Background Processing

Register, schedule, and execute background work on iOS using the BackgroundTasks framework, background URLSession, and background push notifications.

Contents

• Info.plist Configuration
• BGTaskScheduler Registration
• BGAppRefreshTask Patterns
• BGProcessingTask Patterns
• BGContinuedProcessingTask (iOS 26+)
• Background URLSession Downloads
• Background Push Triggers
• Common Mistakes
• Review Checklist
• References

Info.plist Configuration

Every task identifier must be declared in Info.plist under BGTaskSchedulerPermittedIdentifiers, or submit(_:) throws BGTaskScheduler.Error.Code.notPermitted.

xml
<key>BGTaskSchedulerPermittedIdentifiers</key>
<array>
    <string>com.example.app.refresh</string>
    <string>com.example.app.db-cleanup</string>
    <string>com.example.app.export.*</string>
</array>

Also enable the required UIBackgroundModes:

xml
<key>UIBackgroundModes</key>
<array>
    <string>fetch</string>       <!-- Required for BGAppRefreshTask -->
    <string>processing</string>  <!-- Required for BGProcessingTask -->
</array>

In Xcode: target > Signing & Capabilities > Background Modes > enable "Background fetch" and "Background processing".

BGTaskScheduler Registration

Register handlers before app launch completes. In UIKit, register in application(_:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:); in SwiftUI, register in App.init().

UIKit Registration

swift
import BackgroundTasks

@main
class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate {
    func application(
        _ application: UIApplication,
        didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?
    ) -> Bool {
        BGTaskScheduler.shared.register(
            forTaskWithIdentifier: "com.example.app.refresh",
            using: nil  // nil = default background queue
        ) { task in
            self.handleAppRefresh(task: task as! BGAppRefreshTask)
        }

        BGTaskScheduler.shared.register(
            forTaskWithIdentifier: "com.example.app.db-cleanup",
            using: nil
        ) { task in
            self.handleDatabaseCleanup(task: task as! BGProcessingTask)
        }

        return true
    }
}

SwiftUI Registration

swift
import SwiftUI
import BackgroundTasks

@main
struct MyApp: App {
    init() {
        BGTaskScheduler.shared.register(
            forTaskWithIdentifier: "com.example.app.refresh",
            using: nil
        ) { task in
            BackgroundTaskManager.shared.handleAppRefresh(
                task: task as! BGAppRefreshTask
            )
        }
    }

    var body: some Scene {
        WindowGroup { ContentView() }
    }
}

BGAppRefreshTask Patterns

Short-lived tasks (~30 seconds) for fetching small data updates. The system decides when to launch; earliestBeginDate is only a lower-bound hint.

swift
func scheduleAppRefresh() {
    let request = BGAppRefreshTaskRequest(
        identifier: "com.example.app.refresh"
    )
    request.earliestBeginDate = Date(timeIntervalSinceNow: 15 * 60)
    do {
        try BGTaskScheduler.shared.submit(request)
    } catch {
        print("Could not schedule app refresh: \(error)")
    }
}

func handleAppRefresh(task: BGAppRefreshTask) {
    // Schedule the next refresh before doing work
    scheduleAppRefresh()

    let fetchTask = Task {
        do {
            let data = try await APIClient.shared.fetchLatestFeed()
            await FeedStore.shared.update(with: data)
            task.setTaskCompleted(success: true)
        } catch {
            task.setTaskCompleted(success: false)
        }
    }

    // CRITICAL: Handle expiration -- system can revoke time at any moment
    task.expirationHandler = {
        fetchTask.cancel()
        task.setTaskCompleted(success: false)
    }
}

BGProcessingTask Patterns

Long-running tasks (minutes) for maintenance, data processing, or cleanup. They run while the device is idle and can require external power; the same earliestBeginDate lower-bound rule applies.

