Apple Reimbursing Customers Who Recently Purchased Now-Acquired App Workflow - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Reimbursing Customers Who Recently Purchased Now-Acquired App Workflow

by

Apple today began sending out emails to customers who purchased popular automation app Workflow in the last few weeks, letting them know that they'll be receiving a refund for the purchase price of the app.

Apple is handing out refunds because following its recent acquisition of the Workflow app and team, it made the Workflow app free to download and removed some key functionality.

workflowforios
A MacRumors reader shared his refund email with us, and we've also seen several reports of Workflow refunds from Twitter.

Dear iTunes Customer,
Thank you for purchasing Workflow by DeskConnect, Inc. Workflow is now available for free in the App Store. Since you recently purchased this app, we have issued you a full refund in the amount of $3.23. These funds will be applied to your original payment method and may take up to five business days from the issue date to post to your account.

Regards,

iTunes Support Team
http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/ww/

For those unfamiliar with Workflow, which is now owned by Apple, it's an automation tool that allows users to create a variety of workflows to automate tasks like creating GIFs from a series of photos, translating an article, posting photos to multiple social networks at once, calculating a tip, and tons more.

Following Apple's acquisition of Workflow, there was an update to remove certain features, including workflow functionality that involved Google Chrome, Pocket, LINE, Telegram, and Uber, likely for legal reasons.

Apple plans to keep Workflow available in the App Store, and it is now a free download. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

OriginalAppleGuy Avatar
125 months ago
Jailbreak is your friend
No it's not. It may allow you to do more with the device, but it also opens it up to severe security concerns.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jerry16 Avatar
125 months ago
So much potential with this app. Unfortunately, two of the immediate work flows I thought of in an effort to eliminate taps, can't be done.

* Turn on low power mode
* Close all open apps

I would hope that with the acquisition maybe a deeper integration w/ iOS would occur but I suppose if that were the case then Apple would just build these features right into iOS.

*and before anyone starts harping on me about why open apps don't matter, I don't care, I like them closed
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FloatingBones Avatar
125 months ago
Anyone got some good workflows to share?
Check out the archive at MacStories ('http://macstories.net'). Federico Viticci is one of the best sources anywhere on Workflow. There's more in the Club MacStories premium site, but plenty of free stuff too. And check out their Canvas podcast ('https://www.macstories.net/linked/canvas-episode-29-workflow-magic-variables/').
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
125 months ago
Ok very nice on them.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ErikGrim Avatar
125 months ago
This thread is strangely devoid of hate.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
125 months ago
I'd already read most of this and noted that it does not refer to the recent apps list at all. In fact it says that even a "terminated" app (how this is defined I am not sure) is woken and placed in the background if it needs to receive a location service. It says, "iOS supports the delivery of location events to apps that are suspended or no longer running." Even without being totally certain of the distinction between "terminated" and "no longer running" (if any), it's pretty clear that apps are allowed to process events when as far as the user knows the app is inactive. The user does have the option of disabling background event handling either specifically for an app or globally but I find nothing to suggest that they can do it any other way.
[doublepost=1491431713][/doublepost]

Apple doesn't make this as clear as they could to the user. This leads to a lot of speculation about how much control the user has over OS functions and how much they need to intervene to optimize performance. Apple's clear philosophy is "we took care of that, don't worry about it."
Right, with the user not allowing Background App refresh enabled for a particular app or in general then an app is only able to perform something if it's in foreground or background (suspended or not), but not if it's actually closed/terminated.

All this also only applies to this one particular location service aspect of it, while there are other ones related to VoIP, audio playback, and a few others that can allow apps to perform tasks in the background if they have been used at some point and are simply in background (suspended or otherwise), but not if they are completely closed (either haven't been launched or have been closed/terminated).

Basically that is to say that there are certainly circumstances where removing the app from the recent apps list to actually fully close/terminate it can have an effect of stopping it from doing something in the background which it otherwise might be doing.

"Note: If your app is terminated either by a user or by the system, the system doesn’t automatically restart your app when new location updates arrive. A user must explicitly relaunch your app before the delivery of location updates resumes. The only way to have your app relaunched automatically is to use region monitoring or the significant-change location service.

However, when a user disables the Background App Refresh setting either globally or specifically for your app, the system doesn’t relaunch your app for any location events, including significant-change or region monitoring events. Further, while Background App Refresh is off your app won’t receive significant-change or region monitoring events even when it's in the foreground. When a user reenables Background App Refresh for your app, Core Location restores all background services, including any previously registered regions."
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display family lineup feature

Apple Announces OLED MacBook Pro With Touch Display

Wednesday October 28, 2026 10:11 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new high-end MacBook Pro, which is available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes. The new device has a PROLED XDR display that supports touch gestures, and a glowing rear Apple logo. Pricing on the MacBook Pro starts at $2,899 for the 14-inch model and $3,399 for the 16-inch model. Apple says the MacBook Pro has the "world's best display in a pro laptop." The PROLED...
Apple MacBook Pro 14 in with M6 hero

