Summarize this article with:
Your iPhone feels slower than usual, apps freeze mid-scroll, and you’re convinced something’s hogging memory.
The fix seems obvious: close everything and start fresh. But knowing how to close apps on iPhone properly matters more than you think.
Most people force quit apps thinking it saves battery or speeds up their device. Wrong on both counts.
This guide shows you the correct methods for every iPhone model, explains when closing apps actually helps, and busts common myths that waste your time. You’ll learn the real difference between suspended and closed apps, plus troubleshooting steps for apps that refuse to quit.
Different iPhone models use different gestures. We’ll cover them all.
How to Close Apps on iPhone
The method depends on your iPhone model. Face ID devices use different gestures than home button models.
Both take about 2-3 seconds once you know the steps.
For iPhone Models with Face ID (iPhone X and Later)
Swipe up from the bottom edge and pause in the middle of the screen.
This opens the App Switcher showing all your open apps as cards.
Swipe left or right to find the app you want to close, then swipe it upward off the top of the screen.
The app card disappears, meaning it’s fully closed. You can close multiple apps by swiping several cards up in quick succession.
For iPhone Models with Home Button (iPhone 8 and Earlier)
Double-press the home button quickly.
The multitasking interface appears with app preview cards stacked horizontally.
Swipe through the cards to locate your target app, then swipe it upward to force quit. The card slides away and removes the app from memory.
You’ll return to the home screen or the App Switcher if other apps remain open.
For iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd Generation)
These models have a home button but run newer iOS versions.
Double-click the home button to access the App Switcher. Swipe the app card upward to close it, same as iPhone 8 and earlier models.
The gesture controls work identically to older home button devices despite the updated processor.
Visual Confirmation
You’ll know the app closed when its card completely leaves the screen.
The remaining app cards shift to fill the gap. If you closed the last app, you’ll land directly on your home screen.
No pop-up message appears, just the smooth animation of the card sliding away.
When to Close Apps on iPhone
Close apps when they freeze, crash, or become unresponsive to touch input.
Memory management issues sometimes cause apps to lag or display outdated information.
If an app drains your battery faster than normal, force closing might help. Apps stuck mid-update or showing blank screens need to be quit and reopened.
Location-based apps sometimes need a fresh start if they lose GPS signal. Video streaming apps may require closing if playback stutters despite good Wi-Fi.
Close apps before updating Instagram or other software to prevent installation conflicts.
When You Shouldn’t Close Apps on iPhone
Apple officially advises against routinely closing apps as a battery-saving measure.
iOS handles background processes automatically through intelligent memory allocation. Apps in the background use minimal resources since they’re suspended, not actively running.
Constantly force quitting apps actually wastes more battery because relaunching them from scratch consumes more power than resuming a suspended app.
The system already limits background refresh activity to preserve battery life. Closing apps won’t speed up your iPhone unless one specific app is malfunctioning.
Most apps enter a frozen state within seconds of leaving them. If you want better control, adjust app permissions through Settings rather than blocking apps or closing them repeatedly.
Troubleshooting Apps That Won’t Close
If swiping doesn’t work, the app might be completely frozen.
Try a force restart specific to your device model. For Face ID iPhones, press volume up, then volume down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
Home button devices require holding both the home button and power button simultaneously until restart.
Check if your iOS version needs updating through Settings > General > Software Update. Outdated system software causes app closure failures.
Some apps resist closing due to active processes like downloads or uploads. Wait for these tasks to complete, then try closing again.
If an app consistently refuses to close, deleting the app and reinstalling it usually fixes the problem.
How Background Apps Work on iPhone
iOS uses three distinct app states: active, background, and suspended.
Active apps display on your screen and consume full system resources. Background apps run limited processes for about 10 seconds after you leave them.
Suspended apps freeze in memory but use almost no battery or processing power.
App Lifecycle States
Apps move from active to background when you switch away.
The system gives them a few seconds to finish current tasks like saving data or completing a network request. Then they enter the suspended state where code execution stops completely.
Suspended apps stay in RAM until the system needs that memory for other tasks, then iOS automatically purges them without any input from you.
Background App Refresh
This feature lets apps update content when connected to Wi-Fi or cellular.
Mail checks for new messages, news apps download articles, social media refreshes feeds. Each app gets limited time to update, usually a few minutes per day.
Low Power Mode completely disables Background App Refresh to extend battery life. Toggle it in Settings > General > Background App Refresh to control which apps can update.
Memory Allocation
The iPhone reserves specific RAM amounts based on available memory and running processes.
When memory runs low, iOS automatically terminates suspended apps starting with the oldest. You never see this happening because it’s instantaneous and doesn’t affect active apps.
Opening an app after termination takes slightly longer since it loads from scratch rather than resuming from memory.
Alternative Ways to Manage iPhone Apps
Settings > General > iPhone Storage shows every app’s size and last use date.
Offload Apps removes the app but keeps its documents and data, saving storage without losing information.
