how do I download content in the background?
Asked on 06/11/2025
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To download content in the background on Apple platforms, you can use the Background Assets framework. This framework is designed to enhance the first launch experience by allowing you to configure how the system downloads your assets to the device. It enables you to prioritize content that is required to start using the app while downloading the rest in the background.
For example, in game development, you can split your game's content into parts, allowing players to start with a smaller portion while the rest downloads in the background. This can be achieved using the Background Assets framework, which also allows for optional downloadable content and updates to game assets separately from the main game bundle.
To implement background downloads, you can add a downloader extension in Xcode using the background download template. This extension schedules asset packs to be downloaded when the main app isn't running. The system provides a fully featured downloader extension that supports automatic downloads and background updates, which can be integrated into your app with minimal custom code.
For more detailed guidance, you can refer to the session Discover Apple-Hosted Background Assets (00:00:55) from WWDC 2025, which covers the new features and implementation details of Background Assets.
Level up your games
Learn how to make your games shine on the unified gaming platform. We’ll give you a map of the technologies you can use to level up your game and further improve your player experience. Get an overview of the fundamental tools essential to build, debug, and profile your game.
Discover Apple-Hosted Background Assets
Building on Background Assets, this session will introduce the new capability to download asset packs of content for games and other applications. Learn how Apple can host these asset packs for you or how to manage self-hosting options. We’ll delve into the native API integration and the corresponding App Store implementations, providing you with the tools to enhance your app’s content delivery and user experience.
Finish tasks in the background
Discover background execution advancements and understand how the system schedules runtime. We’ll discuss how to get the most out of background runtime to allow your app to deliver features in the background while maintaining a great foreground experience. We’ll also cover how APIs provide background runtime for your app, and how each API is tailored for different use cases — including new APIs in iOS and iPadOS 26 that let your app finish tasks as your app transitions from the foreground to the background.