Specify which smartphone apps are running in the background. Apps that refresh in the background use the internet. Even if you are not using the app.
App background activities
Apps on smartphones sometimes remain active in the background, even when you are not using them. That doesn’t have to be a big deal.
When you open apps, they typically use the Internet connection to load or update the content. Many apps do that even when you don’t have the app in front of you. Think of an e-mail program that retrieves e-mails at set times so that you do not have to constantly check for new messages. That has advantages and disadvantages.
Turn background apps on or off?
This background refresh shouldn’t be a problem. If you only use the internet on WiFi or have a large data bundle, you won’t be bothered by it. Then it is even easy that the apps are always provided with the latest data. On the other hand, background activity does become a problem if you want to watch the MB consumption, for example because you have a limited data bundle on the phone. Or if you prefer not to be disturbed by all kinds of notifications. Then it is more convenient to turn off data consumption in the background.
Turn off background refresh (iPhone)
On iPhone (with iOS 13 or later), turn off background refresh as follows:
- Tap the app Institutions.
- Tap on General.
- Tap on Background Refresh.
- Determine under ‘Background refresh’ whether this function should be on or off. When you turn it on, you can determine per app whether or not it uses it. If you turn it off, no app will be able to refresh in the background. Tap on Background Refresh.
- Choose from ‘Off’, ‘Wi-Fi’ or ‘Wi-Fi and mobile data’.
- Tap on Previous.
- If you have chosen ‘Wi-Fi’ or ‘Wi-Fi or Mobile data’, all apps that want to use it are listed below each other with a slider next to them. A green button means the app is refreshing itself in the background. An all white button indicates that this is not happening. Optionally, tap a slider to change the setting.
Turn off background activity (Android)
On an Android device (with Android 7 to 10), do the following to get to the background refresh settings.
- Tap on Institutions.
- Tap Connections.
- Tap on Data usage.
- Tap on Saving data or on Data Saving.
- Tap on Allow app at Geg. sp. at.
- Here you can determine per app whether or not it is allowed to use the internet connection if you do not use the app further. If the slider behind an app is blue, then this app does have permission. Tap a slider to change that.
- Tap the left arrow in the top left to go back to the settings menu. Changes are saved.