swift
func scheduleProcessingTask() {
    let request = BGProcessingTaskRequest(
        identifier: "com.example.app.db-cleanup"
    )
    request.requiresNetworkConnectivity = false
    request.requiresExternalPower = true
    request.earliestBeginDate = Date(timeIntervalSinceNow: 60 * 60)
    do {
        try BGTaskScheduler.shared.submit(request)
    } catch {
        print("Could not schedule processing task: \(error)")
    }
}

func handleDatabaseCleanup(task: BGProcessingTask) {
    scheduleProcessingTask()

    let cleanupTask = Task {
        do {
            try await DatabaseManager.shared.purgeExpiredRecords()
            try await DatabaseManager.shared.rebuildIndexes()
            task.setTaskCompleted(success: true)
        } catch {
            task.setTaskCompleted(success: false)
        }
    }

    task.expirationHandler = {
        cleanupTask.cancel()
        task.setTaskCompleted(success: false)
    }
}

BGContinuedProcessingTask (iOS 26+)

A task initiated in the foreground by a user action that continues running in the background. The system displays progress via a Live Activity. Conforms to ProgressReporting.

Availability: iOS 26.0+, iPadOS 26.0+

Unlike BGAppRefreshTask and BGProcessingTask, this task starts immediately from the foreground. The system can terminate it under resource pressure, prioritizing tasks that report minimal progress first. Set expirationHandler for user or system cancellation, cancel in-flight work, and clean up partial output before reporting completion.

swift
import BackgroundTasks

func startExport() {
    // Register the task handler at app launch, not here.
    // BGTaskScheduler requires registration before app launch completes.
    let jobID = UUID().uuidString
    let request = BGContinuedProcessingTaskRequest(
        identifier: "com.example.app.export.\(jobID)",
        title: "Exporting Photos",
        subtitle: "Processing 247 items"
    )
    // Use a permitted base wildcard identifier: com.example.app.export.*
    // earliestBeginDate is ignored for continued processing requests.
    // .queue: begin as soon as possible if can't run immediately
    // .fail: fail submission if can't run immediately
    request.strategy = .queue

    do {
        try BGTaskScheduler.shared.submit(request)
    } catch {
        print("Could not submit continued processing task: \(error)")
    }
}

func performExport(task: BGContinuedProcessingTask) async {
    let items = await PhotoLibrary.shared.itemsToExport()
    let progress = task.progress
    progress.totalUnitCount = Int64(items.count)

    for (index, item) in items.enumerated() {
        if Task.isCancelled { break }

        await PhotoExporter.shared.export(item)
        progress.completedUnitCount = Int64(index + 1)

        // Update the user-facing title/subtitle
        task.updateTitle(
            "Exporting Photos",
            subtitle: "\(index + 1) of \(items.count) complete"
        )
    }

    task.setTaskCompleted(success: !Task.isCancelled)
}

For GPU work, check support and enable Background GPU Access (com.apple.developer.background-tasks.continued-processing.gpu):

swift
let supported = BGTaskScheduler.supportedResources
if supported.contains(.gpu) {
    request.requiredResources = .gpu
}

Background URLSession Downloads

Use URLSessionConfiguration.background for downloads that continue even after the app is suspended or terminated. The system handles the transfer out of process.

swift
class DownloadManager: NSObject, URLSessionDownloadDelegate {
    static let shared = DownloadManager()

    private lazy var session: URLSession = {
        let config = URLSessionConfiguration.background(
            withIdentifier: "com.example.app.background-download"
        )
        config.isDiscretionary = true
        config.sessionSendsLaunchEvents = true
        return URLSession(configuration: config, delegate: self, delegateQueue: nil)
    }()

    func startDownload(from url: URL) {
        let task = session.downloadTask(with: url)
        task.earliestBeginDate = Date(timeIntervalSinceNow: 60)
        task.resume()
    }

    func urlSession(
        _ session: URLSession,
        downloadTask: URLSessionDownloadTask,
        didFinishDownloadingTo location: URL
    ) {
        // Move file from tmp before this method returns
        let dest = FileManager.default.urls(
            for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask
        )[0].appendingPathComponent("download.dat")
        try? FileManager.default.moveItem(at: location, to: dest)
    }

    func urlSession(
        _ session: URLSession,
        task: URLSessionTask,
        didCompleteWithError error: (any Error)?
    ) {
        if let error { print("Download failed: \(error)") }
    }
}

Handle app relaunch — store and invoke the system completion handler:

swift
// In AppDelegate:
func application(
    _ application: UIApplication,
    handleEventsForBackgroundURLSession identifier: String,
    completionHandler: @escaping () -> Void
) {
    backgroundSessionCompletionHandler = completionHandler
}

