iOS · iPhone & iPad
Turn Background App Refresh On or Off on iPhone
Source-checked About 1 minute
Answer
Open Settings > General > Background App Refresh. Tap Background App Refresh again, then choose Off, Wi-Fi, or Wi-Fi & Cellular Data. Depending on your region, the last option may be labelled Wi-Fi & Mobile Data.
Open General settings
Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad, then tap General.
Open Background App Refresh
Tap Background App Refresh, then tap Background App Refresh again at the top of the screen.
Choose the connection rule
Select Off, Wi-Fi, or Wi-Fi & Cellular Data. In some regions, iPhone shows Wi-Fi & Mobile Data instead. Your choice applies immediately.
Review the effect on each app
Return to the app list and turn refresh on or off for individual apps if needed. Low Power Mode and Low Data Mode turn Background App Refresh off temporarily, and an app you force-quit might not check for new content until you open it again.
Video walkthrough
If it does not work
- If the control is greyed out or ignored, check Low Power Mode, Screen Time, device management, cellular permission and the app's own refresh behavior. Do not reset or reinstall the iPhone for an app that refreshes only on launch or does not support background activity.
Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: iPhone and iPad, current Apple Support guidance.
Checked against current Apple guidance. The screenshot was captured on iOS 26.6 on 1 August 2026.