iPhone Facebook.app doesn't honour Background App Refresh setting

[MacFrag]

Hi all,

I noticed these last days that the Facebook.app on iPhone 6s with iOs 9.1 (13B143) doesn't honour the Background App Refresh setting.

In Settings > General > Background App Refresh I have Facebook turned off.

Yet, Facebook.app still runs on the background by connecting to Facebook and getting status updates and what not.

These updates are showed as a tiny red circle on the upper right corner of the Facebook.app icon including a number value of how many updates and what not are available.

Is this a bug or a normal feature?

Anybody got a clue?

 

[keysofanxiety]

Is this a bug or a normal feature?

This is Facebook we're talking about, so I wouldn't be surprised. Does the issue persist when you actively close the app by swiping it away, not just exiting it?

 

[MacFrag]

This is Facebook we're talking about, so I wouldn't be surprised. Does the issue persist when you actively close the app by swiping it away, not just exiting it?

It still does it when I swipe it away and there are no running apps in the background

 

[keysofanxiety]

It still does it when I swipe it away and there are no running apps in the background

I'm stumped. You can try a few more things:

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on Privacy.
3. Tap on Location Services.
4. Find Facebook in the list and tap on it.
5. Tap on Never.

You've already done this, but best to double-check it's still disabled:

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on General.
3. Tap on Background App Refresh.
4. Turn Off background app refresh for Facebook.

If not, try disable the global background app refresh and see if this works.

If this still doesn't work, try delete the app and then reinstall?

 

[MacFrag]

I checked Location Services but it wasn't there (yet). Did not use the location function yet in the app.

Double checked and rechecked, Background App Refresh is off for Facebook.app.

I will delete the app and then reinstall it. I am curious what will happen.

 

[imagineadam]

Hmm I quit Facebook a few months ago and it feels really good.. Why make your life all about siting around wasting your time reading about other people's lives when you could just live your own?

 

[theoapo]

Don't bother with this...
This was also my first question when I switched from Android to iOS.
Notifications for Facebook still show even when it is disabled in the Background Refresh.
If it bothers you too much, try to turn off the Notifications of the application by going to Settings > Notifications.

 

[bransoj]

Hi all,

I noticed these last days that the Facebook.app on iPhone 6s with iOs 9.1 (13B143) doesn't honour the Background App Refresh setting.

In Settings > General > Background App Refresh I have Facebook turned off.

Yet, Facebook.app still runs on the background by connecting to Facebook and getting status updates and what not.

These updates are showed as a tiny red circle on the upper right corner of the Facebook.app icon including a number value of how many updates and what not are available.

Is this a bug or a normal feature?

Anybody got a clue?

This is nothing to do with Background refresh is it? This is the notification settings which is different and handled via push notifications and the settings for this is under Notifications. Background Refresh allows for Facebook to do things like preload your timeline as it learns when you check Facebook etc.

If you want to get rid of the red circle you do it by going into Notifications > Facebook and turning off Badge App Icon and there are other options in there as well. The notifications will work whether Facebook is running in the background or not and whether Background refresh is on or not...again two separate things really.

I have all Facebook notifications off otherwise i feel they take over the phone at times.

 

[C DM]

Hi all,

I noticed these last days that the Facebook.app on iPhone 6s with iOs 9.1 (13B143) doesn't honour the Background App Refresh setting.

In Settings > General > Background App Refresh I have Facebook turned off.

Yet, Facebook.app still runs on the background by connecting to Facebook and getting status updates and what not.

These updates are showed as a tiny red circle on the upper right corner of the Facebook.app icon including a number value of how many updates and what not are available.

Is this a bug or a normal feature?

Anybody got a clue?

Push notifications are not related to background refresh or being able to run in the background. They are simply notifications and only related to that. They don't require the app to be running as that is basically the whole point behind them, that you could be notified about something whether or not the related app is running.

(Also background refresh doesn't control the ability of an app to run in the background--it is one aspect of what can get an app to run in the background, but being able to run in the background is a built in OS functionality that is not controlled by the user and can happen with or without background refresh. But again, none of that is related to push notifications.)

 

[MacFrag]

Bransoj and C DM, thank you for enlightening me

You are both correct. This solved it for me.

I really did not expected it to be located under Notification. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Don't bother with this...
This was also my first question when I switched from Android to iOS.
Notifications for Facebook still show even when it is disabled in the Background Refresh.
If it bothers you too much, try to turn off the Notifications of the application by going to Settings > Notifications.

Background App Refresh =/= Notifications.

Background App Refresh is designed to update the application in the background so once you open it, it is fully loaded and completely up to date. Notifications are just that, notification. They there to alert you of something new. Notifications have to go through Apple's push notification server before it appears on the device.

 

[gwhizkids]

Background App Refresh =/= Notifications.

Background App Refresh is designed to update the application in the background so once you open it, it is fully loaded and completely up to date. Notifications are just that, notification. They there to alert you of something new. Notifications have to go through Apple's push notification server before it appears on the device.

I have the opposite problem (and your response above confirms it): I have Twitter set to Background Refresh "on" and it is never up to date when I open it. Always have to pull to refresh.

 

[Mlrollin91]

I have the opposite problem (and your response above confirms it): I have Twitter set to Background Refresh "on" and it is never up to date when I open it. Always have to pull to refresh.

I don't use BAR - but from what I have read about it, it uses intelligence to refresh app data in a "smart" manner. Meaning when the phone is plugged in or the battery is above 50%, and on WiFi or strong cellular data. Also, if you remove the app out of the task switcher it won't update because the app isn't in memory. But as I said. I don't have experience with it, only what I've read about it. Push notifications are good enough for me.

 

[aj8690]

Looks like there was another vague FB Update pushed out today...hoping there are additional improvements implemented to improve background activity efficiency, but I'm not holding my breath. Even after they said that they fixed the battery drain issue, I still have tons of background activity. BAR is off, the "Location History" hidden setting in FB is turned off, Location Services only while using the app (not set to "Always", and I try to close it out after each use. Not there yet, Facebook.