Apple Announces New 14-Inch MacBook Pro With M6 Chip

Tuesday October 27, 2026 6:01 am PDT by
Apple today announced a refreshed 14-inch MacBook Pro featuring the M6 chip, upgraded connectivity specifications, and more. The M6 chip in the MacBook Pro features a 12-core CPU with 2 super cores, 4 performance cores, and 6 efficiency cores, paired with a 12-core GPU. This is up from the M5 chip with a 10-core CPU with 4 super cores and 6 efficiency cores, paired with a 10-core GPU. M6...
iPad mini OLED feature 1

Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display

Thursday October 29, 2026 1:47 pm PDT by
While the new iPad mini has an OLED display, the device does not support ProMotion, meaning the display's refresh rate is limited to 60Hz instead of 120Hz. ProMotion support would have allowed for the iPad mini's refresh rate to automatically adjust from 10Hz to 120Hz depending on the content being displayed, but evidently Apple has kept the feature exclusive to the iPad Pro among iPad...
Latest Stories
14 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27.2
14 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27.2
15 minutes ago
iPhone Duo Review: One Week Later
iPhone Duo Review: One Week Later
1 hour ago
Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo Display Cracks in New Ad Campaign
Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo Display Cracks in New Ad Campaign
3 hours ago
The MacRumors Show: OLED MacBook Pro, iPad Mini 8, and More
The MacRumors Show: OLED MacBook Pro, iPad Mini 8, and More
3 hours ago
MacBook Pro With Touch Display: 15 More Details Revealed
MacBook Pro With Touch Display: 15 More Details Revealed
3 hours ago
Russia Places Apple on State Surveillance Registry
Russia Places Apple on State Surveillance Registry
5 hours ago
Halloween Weekend Brings Discounts on Apple Accessories and Pre-Orders
Halloween Weekend Brings Discounts on Apple Accessories and Pre-Orders
6 hours ago
Apple Has Released More Than 25 New Products in the Past Two Months
Apple Has Released More Than 25 New Products in the Past Two Months
6 hours ago
Local Code Launches as Free, Private AI Assistant Tool for Mac
Local Code Launches as Free, Private AI Assistant Tool for Mac
6 hours ago
Apple Acquires Ascend.io
Apple Acquires Ascend.io
7 hours ago
HomePod Mini 2 Launches Today: All the New Features
HomePod Mini 2 Launches Today: All the New Features
7 hours ago
AirTag 2 4-Pack Drops to New Low Price of $69.99
AirTag 2 4-Pack Drops to New Low Price of $69.99
7 hours ago
Rian Johnson's iPhone Camera App Goes Viral
Rian Johnson's iPhone Camera App Goes Viral
8 hours ago
Where Did All the iPhone Duos Go? Mostly to Apple's Stores
Where Did All the iPhone Duos Go? Mostly to Apple's Stores
10 hours ago
Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Ship 1.5M Units in 2027
Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Ship 1.5M Units in 2027
11 hours ago
New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed
New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed
19 hours ago
Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display
Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display
23 hours ago
Here's a Hands-On Look at HomePod Mini 2's New Two-Tone Colors
Here's a Hands-On Look at HomePod Mini 2's New Two-Tone Colors
1 day ago
Apple Lowers App Store Fees in Taiwan Starting October 31
Apple Lowers App Store Fees in Taiwan Starting October 31
1 day ago
HomeView Pre-Order Returns to $289.99 on Amazon
HomeView Pre-Order Returns to $289.99 on Amazon
1 day ago
Apple Avoids Showing Pinched Fingers on iPad Mini Page in South Korea
Apple Avoids Showing Pinched Fingers on iPad Mini Page in South Korea
1 day ago
Old 'Popcorn Time' App Left Hundreds of Thousands of Macs at Risk
Old 'Popcorn Time' App Left Hundreds of Thousands of Macs at Risk
1 day ago
You Can Turn Off the New MacBook Pro's Touchscreen Functionality
You Can Turn Off the New MacBook Pro's Touchscreen Functionality
1 day ago
MacBook Pro Mini-LED vs. OLED Buyer's Guide: Every Difference
MacBook Pro Mini-LED vs. OLED Buyer's Guide: Every Difference
1 day ago
Where to Pre-Order Apple's New MacBooks, iPad Mini, and iMac
Where to Pre-Order Apple's New MacBooks, iPad Mini, and iMac
1 day ago
Apple Releasing HomePod Mini 2 Tomorrow With These New Features
Apple Releasing HomePod Mini 2 Tomorrow With These New Features
1 day ago
How macOS Adapts Its Controls for Touch on the New MacBook Pro
How macOS Adapts Its Controls for Touch on the New MacBook Pro
1 day ago
Just Got an iPhone Duo? Try These Features First
Just Got an iPhone Duo? Try These Features First
1 day ago
Apple Announced Scott Forstall's Departure 14 Years Ago Today
Apple Announced Scott Forstall's Departure 14 Years Ago Today
1 day ago
Best Buy Opens Pre-Orders for PROLED XDR MacBook Pro With $100 Bonus Gift Cards
Best Buy Opens Pre-Orders for PROLED XDR MacBook Pro With $100 Bonus Gift Cards
2 days ago