iOS Background App Restrictions

The cluster focuses on iOS restrictions on background app execution, processing, refresh features, and permissions, including debates on battery impact, callbacks, and comparisons to Android.

➡️ Stable 0.5x Hardware
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#6707
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Sample Comments

kolmogorov May 7, 2023 View on HN

the OS won't let you do that reliably unless the user also keeps opening the app. background processing is heavily limited for the right reasons.

norswap Sep 16, 2014 View on HN

Even if it's only when the app is not backgrounded?

mikeryan Sep 12, 2010 View on HN

Which leads into apple's extreme aversion to background apps....

It doesn't work in the background. But that's not the app's fault, it's just an iOS restriction.

mieubrisse Aug 21, 2025 View on HN

Re. what apps can run in the background - have you checked out the "allow background battery usage"? This has worked so far for me.

streaking314 Nov 1, 2014 View on HN

Seems to work well when the app is open, what about background modes?

oh_sigh Oct 10, 2015 View on HN

Even if the app is running in the background? Sorry, I don't use iOS

brewdad Jun 2, 2022 View on HN

Does allowing Background Refresh trick iOS into thinking the app is in use?

ars Dec 27, 2013 View on HN

I thought she meant that the background apps are constantly restarted - which they are.

Mailtemi Jan 14, 2019 View on HN

The apps are not allowed to do background process. But can register a callback to be called when is in background. But there is no guarantee it will be called for sure.