The fastest way depends on what device you're using
On a smartphone or tablet, swipe up from the bottom of the screen (iPhone) or tap the back arrow or gesture button (Android), then swipe the app card off the top of the screen. On a Windows computer, click the X button in the top-right corner of the window, or press Alt+F4. On a Mac, click the red circle in the top-left corner, or press Command+Q. These methods close the app when ready without saving unsaved work, so save first if you need to.
Some apps don't respond to these standard methods. If an app is frozen or won't close normally, you'll need to force it shut using your device's settings — this is different from a regular close and should only be used when the app is stuck.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone, swipe up from the bottom; on Android, use the back button or swipe the app card away; on Windows, click the X or press Alt+F4; on Mac, click the red circle or press Command+Q.
- Closing an app does not delete it — it straightforward stops it from running in the background.
- Unsaved work will be lost when you close an app, so save your documents before closing.
- If an app is frozen and won't close normally, force-close it through Settings on your phone or Task Manager on Windows.
- Regularly closing apps you're not using can free up memory and improve your device's speed.
Closing apps on iPhone and iPad
To close an app on iPhone or iPad, swipe up from the very bottom of the screen with one finger. This brings up the app switcher — a row of cards showing all your open apps. Find the app you want to close and swipe it upward off the top of the screen. The app will close when ready.
If you're using an older iPhone with a home button (iPhone 8 or earlier), double-tap the home button instead to open the app switcher, then swipe the app card upward to close it.
Closing an app this way does not delete it from your phone. The app remains installed and you can open it again anytime. You're only stopping it from running in the background.
Closing apps on Android phones and tablets
On most Android devices, close an app by tapping the back arrow or back gesture at the bottom of the screen. This takes you out of the app and returns you to your home screen or the previous screen. The app is now closed.
If you want to see all your open apps before closing one, swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or tap the recent apps button, which looks like two overlapping squares) to open the recent apps view. Swipe the app card upward or to the side to close it. You can close multiple apps this way without returning to the home screen each time.
Like iPhone, closing an app on Android does not uninstall it. The app stays on your device and opens normally the next time you tap its icon.
Closing windows on Windows computers
To close a program window on Windows, click the X button in the top-right corner of the window. This closes the program when ready. If you have unsaved work, most programs will ask you to save before closing.
You can also close a window by pressing Alt+F4 on your keyboard. This is faster if your hands are already on the keyboard. If the program is frozen and won't respond to either method, use Task Manager instead (see the force-close section below).
Closing a window removes the program from your screen but does not uninstall it from your computer. The program remains installed and you can open it again by clicking its icon or searching for it in the Start menu.
Closing windows on Mac computers
To close a program on Mac, click the red circle button in the top-left corner of the window. This closes the program. If you have unsaved work, the program will usually ask you to save before closing.
You can also close a program by pressing Command+Q while the program is active. This is the standard Mac keyboard shortcut and works in almost all programs. If you want to close just the current window but keep the program running (so you can open other windows in the same program), press Command+W instead.
Closing a program does not remove it from your Mac. The program stays installed and you can open it again from the Applications folder or Launchpad.
Force-closing a frozen or stuck app
If an app is frozen and won't close using the normal methods, you need to force-close it. On iPhone, this means going back to the app switcher (swipe up from the bottom), finding the frozen app, and swiping it off the screen — sometimes it takes a harder swipe or a second attempt. If that doesn't work, restart your phone.
On Android, open Settings, tap Apps (or process Manager), find the frozen app in the list, and tap Force Stop. This shuts down the app when ready without waiting for it to respond.
On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager. Find the frozen program in the list, click it, and click End Task. The program will close when ready.
On Mac, press Command+Option+Esc to open the Force Quit window. Find the frozen program in the list, click it, and click Force Quit. The program will close without saving.
What happens when you close an app
Closing an app stops it from running and removes it from your screen. Any unsaved work in that app is lost. The app is no longer using your device's memory or battery, which can improve performance if you had many apps open at once.
The app itself remains installed on your device. Closing is not the same as uninstalling. You can open the app again anytime by tapping or clicking its icon, and it will start fresh from the beginning (unless it saves your data automatically, like many messaging apps do).
On phones, closing apps you're not actively using is a good habit. It frees up memory for the apps you are using and can make your phone faster and more responsive. On computers, closing programs you're done with has the same benefit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does closing an app delete it from my device?
No. Closing an app only stops it from running. The app remains installed on your device and you can open it again anytime. To remove an app completely, you need to uninstall it through your device's settings or app store.
Will I lose my work if I close an app?
Yes, any unsaved work will be lost. Most apps ask you to save before closing, but some do not. Always save your documents or messages before closing an app if you want to keep them.
Should I close apps to make my phone faster?
Closing apps you're not using can help, especially if your phone is running slowly or the battery is draining fast. However, modern phones are designed to manage open apps automatically, so closing apps is not always necessary. If your phone feels slow, restarting it usually helps more than closing individual apps.
What's the difference between closing and force-closing an app?
Closing an app is the normal way to stop it — the app has a chance to save data and shut down cleanly. Force-closing is used only when an app is frozen or stuck and won't respond to the normal close command. Force-closing stops the app when ready without saving, so use it only when necessary.
Can I close multiple apps at once?
On phones, you can swipe multiple app cards away in the app switcher one after another, but there's no button to close all apps at once. On computers, you can close multiple windows by clicking the X on each one, or use Task Manager (Windows) or Force Quit (Mac) to close several programs quickly.