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Apps keep reloading even when background app refresh is on or off

Ever since I updated to my 14 Pro with iOS 16, apps fully reload when returning from background. This even happens with Safari when using the switcher to return to the app after less than 30 secs.


Anyone else having this issue?


Thanks,

Dave

Posted on Dec 1, 2022 12:51 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 4, 2022 6:18 PM

Actually, it's not normal behavior and so the reason I'm raising the issue. Previous versions of the OS use to only kill processes if it needed the resources and not if it went to the background. With the latest iOS 16, apps are killed as soon as you send them to the background or lock the screen.


As a iOS developer, I'm very familiar with how this works and I can say it's not working how it should. I have built many apps that get data from services and know that you don't always have to reload the app if your app data is still in memory.


For example, I was trying to type a reply on my phone within Safari and had to check on something on the calendar for my son, and when I returned to Safari, the entire page reloaded and it lost everything I'd typed! Grrr! I had only switched away for a few seconds, a minute at most. This is so very frustrating and making me wish I had stuck with my iPhone 12 and iOS 15.


I have Background App Refresh enabled and I'm not quitting apps by swiping up to force quit, they are simply "loosing focus" like with a screen lock. If there is a new setting that deals with this, please let me know as I can barely stand using my phone for anything that might be interrupted by another task.


Dave





3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 4, 2022 6:18 PM in response to Community User

Actually, it's not normal behavior and so the reason I'm raising the issue. Previous versions of the OS use to only kill processes if it needed the resources and not if it went to the background. With the latest iOS 16, apps are killed as soon as you send them to the background or lock the screen.


As a iOS developer, I'm very familiar with how this works and I can say it's not working how it should. I have built many apps that get data from services and know that you don't always have to reload the app if your app data is still in memory.


For example, I was trying to type a reply on my phone within Safari and had to check on something on the calendar for my son, and when I returned to Safari, the entire page reloaded and it lost everything I'd typed! Grrr! I had only switched away for a few seconds, a minute at most. This is so very frustrating and making me wish I had stuck with my iPhone 12 and iOS 15.


I have Background App Refresh enabled and I'm not quitting apps by swiping up to force quit, they are simply "loosing focus" like with a screen lock. If there is a new setting that deals with this, please let me know as I can barely stand using my phone for anything that might be interrupted by another task.


Dave





Dec 4, 2022 3:01 PM in response to dppeak

Hello dppeak,


This is normal behavior. When you bring an app to the front, it refreshes/reloads because it's no longer in the background.

Switch apps on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support


Use Background App Refresh
After you switch to a different app, some apps run for a short period of time before they're set to a suspended state. Apps that are in a suspended state aren’t actively in use, open, or taking up system resources. With Background App Refresh, suspended apps can check for updates and new content. 
If you want suspended apps to check for new content, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and turn on Background App Refresh. If you quit an app from the app switcher, it might not be able to run or check for new content before you open it again.



Best Regards.


Apps keep reloading even when background app refresh is on or off

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