iOS 26 – Tech Savvy Life

How to Control Background App Refresh on iPhone

Background App Refresh can consume data and battery life on your device. Users can optimize its usage by enabling it only when connected to Wi-Fi. This setting helps preserve cellular data and battery life while keeping apps up-to-date when needed. Instructions for adjusting these settings are provided for iPhone users.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
February 3 , 2026 – 4 minutes read time

Overview

Background App Refresh can siphon off your data and battery without you noticing. But you can choose to turn Background App Refresh on only when your device is connected to Wi-Fi. That way, you can enjoy the perks of the feature without worrying about how much data it’s using.

What Is Background Refresh

For years, it has been recommended to turn off Background App Refresh on your device to save battery life and cellular data. Background App Refresh automatically refreshes apps you have open in the background, so when you go back to them, the page is already up to date and loaded. This can consume data and battery life. Here’s how to set background app refresh to Wi-Fi only on iPhone.

Note! All iPhone users should setup this tip. Why Apple does not make this the default is beyond us.

Key Takeaways

Save battery life by preventing apps from constantly refreshing.
Ensure you do not use up extra cellular data by allowing apps to refresh only over Wi-Fi.

System Requirements

This tip was performed on an iPhone 17 Pro running iOS 26.2.

Click here to learn how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

Set Background App Refresh

First, open Settings, and select General. Refer to the image :

Refresh 1 — Selecting the General option

Next, tap Background App Refresh. See the image below:

Refresh 2 — Selecting the Background App Refresh option

Now, select Background App Refresh again. See the following image:

Refresh 3 — Selecting the Background App Refresh option again

Next, select Wi-Fi to turn on Background App Refresh only when your device is connected to Wi-Fi. Refer to the image below:

Now, you can enable/disable background refresh per app by tapping its toggle. see the image below:

efresh 5 — Disable Background App Refresh

That’s how to adjust the settings for background app refresh on iPhone. If you want to know how to turn off background app refresh completely, just select Off in the last step. This is a good option if you do not want your apps updating without you knowing. This can stop updates you actually do not want from being installed on your phone (which can be a huge advantage), but it will be annoying when you open an app you need to use now, only to get a notification that you will have to update before you can use it.

Disclaimer

Technology is constantly evolving, and smartphone and desktop tech rarely remains static. Therefore, the information in this post is only accurate as of the date it was written. Blog posts that are older than six months may contain instructions that are no longer compatible with your device or operating system. We hope that the content from previous posts continues to function as intended. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life, where technology works for you.

Quote For the Day

Our technological powers increase, but the side effects and potential hazards also escalate.

. – Alvin Toffler

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The author’s Vietnam eBook on the “Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath” can be accessed from a Kindle device or the Kindle App for a desktop or smartphone. The apps are free.

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath

Quickly Disable iPhone Notifications on Lock Screen

This post explains how to quickly disable specific app notifications from the iPhone Lock Screen, simplifying the process compared to accessing the Notification Settings. Users can swipe left on a notification, select Options, and then turn off alerts, but must be cautious as there’s no confirmation to revert changes.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
January 27, 2026 – 3 minutes read time

Overview

Did you know that you can quickly turn off specific app notifications without having to dig deep in your notifications settings? Let’s learn how to turn notifications off on iPhone’s Lock Screen in just a few quick steps. This is an easy way to reduce declutter by turning off iPhone notifications as soon as they pop up.

You may already know how to turn off notifications on iPhone in the Notification Settings. However, it is even easier to turn off an unwanted app notification the moment it pops up, directly from your Lock Screen.

Key Takeaways

Turn off specific app notifications the moment you get them.

Avoid the hassle of navigating to Notification Settings and disable notifications directly from your Lock Screen.

System Requirements

This tip was performed on an iPhone 17 Pro running iOS 26.2.

