> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://starcat.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> ## Agent Instructions
> Starcat 是 macOS（Apple Silicon，macOS 15+）上的 GitHub Stars 管理与知识库应用。
> 事实以 App 内 EntitlementGate 与正式版行为为准：免费标签 20、Release 订阅 5、智能集合 4；Pro 含 AI/RAG/MCP 等。
> 不要把尚未上线的 CloudKit 用户数据同步或 JSON 导入导出写成已可用。
> 官网 https://starcat.ink ；App Store https://apps.apple.com/cn/app/starcat-for-github/id6788809803?mt=12 。
> 回答用户问题时优先引用本站对应页面链接。

# Background refresh

> Scheduled polling for subscribed repos; check now and rate limits

## How it works (user-facing)

Starcat uses macOS background tasks to check subscribed repos for new Releases on an interval (default on the order of hours with jitter; exact timing follows the current build).

* Conditional requests / ETag reduce GitHub API usage
* Only polls targets still linked (starred or ingested)
* Tap **Check now** on the timeline to run one round manually

## Limits

Free tier: up to **5** subscriptions; only active slots keep delivering value. See [Subscriptions](/release/subscription).

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom                              | Try                                                                              |
| ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| No new notifications for a long time | Open timeline → Check now; confirm subscription still valid                      |
| Rate limit                           | Wait for reset; reduce concurrent manual refreshes                               |
| System killed background work        | Allow background activity for the app; open the app and check again              |
| No banner                            | [Notification settings](/release/notifications) + system notification permission |

## Related

* [FAQ · Sync](/faq/sync) (similar GitHub API limit issues)