your electronics issues. Call or chat with a Tech Coach Expert today.