Click here to learn how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

Turning Off Notifications

First, locate a notification from an app on your Lock Screen that you wish to silence. Refer to the image below:

Notifications 1 — Selecting a notification

Next, swipe slowly from right to left over the notification. See the below image:

Notifications 2 — Swipe the notification slowly

Now, tap Options. If you tap Clear, just this one notification will be removed. See the following image:

Next, select Turn Off. Refer to the image below:

Notifications 4 — Selecting to Turn Off all notifications for this app

Another trick is that instead of tapping Turn Off, you can tap View Settings which will take you to the page with all the settings for that particular app.

Note! There is no confirmation step once you tap Turn Off, so if you accidentally turn off the wrong app notifications, you will have to turn them back on via Settings

Also, for example if you turn off Best Buy app Deals notifications it will generally disable all alerts from the app, to include order and shipping uupdates, so be careful what you turn off.

Now you know how to turn off iPhone notifications directly from the Lock Screen!

Disclaimer

Quote For the Day

The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.

– Isaac Asimov

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Transform Your Writing with Apple Intelligence Tools

Apple Intelligence is a new AI feature for iPhone 15 Pro and later, allowing users to rewrite text in seconds. It includes tools for improving writing, managing messages, and ensuring privacy. Despite its capabilities, the author suggests it needs refinement compared to Grammarly Pro. Compatibility and usage instructions are provided.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
January 20, 2026 – 4 minutes read time

Overview

Now, there’s an easy way to rewrite any text or email in just a matter of seconds. With Apple Intelligence, you can now let your iPhone’s AI rewrite text for you.

Apple Intelligence is capable of using handy rewriting tools to change up any passage of text that you have typed, as long as you are using an iPhone 15 Pro or later model. Let’s explore this AI feature.

What is Apple intelligence

Apple Intelligence is a suite of AI-powered tools that use your personal data to generate information and recommendations tailored to you. It’s available on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and is integrated into the core of the operating system and existing apps.

Apple Intelligence includes features like:

Image Playground: A tool for generating cartoon-style images based on text descriptions
Genmoji: A tool for creating emojis for any situation
Writing Tools: Tools for enhancing your writing, including ChatGPT integration and reformatting tools like List and Table
Priority Messages: A tool for prioritizing messages in your inbox
Notification summaries: A tool for scanning long or stacked notifications with key details
Reduce Interruptions: A Focus that surfaces only notifications that might need immediate attention
Smart Reply: A tool in Mail that identifies questions you were asked in an email and offers relevant selections to include in your response

Apple Intelligence is designed to protect your privacy at every step. It’s aware of your personal information without collecting it, and it uses on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute to handle more complex requests.

Key aTakeaways

Rewrite and improve typed text anywhere on your iPhone.
Make sure your messages are always written correctly.

System Requirements

This tip works on the iPhone 15 Pro or later running iOS 18.1 or later. Screenshots are from iPhone 17 Pro running iOS 26.1.

Click here to learn how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

How to Use

First, in any area where you have typed text, such as an email, select the text. Refer to the below image:

Next, you can tap Rewrite or the Apple Intelligence icon. If you tapped the Apple Intelligence icon, select Rewrite. See the image below:

Now, tap Original to see the original. See the following image:

Next, tap Rewrite to rewrite it again. Refer to the image below:

AI 4 — Selecting the Rewrite option again

Now, you can use the Undo and Redo buttons to cycle through different rewrites. See the image below:

Next, you can tap the Rewrite icon to rewrite the text again. See the following image:

Now, select Done to save the rewritten text. Refer to he image below:

That’s how to use the new Apple Intelligence rewrite tools to change up your text after you have typed it.

In the author’s opinion, Apple Intelligence is lacking and needs refinements. We prefer to use Grammarly Pro.

Disclaimer

Quote For the Day

Technology like art is a soaring exercise of the human imagination.

– Daniel Bell

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How to Customize Liquid Glass on iOS 26.1

The iOS 26 update unveiled Liquid Glass, a controversial new user interface with a glassy appearance. User reactions were mixed, prompting Apple to introduce a translucency adjustment option in iOS 26.1. Users can customize the appearance between clear and tinted according to their preferences and accessibility needs.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
January 6, 2026 – 3 minutes read time

Overview

The iOS 26 update introduced us to a redesigned version of iOS called Liquid Glass. The user response to Liquid Glass was very divisive, with some people loving it and others absolutely hating it. Thankfully, Apple has added a new setting to adjust how translucent Liquid Glass is, so you can decide how you want your iPhone to look.

