Gone are the days when form-captured data, particularly images, did not fully sync in a timely manner because the app was shut down after completing one task, and the user moved on to another. Although the app could semi-background upload while the user remained in the app or came back into it, this wasn't enough to ensure your data was fully uploaded as swiftly as possible.
Improvements made to how the app handles background uploading have solved this, moving from semi to full capability. Allowing for a clear conscience when closing or minimizing the app after submitting a form entry while data continues to upload in the background.
In This Article
Android Background Uploading
All Android devices automatically benefit from or can enable improved background uploading for App version v6.18.00 or higher.
Key benefits of this feature on Android:
- App uploads when minimized.
- App uploads when closed.
- Improved Internet connection detection with an auto-retry every 30 seconds if the connection drops.
- Upload notifications of queued and completed uploads.
| Android 14+ Devices running Android 14 and above automatically benefit from improved background uploading. |
| Android 13- Older devices on Android 13 and below will need to enable unrestricted battery usage in the background for the app in the device's setting to benefit from imporved background uploading |
Enabling Background Uploading
Device depending, but generally, navigate to Device Settings > Apps > Forms On Fire > Battery > Manage Battery Usage and select Unrestricted.
If your organization is using an MDM solution, this can be controlled centrally from the MDM software.
In-App
On Device
iOS Background Uploading - COMING SOON!
All iOS devices automatically get improved background uploading on App version v6.xx.xx or higher.
Key benefits of this feature on iOS:
- App uploads when minimized.
- App uploads when closed (Except when force closed / swiped away).
- No upload notifications.
| On fast connections (10 Mbps+) iOS handles background uploads with impressive speed - 100+ media files can upload in under a minute, faster then in the foreground. |
| On slower connections iOS background uploading may slow down or pause for extended periods (hours) due to iOS limitations on background activity. |
Recommendations
- For low-connectivity environments, we recommend using Forms On Fire on Android to leverage its superior background uploading capability.
- For iOS users, we recommend relying on background uploading only with connections of 10 Mbps or higher. Otherwise, keep the app in the foreground and treat background uploading as a backup or convenience.
- iOS users should not force-close (swipe away) the app; keep it in the foreground or background instead.