How to Turn Off Background Apps on Your iPhone and Save Battery

Ever wondered why your iPhone battery drains faster, even when you’re not actively using it? The culprit is often apps quietly running in the background. But here’s the kicker, swiping away apps from the app switcher doesn’t actually help. In fact, it might be making things worse.

Let’s break down what really works when it comes to stopping background apps on your iPhone.

Closing Apps from the App Switcher Doesn’t Save Battery

When you swipe up from the bottom (or double-press the Home button on older iPhones), you can force-close apps by flicking them away. You can even use multiple fingers to close several apps at once. However, there’s no built-in way to close all apps at once unless you restart your iPhone.

But here’s the truth: force-closing apps doesn’t save battery life. When you relaunch an app, your iPhone uses more power to load it from scratch than it would have to keep it in standby. Unless an app is frozen or glitching, you’re better off letting iOS manage background processes.

What Actually Drains Your iPhone Battery?

The real battery hog is a feature called Background App Refresh. It allows apps to update content in the background, even when you’re not using them. Think of your email app checking for new messages or social media apps loading new posts before you even open them.

While this feature is helpful for real-time notifications, most apps don’t need to run in the background 24/7. That’s where you can step in and take control.

Also check: How to See Which Apps You Use Most on Your iPhone and Mac

How to Turn Off Background App Refresh on iPhone

If you want to conserve battery and limit data usage, start by turning off Background App Refresh.

1. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
2. Tap Background App Refresh again at the top.
3. Choose Off to disable it completely, or select Wi-Fi to restrict background activity to Wi-Fi connections only.
4. Alternatively, scroll through the list and turn off Background App Refresh for individual apps you don’t need updating in the background.

Better Ways to Reduce Background Activity (Without Closing Apps)

Instead of constantly force-quitting apps, try these smart power-saving tips:

1. Enable Low Power Mode: Go to Settings > Battery and turn it on. This reduces background activity and disables Background App Refresh.
2. Automate Low Power Mode: Use the Shortcuts app to create an automation that turns on Low Power Mode when battery drops below, say, 20%.
3. Turn Off Location Services: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and disable it for apps that don’t need your location.
4. Use Airplane Mode in Low Signal Areas: If you’re in an area with poor cellular coverage, your iPhone keeps searching for a network, which drains your battery quickly. Swipe down to access Control Center → Turn on Airplane Mode to stop the search.
5. Turn Off Always Listen for “Hey Siri”: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Siri > Always Listen for Hey Siri and switch it off to stop your mic from always listening.

Final Words

Next time your iPhone battery starts draining fast, resist the urge to swipe away every app. iOS is designed to manage apps efficiently in the background. Instead, focus on disabling Background App Refresh, using Low Power Mode, and tweaking other background settings like location and Siri.

That’s the real way to stop background apps from eating up your battery and keep your iPhone running longer throughout the day.

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