What is Liquid Glass? Liquid Glass is the name Apple has given to the style of its new user interface in iOS 26, due to its glassy appearance. Because of the divisive response to Liquid Glass, iOS 26.1 added an option to adjust the translucency. Let’s explore how to adjust your iPhone’s Liquid Glass.

Key Takeaways

Make it easier to see certain icons by making Liquid Glass tinted.
Customize Liquid Glass to look how you want it to look.

System Requirements

This tip was performed on an iPhone 17Pro running iOS 26.1.

Click here to learn how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

Changing Liquid Glass

First, open the Settings app and select Display & Brightness. Refer to the image below:

Display 1 — Selecting Display & Brightness option

Next, tap Liquid Glass. See the image below:

Display 2 — Selecting Liquid Glass option

Now, tap Clear if you want Liquid Glass to have a translucent appearance (you can see a preview above the option you select). See the following image:

Next, if you are unable to select Tinted, head to:

Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size

and turn Reduce Transparency and Increase Contrast toggles to OFF, then return back to the Liquid Glass option. Refer to the image below:

Display 4 — Setting Reduce Transparency and Increase Contrast toggles to OFF

Now, select Tinted if you want Liquid Glass to have a more opaque appearance (you can see a preview above the option you select). See the image below:

That’s how to change Liquid Glass on iOS 26.1! If you have trouble seeing different UI elements, the Tinted option might be better, while Clear is good if you want to maintain the effect as Apple intended.

Disclaimer

Quote For the Day

One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man . – Elbert Hubbard

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Customize Email Summaries in iOS 26 Mail App

The iOS 26 Mail app’s new feature allows users to customize email summaries, ranging from one to five lines. Users can disable this preview feature if it isn’t useful. Instructions for adjusting these settings are provided.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
November 25, 2025 – 3 minutes read time

Overview

Some people love the Mail app Preview feature, while others want to know how to turn off Mail Preview.

The iOS 18 Mail app update included an Apple Intelligence feature that gives you email summaries. With iOS 26, you can shrink or enlarge those email summaries.

Here’s how to turn off Mail Preview, as well as how to change the length of the previews you see in the Mail app, so you can get a preview that’s actually helpful for you.

Key Takeaways

Choose anywhere from a one-line to a five-line summary of your emails in the Mail app.
Turn off email summaries if you do not find them useful.

System Requirements

This tip was performed on an iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 26.1.

Click here to learn how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

Set Email Preview

First, open the Settings app. Refer to the image below:

Email Preview 1 — Selecting the Settings app

Next, rap Apps option.See the image below:

Email Preview 2 — Selecting the Apps option

Now, tap the Mail app,See the following image:

Email Preview 3 — Selecting the Mail app

Next, scroll down and tap the Preview option.Refer to the image below:

Email Preview 4 — Selecting the Preview option

Now, tap None, 1 Line, 2 Lines, 3 Lines, 4 Lines, or 5 Lines for your preview length. See the below image:

Email Preview 5 — Selecting preview lines to display

Now you know how to turn off email previews or change the length of your iPhone and iPad email previews to anywhere from none to five lines.

Disclaimer

Quote For the Day

“First we build the tools, then they build us.”

Marshall McLuhan, Media Theorist

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Stop Spam Calls with iOS 26 Call Screening

iOS 26 introduces Call Screening, a feature designed to reduce spam calls by silencing unknown numbers and asking callers to identify themselves. Users can then decide to accept calls based on transcriptions of the caller’s responses. This feature, currently glitchy, is compatible with iPhone 14 Pro and newer plus iOS 26.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
November 18, 2025 – 3 minutes read time

Overview

Tired of getting spam calls? Well, the newest version of iOS has a feature that should alleviate the annoyance of spam: Call Screening. This useful tool will silence unknown callers and ask them to give their reason for calling, allowing you to decide whether you want to pick up the phone.