// In URLSessionDelegate — call stored handler when events finish:
func urlSessionDidFinishEvents(forBackgroundURLSession session: URLSession) {
    Task { @MainActor in
        self.backgroundSessionCompletionHandler?()
        self.backgroundSessionCompletionHandler = nil
    }
}

Background Push Triggers

Silent push notifications wake your app briefly to fetch new content. Set content-available: 1 in the push payload.

json
{ "aps": { "content-available": 1 }, "custom-data": "new-messages" }

Send the APNs request with apns-push-type: background and apns-priority: 5. Background push delivery is low priority and not guaranteed; keep sends infrequent, generally no more than two or three per hour.

Handle in AppDelegate:

swift
func application(
    _ application: UIApplication,
    didReceiveRemoteNotification userInfo: [AnyHashable: Any],
    fetchCompletionHandler completionHandler:
        @escaping (UIBackgroundFetchResult) -> Void
) {
    Task {
        do {
            let hasNew = try await MessageStore.shared.fetchNewMessages()
            completionHandler(hasNew ? .newData : .noData)
        } catch {
            completionHandler(.failed)
        }
    }
}

Enable "Remote notifications" in Background Modes and register:

swift
UIApplication.shared.registerForRemoteNotifications()

Common Mistakes

1. Missing Info.plist identifiers

swift
// DON'T: Submit a task whose identifier isn't in BGTaskSchedulerPermittedIdentifiers
let request = BGAppRefreshTaskRequest(identifier: "com.example.app.refresh")
try BGTaskScheduler.shared.submit(request)  // Throws .notPermitted

// DO: Add every identifier to Info.plist BGTaskSchedulerPermittedIdentifiers
// <string>com.example.app.refresh</string>

2. Not calling setTaskCompleted(success:)

Use the canonical app-refresh or processing handler above: every success, failure, and cancellation path reports completion exactly once.

3. Ignoring the expiration handler

Use the same canonical handler to cancel in-flight work and report failure from expirationHandler.

4. Scheduling too frequently

The scheduling sections own the lower-bound rule. Avoid minute-scale refresh requests; the system still chooses actual launch time.

5. Over-relying on background time

swift
// DON'T: Start a 10-minute operation assuming it will finish
func handleRefresh(task: BGAppRefreshTask) {
    Task { await tenMinuteSync() }
}

// DO: Design work to be incremental and cancellable
func handleRefresh(task: BGAppRefreshTask) {
    let work = Task {
        for batch in batches {
            try Task.checkCancellation()
            await processBatch(batch)
            await saveBatchProgress(batch)
        }
        task.setTaskCompleted(success: true)
    }
    task.expirationHandler = {
        work.cancel()
        task.setTaskCompleted(success: false)
    }
}

Review Checklist

• ] All task identifiers listed in BGTaskSchedulerPermittedIdentifiers
• ] Required UIBackgroundModes enabled (fetch, processing)
• ] Tasks registered before app launch completes
• ] setTaskCompleted(success:) called on every code path
• ] expirationHandler set and cancels in-flight work
• ] Next task scheduled inside the handler (re-schedule pattern)
• ] earliestBeginDate uses reasonable intervals and is treated as a hint
• ] Background URLSession uses delegate (not async/closures)
• ] Background URLSession file moved in didFinishDownloadingTo before return
• ] handleEventsForBackgroundURLSession stores and calls completion handler
• ] Background push payload includes content-available: 1
• ] Background push APNs request uses apns-push-type: background and apns-priority: 5
• ] fetchCompletionHandler called promptly with correct result
• ] BGContinuedProcessingTask reports progress via ProgressReporting
• ] Work is incremental and cancellation-safe (Task.checkCancellation())
• ] No blocking synchronous work in task handlers

References

• See references/background-task-patterns.md for extended patterns, background

URLSession edge cases, debugging with simulated launches, and background push best practices.

• BGTaskScheduler
• BGAppRefreshTask
• BGProcessingTask
• BGContinuedProcessingTask (iOS 26+)
• BGContinuedProcessingTaskRequest (iOS 26+)
• Using background tasks to update your app
• Performing long-running tasks on iOS and iPadOS