If you are asking should you turn off Background App Refresh on Apple Watch, the answer depends on how you use your apps and how much you care about battery life.
Background App Refresh lets apps update information in the background, even when you are not actively using them. This can help apps feel faster and keep some information more current. But it can also use battery, especially if many apps are allowed to refresh often.
For many users, the best choice is not turning it off completely. It is reviewing which apps actually need it.
What Background App Refresh Does
Apple Watch Background App Refresh helps apps stay updated in the background.
For example, weather, calendar, reminders, fitness, travel or productivity apps may refresh information so it is ready when you open the app. Some complications may also rely on fresh app data to show useful information on your watch face.
This can make Apple Watch feel smoother because apps do not always need to load everything from zero.
Does It Affect Battery Life?
Yes, Background App Refresh can affect battery life.
If many apps refresh in the background, your watch may use more power during the day. The effect may be small for some users and more noticeable for others, depending on apps, notifications, complications, cellular use and watch age.
If you want to save battery Apple Watch performance, background refresh is one setting worth checking.
When You Should Turn It Off
You may want to turn off background refresh Apple Watch settings for apps you rarely use.
If an app does not need live information on your wrist, it probably does not need background refresh. Games, shopping apps, apps you open once a month or apps that do not show important watch face information are good candidates.
You can also turn it off more broadly if your battery drains quickly and you want a simpler setup.
When You Should Keep It On
Keep Background App Refresh on for apps that matter during the day.
Weather, calendar, reminders, workout related apps, travel apps and apps with useful complications may work better when refresh is enabled. If you rely on watch face complications, turning refresh off for the wrong app may make information update less often.
If your Apple Watch battery is fine, you do not need to turn everything off.
How to Choose the Best Setup
Open the Watch app on iPhone and review Apple Watch app refresh settings.
Keep refresh on for apps you check often or use on your watch face. Turn it off for apps you do not need during the day. This gives you a better balance between battery life and useful updates.
The goal is simple: keep important apps fresh and stop unnecessary background activity.
Background Refresh and Performance
Background App Refresh is also part of Apple Watch performance settings.
If your watch feels slow, crowded or busy, reducing background activity may help a little. It will not fix every performance issue, but it can make the setup cleaner.
Pair this with fewer notifications, fewer unused apps and a simpler watch face for a smoother daily experience.
Conclusion
So, should you turn off Background App Refresh on Apple Watch? Not always.
Turn it off for apps you rarely use, apps that do not need live data and apps that add background activity without helping you. Keep it on for weather, calendar, reminders, travel, workout and complication based apps you rely on.
A balanced setup can help battery life without making Apple Watch less useful.