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.

[Daphne]

Hey there @AndyVRD, thanks for sharing this with us here!

Can you just clarify for me exactly what setting it is that you disabled within the iOS settings? Was it the "background app refresh" option?

Out of curiosity, do you also have the location services enabled for Dropbox too, for the camera uploads "background uploading" feature? 

Keep me posted!

[AndyVRD]

Hi @Daphne,

I disabled the Dropbox app within the Apple files app, thats the only way to fix the background activity issue.

Camera upload is disabled so that is not the issue. Like i said, soon as i disable Dropbox inside the Apple files app the problem is fixed.

Anyway this problem is already known by Dropbox but in Januari they said to another user with the same problem that it’s not on there priority list. Strange thing because i think this is a serious problem...

[Daphne]

Thanks for the additional info @AndyVRD!

I understand how this would be important for you so thanks for sharing this with us here.

If you have any other questions or issues in the meantime, please don't hesitate to get back to me here. I'd be more than happy to help.

I hope you have a great day ahead!

[AndyVRD]

Have you any idea wen this will be fixed?

[AndyVRD]

Great customer service, after 2 weeks no reply. This issue is there for months now and still no fix available...

[Daphne]

Hey again @AndyVRD!

Apologies, it seems I missed your last post here. I'm looking into this on my side but I don't have any info to share on this at the moment.

I'll make sure to let you know when I have further details. Thanks!

[Daphne]

Thanks for your patience @AndyVRD. 

From what I could find, this is due to the Files app making checks on the Dropbox account to make sure that the files are up to date within the Files app.

If you'd like more info on this, then I could suggest contacting Apple Support as they might have a better insight into this.

Having said that, since the Files app needs to stay in sync with your Dropbox account, the only way to disable that would indeed be to disable Dropbox as a location within the Files app. 

Sorry that I can't be of much more help here, but do let me know if you have any other questions.

[Lee S.9]

I appreciate you keeping us informed Daphne but I would add that I have Google Drive, Box and OneDrive paired in my Files app. There is no spike in their battery consumption. But I find Dropbox near the top of my list of batter consumption & I’m barely using it. Happy to throw it back to Apple, it clearly this is probably just as much a Dropbox thing.

[ChrisGaff]

Any update on this? I've also been having this issue for several months now, and the issue persists in iPadOS 14 beta. Between this issue and the search function not working for Dropbox in the Files app, I think I'm going to have to move everything out of my Dropbox to another cloud service.