Background activity iOS from the mobile app.

[AndyVRD]

Hi,

Just notice that Dropbox keeps active in the background on iOS, even if i disable it in the settings from iOS. After some testing I found the problem, the integration with the files app causes this problem. If I disable Dropbox within the files app there is no longer background activity from Dropbox. Hope this can be fixed soon because it drains my battery.

[MikeTheBohunk]

I wanna be fair here: I'm not going to make any sweeping statements about leaving the service entirely (as I said, it's still very comfortable and convenient on desktop OSs). Plus, Apple is also partially to blame here — giving the users the option to disable the background app refresh in iOS, then letting the developers bypass this preference entirely…

So, I'll keep using Dropbox for desktop, but I'm going to have to move away files that I want to be accessible from my iPhone until this issue is properly addressed. The mobile app has forced me to merely change my use case, but it's still a pity that I've had to do that.

Good luck to the developers. This task may not be as easy as we BFUs might think.

[Heartsonfire]

Background App Refresh is OFF, Locations is OFF in files app, Upload Photos is OFF but Dropbox continues to run Background Activity ALL DAY & DRAINS MY BATTERY!!! Why is this continuing to happen???? And why is there NO way to actually contact support??? What great customer service! SMFH!! I’m soooo frickin frustrated and about to delete the app! HELP PLEASE!!!!

[CJAWright]

Reading this thread, it’s mental! I cannot get over how nobody from Dropbox has fixed this! Using your service for years now. I paid £80 for a new battery in my iPhone today. And the guy at the Genius Bar said it’s a Dropbox software issue. Low and behold, 6 months into it, still not resolved. Seriously! It doesn’t need to run in the background! Most other apps “allow only when using this app” 🤷🏻‍:male_sign:🤷🏻‍:male_sign:

Cmon, please reach out with a solution!!! Not just one person with this issue. And probably several more without even realising!!!!

[TheMG]

Same issue!  I just looked in the Battery tab under settings... changed over from "Last 24 Hours" to "Last 10 Days"... looked down at Dropbox...  97 HOURS 5 minutes of BACKGROUND usage!!!   I really BARELY use DropBox, so this isn't because I'm a heavy user and the phone is staying in sync all the time...  To be fair, LinkedIn also had a rediculous amount of usage too, so I suspect it may have something to do with an Apple update.  But the fact that Dropbox isn't even acknowledgeing the problem (seems to be a common theme) is troubling.  (I too have already verified that the "background app refresh" permission was turned off for Dropbox.

[khcole]

Thanks, but how do you disable it under iOS14?  I'm not seeing an option to toggle it on/off like in prior iOS releases or an edit button.  It's hogging my battery (147 hours over 10 days; 15 hours over the last 24 hours).  Love to remove from Files App.

[AaronPowellDesign]

Hi,

I would have thought that my many previous comments would've suggested that I am only referring to the only possible option available, which is of course "Background Update Refresh", at least you can feel sure that I am referring to what you thought it might be (answering the exact same questions many times in earlier comments has caused my patience to wane by the way)...

I took a long time to respond because I was convinced for a while that as long as the Dropbox App is closed when using the multi task screen, then that would stop this problem , but noo. This morning my iPad was on 5%, and the Dropbox App wasn't even open, yet, it says it ran in the background for nearly 8 HOURS!!! It feels like Dropbox are conspiring with Apple to kill off older devices, since when the battery goes bad, then the whole device becomes useless? 

I'm running Dropbox 202.3 and iPadOS 13.6.1.

Please do NOT assume updating will somehow solve this (it only says new features for the latest app update anyway), I've already updated both MANY times during the time of having this problem, and unless dropbox get their act together, (and stop focusing on new features all the time and fix the problems), then MAYBE the problem will get fixed.

[AaronPowellDesign]

Here's an image that accompanies my comment reply that I just sent a moment ago.. 

[jr866gooner]

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@khcole wrote:

Thanks, but how do you disable it under iOS14?  I'm not seeing an option to toggle it on/off like in prior iOS releases or an edit button.  It's hogging my battery (147 hours over 10 days; 15 hours over the last 24 hours).  Love to remove from Files App.

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Go into the Files app and where it is listed as a location, choose the ellipsis top right and select edit and simply disable dropbox.

[jr866gooner]

To clarify I noticed this exact same behaviour and I am glad I am not alone.

I didnt grab a screen shot unfortunately but instead removed the app entirely until I found this thread and have simply ensured the files app is not listing dropbox as connected. Not ideal but I shall see if this improves my overnight battery drain which was as much as 15 to 20% overnight!

If this files settings change makes no difference then it will certainly force my hand to move my data out of Dropbox for good.

[khcole]

Thank you. I don't know how I missed that.  For me, this is strike number 2 for DropBox.  The first is their complete refusal to make DB work with the favorites on the Files App.  That makes using my iPad extremely cumbersome.  The thread trying to get that fixed is going on 2+ years now, with no resolution.  I was going to migrate to OneDrive, as we use Office365 for our company.  However, I was procrastinating.  I will be migrating our company over this weekend and cancel DB.  Too bad.  Great service, but they've forgotten to pay attention to their customers...always a fatal mistake when there is competition.