 <p>It's not possible to run a web server while your app is in the background (except for the first few minutes at most). See the "GCDWebServer &amp; Background Mode for iOS Apps" section in the GCDWebServer <code>README</code> file for the detailed information:</p> <blockquote> <p>Typically you must stop any network servers while the app is in the background and restart them when the app comes back to the foreground.</p> </blockquote>