Call Screening on iPhone is an iOS 26 feature that silences incoming calls from unknown numbers and prompts the caller to provide their name and reason for calling. Then, your phone will ring and display a transcript of the caller’s answer, allowing you to easily decide whether or not you want to pick up the call. Let’s explore how to stop spam calls with Call Screening.

Key Takeaways

Never worry about spam again since you will always know who is calling.
Avoid picking up the phone without knowing the reason for the call.

System Requirements

This tip was performed on an iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 26.1. It does not work with earlier iOS versions.

Click here to learn how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

First, open the Settings app and select Apps.Refer to the image below:

Call Screen 1 — Selecting the Apps option

Next, find the Phone app in the list or use the search bar. See the image below:

Now, scroll down to Screen Unknown Callers, and select Ask Reason for Calling. See the following image.

Call Screen 3 — Selecting the Ask Reason for Calling option

Next, when you receive a call from an unknown number, you should see a transcription of the caller’s name and reason for calling. Refer to the image below:

Note! This feature has been glitchy, so if you experience problems getting Call Screening to work, you are not alone. We expect the feature to become more stable with future iOS updates.

That’s how to turn on Call Screening on the iPhone! Whether you have phone anxiety or you are just tired of receiving spam calls, this feature is sure to come in handy.

Disclaimer

Quote For the Day

“We’re entering a world where anyone can create, connect, and collaborate—and that’s changing everything.”

– Reid Hoffman, Co-founder of LinkedIn

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How to Enable Adaptive Power Mode on iOS 26

Apple’s new Adaptive Power mode in iOS 26 optimizes battery life by dynamically adjusting performance and resource allocation based on usage, unlike the Low Power Mode. It’s easy to enable on iPhone 15 Pro or later, requiring seven days to learn charging habits. This feature balances battery preservation with device performance effectively.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
November 4, 2025 – 4 minutes read time

Overview

One of the best practical uses of Apple Intelligence is the new Adaptive Power mode. Adaptive Power mode, new in iOS 26, allows your phone to adjust its resources and performance to optimize battery life during high-power use. It’s easy to turn on, and then you just let your iPhone do the rest.

Adaptive Power Mode enables your phone to adjust idoing things like automatically dimming your screen or slightly slowing down some apps. Unlike Low Power Mode, this mode does not go into power-saving measures 100% of the time. So, you can toggle this on and leave it running all the time, preserving performance when your phone is not working as hard and helping you prevent battery drain well before the little icon turns red. Let’s explore how to enable Adaptive Power Mode:

Key Takeaways

Find the perfect balance between performance and battery saving.
Allow your phone to adjust its settings based on your current usage.

System Requirements

This tip requires an iPhone 15 Pro or later running iOS 26. If you do not see the Power Mode option, you are using an older iPhone.

Click here to learn how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

Enable Adaptive Power Mode

First. Ipen your Settings app. Refer to the image below:

Next, tap Battery. See the image below:

Battery 2 — Selecting the Battery option

Now, tap Power Mode. See the following image:

Next toggle on Adaptive Power. Refer to the image below:

Battery 4 — Selecting Adaptive Power option

Now, tap the back arrow to return to Settings. See the image below:

Note! Adaptive Power needs at least seven days to learn your charging habits, so it will not engage before then.

Now your iPhone will adjust its performance to optimize your battery when needed. If you want to turn this feature off, just follow the above steps and toggle Adaptive Power off instead.

Disclaimer

Quote For the Day

When you innovate, you’ve got to be prepared for everyone telling you you’re nuts.”

– Larry Ellison, Co-founder of Oracle

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Overview

What Is Background Refresh

Key Takeaways

System Requirements

Set Background App Refresh

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Overview

Key Takeaways

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Turning Off Notifications

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Overview

What is Apple intelligence

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How to Use

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Overview

Key Takeaways

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Changing Liquid Glass

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Overview

Key Takeaways

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Set Email Preview

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Enable Adaptive Power Mode

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