Delete apps completely by holding their icon on the home screen, then tapping Remove App > Delete App. Downloaded content and saved data disappear permanently unless backed up.
Restricting apps through Screen Time limits usage without removing them. Set daily time limits per app or category like Social or Entertainment.
App Limits pause the app after your allocated time expires. You can override this with a passcode if needed.
Organizing apps into folders reduces home screen clutter while keeping everything accessible.
Common Misconceptions About Closing iPhone Apps
Force quitting apps doesn’t improve battery life.
Apple engineers have stated this explicitly in public forums and support documents. The energy required to relaunch a fully closed app exceeds the minimal drain from a suspended app.
Closing apps won’t free up significant storage space since apps in memory don’t occupy storage, they use RAM.
Your iPhone doesn’t slow down from having many apps open. The system manages resources automatically and terminates suspended apps when necessary.
Some users believe closing apps prevents tracking or improves privacy. Apps can’t access your location, camera, or microphone while suspended unless you’ve granted always-on permissions.
Clearing app cache addresses storage issues better than force closing apps repeatedly.
Running apps in the background through checking what’s running shows actual active processes versus suspended apps.
Force closing apps can actually cause problems. Apps that track health data, location history, or sync content between devices need to run background tasks periodically.
Repeatedly closing these apps interrupts their normal function and may result in lost data or incomplete syncing.
FAQ on How to Close Apps on iPhone
Does closing apps on iPhone save battery?
No. Apple confirms that force closing apps uses more battery than leaving them suspended.
Relaunching closed apps consumes more power than resuming suspended ones. iOS manages background processes automatically, so routine app closing wastes energy rather than saving it.
Should I close all my iPhone apps every day?
Absolutely not. Closing apps daily interferes with iOS memory management and forces unnecessary reloads.
Apps in the App Switcher are suspended, not draining resources. Only close apps that freeze, crash, or malfunction, not as a daily maintenance routine.
How do I close apps on iPhone 15?
Swipe up from the bottom and pause mid-screen to open the App Switcher.
Find the app card you want to close, then swipe it upward off the screen. The gesture works identically across all Face ID iPhone models including the 15.
Will closing apps make my iPhone faster?
Only if a specific app is malfunctioning. Suspended apps don’t slow down your iPhone.
The system automatically manages RAM and terminates suspended apps when memory runs low. Closing apps preventively doesn’t improve speed or performance under normal conditions.
Can I close multiple apps at once on iPhone?
Yes. Use two or three fingers to swipe multiple app cards upward simultaneously in the App Switcher.
This works on both home button and Face ID models. You can close up to three apps with one gesture depending on card positioning and finger placement.
Why do my closed apps reopen on iPhone?
Apps don’t actually reopen after closing. You’re seeing them in the App Switcher because iOS keeps recently used apps there even after they’ve been terminated.
The cards represent app history, not active processes. Swiping them away again does nothing since they’re already closed.
How do I know if an app is running in the background?
Check Settings > General > Background App Refresh to see which apps have background permissions.
Apps listed there can update content periodically. Most apps in the App Switcher are suspended, not actively running, unless they have specific background tasks like navigation or music playback.
Does closing apps delete data?
No. Force closing apps only removes them from active memory.
All saved data, login sessions, and app content remain intact. Only deleting apps completely removes data, and even then you can often preserve it through iCloud backup or app-specific cloud storage.
How many apps can I have open at once?
There’s no fixed limit. iOS manages memory dynamically based on available RAM and current demands.
Older apps get automatically terminated when the system needs resources for new ones. You’ll never hit a hard cap because the operating system handles this invisibly in the background.
What happens to apps after I close them?
Closed apps are completely removed from RAM and stop all processing.
Next time you open them, they launch from scratch rather than resuming from a suspended state. This takes slightly longer and uses more battery than if you’d left the app suspended in memory.
Conclusion
Knowing how to close apps on iPhone gives you control when apps misbehave, but it shouldn’t become a daily habit.
The gesture differs between Face ID and home button models, yet both methods take seconds once you’ve practiced them. Force quitting apps makes sense for frozen software or battery-draining glitches, not routine maintenance.
iOS handles memory management and background processes better than manual intervention ever could. Constantly closing apps actually wastes more power and slows down app launches.
Trust the system to suspend apps automatically. Reserve force closing for genuine problems like crashes or unresponsive interfaces.
Your iPhone works smarter when you stop micromanaging the App Switcher. Let suspended apps stay suspended, close the troublemakers, and your device will perform exactly as Apple engineered it to.
There are also similar articles discussing how to unhide apps on iPhone, how to lock apps on iPhone, how to update an app on iPhone, and how to delete apps on iPhone.
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With over a decade in the tech field, Bogdan blends technical expertise with insights on business innovation in technology.
A regular contributor to TMS Outsource's blog, where you'll find sharp analyses on software development, tech business strategies, and global tech dynamics.
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