The quickest way to close an app on your Apple Watch

To close an app on your Apple Watch, press and hold the side button (the one below the digital crown) until you see the power menu appear, then release. Swipe left on the app name at the bottom of the screen and tap the red X that appears. The app closes when ready and returns you to the watch face.

This method works the same way on all Apple Watch models — Series 9, Ultra, SE, and older versions. The side button is always the one you use to close apps, not the digital crown at the top.

If you want to close an app without using the side button, you can also swipe up from the bottom of the screen while the app is open. This brings up the app switcher, which shows all your open apps as cards. Swipe left on any card and tap the X to close it.

Key Takeaways

  • Press and hold the side button, then swipe left on the app name and tap the red X to close it.
  • Swiping up from the bottom of the screen opens the app switcher, where you can close multiple apps at once.
  • Closing apps frees up your watch's memory and can help it run faster if you notice slowdowns.
  • Apps do not drain battery just by being open in the background, so closing them is optional rather than urgent.

When you might want to close an app instead of letting it run

Your Apple Watch can keep many apps open at the same time without draining the battery noticeably. The watch is designed to manage background apps efficiently, so you do not need to close every app after you use it.

You might want to close an app if your watch feels slow or sluggish, or if an app is behaving strangely — freezing, not responding to taps, or showing old data. Closing and reopening the app often fixes these problems. You should also close an app if you accidentally opened it and do not want it taking up space in your app switcher.

If you are troubleshooting a problem with your watch, closing all open apps and restarting your watch can help. To do this, close each app using the method above, then press and hold the side button until the power menu appears and slide to power off.

The difference between closing an app and removing it from your watch

Closing an app stops it from running right now but leaves it installed on your watch. You can open it again whenever you want by tapping its icon on the home screen or in the app library.

Removing an app deletes it from your watch entirely. To remove an app, press and hold its icon on the home screen until a menu appears, then tap "Remove App" and confirm. The app is gone until you reinstall it from the App Store on your iPhone.

Most people close apps much more often than they remove them. You only need to remove an app if you no longer want it on your watch or if you are trying to free up storage space — which is rarely necessary unless your watch storage is nearly full.

Using the app switcher to manage multiple open apps

The app switcher shows you every app that is currently open on your watch. To open it, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. You will see a stack of cards, each one representing an open app with a preview of what it was showing.

From the app switcher, you can close one app by swiping left on its card and tapping the X, or you can close all open apps at once. To close all apps, press and hold the side button while the app switcher is open, then swipe left on the app name at the bottom and tap the red X.

The app switcher is also useful for switching between apps quickly. Instead of closing one app and opening another, you can swipe left or right through the cards to find the app you want, then tap it to bring it to the front.

What happens when you force-close an app that is frozen

If an app stops responding to your taps and you cannot close it normally, you can force-close it. Press and hold the side button until the power menu appears, then release the button. The frozen app closes, and you return to the watch face.

Force-closing is stronger than a normal close — it stops the app when ready without letting it finish what it was doing. This can sometimes cause data loss if the app was in the middle of saving something, but it is safe to do if an app is completely frozen and not responding.

After force-closing an app, wait a few seconds before opening it again. This gives your watch time to clear the app from memory and start fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to close apps to save battery on my Apple Watch?

No. Apple Watch is designed to manage open apps without draining the battery. Closing apps will not noticeably extend your battery life. Close apps only if your watch is running slowly or if an app is misbehaving.

What is the difference between swiping up and pressing the side button?

Swiping up from the bottom opens the app switcher, which shows all your open apps as cards. Pressing and holding the side button opens the power menu. Both methods let you close apps, but the app switcher is faster if you want to close multiple apps or switch between them.

Can I close all my apps at once?

You can close apps one at a time using the app switcher, but there is no single button to close all apps at once. If you want a fresh start, restarting your watch is faster — press and hold the side button, slide to power off, wait a few seconds, then press and hold the side button again to turn it back on.

Will closing an app delete my data?

No. Closing an app does not delete any data. The app and all your information stay on your watch. When you open the app again, it will be exactly as you left it.