Who can use this feature?
- Available with Mobile add-on.
- Available for admins, architects, and standard users.
When a mobile app user switches away from the app—by pressing Home, switching to another app, or locking the device—Fullstory captures a Backgrounded event. This event marks the moment the app leaves the foreground and is available only for mobile sessions.
Search and session replay
In OmniSearch, Backgrounded is available as an event filter under the Friction category. In Session Replay, Backgrounded events appear in the event list sidebar and as "Backgrounded activity" in the playback timeline.
Fullstory Anywhere: Warehouse
Backgrounded events are available in warehouse exports as event_type = "background" in raw data and through the backgrounds table in Ready to Analyze Views.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a corresponding "foregrounded" event?
No. When the app returns to the foreground, Fullstory records a navigate event instead.
How are Backgrounded events related to Force Restart?
A Force Restart fires when a user backgrounds the app, closes it, and reopens it within 10 seconds. Every Force Restart begins with a Backgrounded event, but not every Backgrounded event leads to a Force Restart.
Do Backgrounded events affect session boundaries?
Yes. If an app stays backgrounded for more than 30 minutes, Fullstory starts a new session when the user returns. See What defines a session in Fullstory? for more details.