---
title: WKBackgroundModes
framework: bundleresources
role: symbol
role_heading: Property List Key
path: bundleresources/information-property-list/wkbackgroundmodes
---

# WKBackgroundModes

The services a watchOS app provides that require it to continue running in the background.

## Possible Values

workout-processing: Allows an active workout session to run in the background. self-care: Enables extended runtime sessions for brief activities focusing on health or emotional well-being. mindfulness: Enables extended runtime sessions for silent meditation. physical-therapy: Enables extended runtime sessions for stretching, strengthening, or range-of-motion exercises. alarm: Enables extended runtime sessions for smart alarms. underwater-depth: Enables extended runtime sessions for underwater depth experiences.

## Discussion

Discussion To add this key to the Information Property List, enable your WatchKit extension’s Background Modes capability in Xcode. important: You can only enable one of the extended runtime session modes (self-care, mindfulness, physical-therapy, or alarm). However, you can enable both an extended runtime session mode and the workout-processing mode. If you set the background modes using Xcode’s Signing & Capabilities tab, Xcode ensures that these values are set properly.

## See Also

### Related Documentation

- [Using extended runtime sessions](watchkit/using-extended-runtime-sessions.md)
- [Running workout sessions](healthkit/running-workout-sessions.md)

### Background execution

- [UIBackgroundModes](bundleresources/information-property-list/uibackgroundmodes.md)
- [BGTaskSchedulerPermittedIdentifiers](bundleresources/information-property-list/bgtaskschedulerpermittedidentifiers.md)
- [LSBackgroundOnly](bundleresources/information-property-list/lsbackgroundonly.md)