Managing Background refresh
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I want my “up next” list to automatically update but only while I am connected to WiFi. I know I can set Auto downloads to only occur while connected to WiFi but it appears that once I leave WiFi, the “Background refresh” setting still allows new episodes not downloaded to be added to the “Up next” list and stream. Can I restrict the Background refresh to only operate while connected to WiFi or alternatively at specific times of the day?
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Hi @oatleys!
Can I restrict the Background refresh to only operate while connected to WiFi or alternatively at specific times of the day?
If you’re using Pocket Casts on Android, can you please open the app, then go to Profile > Settings (the cog icon on the top right) > Storage & data use > then disable the “Background refresh” under “Mobile Data”.
Let me know if that works as you expected. Thank you!
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Thanks for the reply. I have played with “Background refresh” but neither on nor off seems to be quite what I’m after.
On – allows it to refresh in the background when connected to WiFi which is good. But also allows it to refresh in the background (and when using the app) via mobile data.
Off – stops it refreshing in the background via mobile data which is good. But also stops it refreshing in the background when connected to WiFi (bad). I am also not sure it stops it refreshing over mobile data while using the app (also bad).
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Hi there!
One option you have here is to disable Mobile Data usage for Pocket Casts completely from your device settings.
To do this, go to your device’s Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data) > Pocket Casts. From here, you can toggle off the option to allow the app to use mobile data. Of course this restricts the usage of the app’s features to WiFi, but it would allow you to keep background app refresh on while only connected to WiFi.
Hopefully that gives you some options even if it’s a setting you need to play at times depending on how you plan on using the app.
Cheers!
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This seemed to be working precisely as expected until the last update. Since then, I am getting new updates streaming over data even though I have theoretically turned mobile data off for this app.
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Hi, @oatleys! Just to make sure we’re on the same page, can you let us know more about how you’ve noticed you are “getting new updates streaming over data”? Are you just seeing a new episode notification? Or have you been checking your phone’s mobile data usage, and see that Pocket Casts is still using mobile data even though it should not? More specifically, are you still able to play episodes that are not downloaded even if you are only on mobile data?
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I listen to podcasts on my bicycle commute. Various things are automatically added to my “Up next” list, some to top and some to bottom. The list plays continuously while I ride. Amongst these is a BBC world news clip that is posted hourly. When I set out, I will hear the end of the last podcast I was previously listening to and then the most recent edition of the news program which was downloaded while connected to WiFi. If, however, a new edition of the news is posted while I am riding and listening, it is automatically added to my list and streamed, and I am likely to hear two editions of the news which are extremely similar, one shortly after the other. It seems that the Android setting stops the app accessing data in the background but does not stop it while the app is actually running. I have since found, however, a Pocket Cast option under Advanced to turn off Sync on Metered Networks, and this may achieve my aim of not allowing Pocket Cast to add new items to my list while I am actually listening.
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Thanks for those details, @oatleys! I’ve been testing this out over the past few days, and I’m able to replicate the behavior you describe. Specifically, episodes that are not downloaded will still stream over mobile data.
The above behavior will not happen, however, if you have “Warn before using data” enabled under Profile > Settings (gear icon) > Storage & data use. Can you please make sure that’s enabled for you, and see if it works for you as expected?
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Thanks for looking I to this. The “warn before using data” works as expected but is not a solution for me as it stalls my play list and waits for a response. This would require me to stop my cycling and dig out my phone. I think turning off “Sync on Metered Networks” is working for me.
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