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ksbarnz Author

Level 1

19 points

iOS 10 App Store Background Battery Killer

I have an iPhone 7 Plus and the battery life is being killed by the App Store background activity. It averages at least 50% usage of my iPhone's battery each day and the phone is constantly warm. I've tried soft resetting, turning off background app updates and signing out and back in of the app store. I've seen a lot of issues posted on this topic but have not come across a solid solution. Any advice?

iPhone 7 Plus, iOS 10.0.2

Posted on Sep 29, 2016 7:39 AM

Best reply

raina_b22

Community Specialist

Posted on Sep 30, 2016 9:25 AM

Hi, ksbarnz!

Thanks for using the Apple Support Communities. After reviewing your post, I am understanding that the App Store seems to be using quite a bit of your battery life in the background. I rely on my iPhone every day, so I definitely know it's important to monitor what uses the battery; I'm happy to help!

You've already gotten started with some great troubleshooting steps. Since signing out and back into the App Store, restarting the iPhone and turning off Background App Refresh haven't helped, I do have a some additional troubleshooting I can suggest. Before you begin, I would recommend making a backup of your iPhone, following the steps here: How to back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Once you have your backup, restore your iPhone to factory settings as described in this article: Use iTunes on your Mac or PC to restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to factory settings

After the restore, set your iPhone up as a new device (meaning without using the backup you previously created--at least temporarily). You can sign into iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, and the iTunes & App Store. Then, monitor your iPhone's battery life, and how much of it the App Store is using, over the next 24 hours.

If everything looks as expected, you can then restore your backup following the steps here: Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup

Test the battery performance for an additional 24 hours. If the issue was not present when the iPhone was set up as a new device, but returned after you restored your backup, it would indicate a conflict with the data on the iPhone. In that situation, restore your iPhone to factory settings again, without restoring your backup.

Cheers!

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91 replies

Oct 7, 2016 3:37 PM in response to ksbarnz

same problem 😟 without coupling the Watch its perfect

Oct 8, 2016 2:10 PM in response to Barkow222

I can confirm after 24 hours of having unpaired my Apple Watch the problem is gone entirely. App Store background activity doesn't even show up on my 24h battery usage log anymore. This is a huge bug for Apple that needs to be fixed ASAP.

mikeb147

Level 1

9 points

Oct 9, 2016 2:16 AM in response to ksbarnz

hey guys,

So this problem has completely gone away by switch off my Bluetooth so the watch can't connect. I didn't unpair mine. I have given this info the my Apple case and will let you know what Apple says.

mikeb147

Level 1

9 points

Oct 9, 2016 2:19 AM in response to ksbarnz

hey guys, just an update. I switched off my Bluetooth so my watch couldn't connect (didn't unpair) and foe two days it looks like this completely fixed this issue. App Store background activity is now less then 1% and no battery issues.

I Have passed this info on to my Apple consultant and will let you know what they say.

if anyone else can confirm that disconnecting Apple Watch solves this issue, i think we pretty much have root cause.

Oct 9, 2016 4:37 PM in response to mikeb147

Just switching off Bluetooth didn't fix it for me. I had to unpair the watch entirely for the issue to stop.

Oct 17, 2016 9:25 AM in response to blexington

This is interesting. Maybe you or others that try this should put the watch into airplane mode to kill both bluetooth and wifi, since, if you recall the watch does use wifi and can connect to the paired iPhone through wifi. I am trying this (watch on airplane mode) now and will report back in the next couple of days.

ksbarnz Author

Level 1

19 points

Oct 17, 2016 11:29 AM in response to ksbarnz

Well this issue came back today for me. Phone is warm to the touch again. It started after I finished a run and had my headphones paired with the apple watch during the run. Once my watch paired back with my phone after the run the background activity of the app store started on the phone.

Oct 17, 2016 11:40 AM in response to ksbarnz

This is when I've noticed it as well (ksbarnz)! After listening to a playlist I've synced to the Apple Watch for offline use, the issue appeared to happen after simply using my phone again after that. I don't believe I even paired my headphones back to the phone, I just began using it normally and it started getting warm. Is everyone else here syncing a playlist to the Apple Watch?

ksbarnz Author

Level 1

19 points

Oct 17, 2016 11:48 AM in response to blexington

Hopefully we are on to something! So I have my watch in airplane mode now and BT off on the phone. The background activity is still eating through the battery. I am going to try and delete the sync playlist from the watch and re-add it to see what that does

ksbarnz Author

Level 1

19 points

Oct 17, 2016 11:49 AM in response to ksbarnz

What I did notice on the watch app is that the playlist is stuck on syncing....

Oct 17, 2016 11:57 AM in response to ksbarnz

Yes, I've come to the same conclusion regarding the Apple Watch with music synced as well. However, I believe it has something to with controlling the iPhone's music from the Apple Watch without changing the source of the music to the Apple Watch (for Bluetooth headphones, while working out) and then walking away from the phone, which started the issue for me once it reconnected to the phone back in my locker again. I did a restore to an earlier backup and have avoided using the Apple Watch to control my iPhone music altogether, and immedilately switching the source to the Apple Watch (with playlist completey synced) and the issue hasn't came back from several days now.

ksbarnz Author

Level 1

19 points

Oct 17, 2016 12:00 PM in response to Saad48127

I hadn't had the issue for a few weeks and when it came back today the only thing that was different was that I had added a couple of new songs to my workout playlist that syncs to the watch. It had been the same ever since the first issue went away. I just deleted the playlist from the watch and am syncing it back now. Will post back on if it fixed the issue.

Oct 17, 2016 12:37 PM in response to ksbarnz

exact the same problem here (Apple Watch 2, IPhone 7, Powerbeats 2, Apple Music Sync List).... Hot IPhone and AppStore Background Activity after Sport with Apple Watch and Beats only!

My Solution = After Paring again, deactivate Bluetooth and Wlan and restart ur IPhone... then activate Bluetooth and Wlan again = works for me

Oct 17, 2016 6:08 PM in response to Barkow222

Looks like this is a widespread issue. Forum on MacRumors discussing the same issue.

http://forums.macrumors.com/threads/app-store-massive-battery-drain.2001418/

Oct 18, 2016 5:14 AM in response to ksbarnz

i just removed any playlists from syncing with the watch through the iphone app. not sure if this will fix it. battery still drains fast but without the phone heating up and at a slower rate so there still seems to be a residual problem somewhere.

what a nightmare.

iOS 10 App Store Background Battery Killer