Why and how to close apps on your iPhone
Closing apps on iPhone means stopping them from running in the background, not deleting them from your phone. When you close an app, it stops using your device's memory and battery, but the app itself stays installed and ready to open again whenever you need it. Most iPhones manage background apps automatically, but closing them manually can speed up your phone if it feels sluggish or if a particular app is draining your battery.
The method for closing apps depends on which iPhone model you have, because older iPhones with a home button work differently from newer ones without one. Both methods take about five seconds once you know the steps.
Key Takeaways
- Closing an app stops it from running in the background and using your battery and memory, but does not delete it from your phone.
- iPhones with Face ID (no home button) require you to swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold, then swipe up on the app card you want to close.
- iPhones with a home button require you to double-press the home button, then swipe up on the app you want to close.
- You do not need to close apps regularly — iOS manages background activity on its own, but closing a misbehaving app can fix freezing or battery drain.
Closing apps on iPhone with Face ID (iPhone X and newer)
If your iPhone has Face ID — meaning it unlocks by recognizing your face and has no physical home button — follow these steps. Start from any screen on your phone, including the home screen or inside another app.
Swipe up from the very bottom of the screen and hold your finger there for about half a second. You will see a row of app cards appear, showing all the apps currently running in the background. Each card shows a preview of what the app was doing when you left it. Swipe left or right to find the app you want to close.
Once you see the app card, press and hold on it until a menu appears with options. Tap "Remove App from Dock" or straightforward swipe the card upward off the top of the screen. The app will close when ready. You can close multiple apps in one session by repeating this process for each one.
Closing apps on iPhone with a home button (iPhone 8 and older)
If your iPhone has a physical home button at the bottom, the process is slightly different. Double-press the home button — press it twice quickly, not a long hold. The screen will show app cards for all your background apps, similar to the Face ID method.
Swipe left or right to find the app you want to close. Once you see it, swipe upward on the app card to close it. The card will disappear and the app will stop running. You can close several apps this way without leaving the app switcher.
When you actually need to close apps
iOS is designed to manage apps in the background without your help. Closing apps is not something you need to do every day or every week. The system automatically pauses apps that are not in use and prevents them from draining your battery significantly.
Close an app manually if your phone is running slowly, if an app is frozen or not responding, or if you notice your battery draining unusually fast. Close the problem app, wait a few seconds, and then open it again. This often fixes glitches without requiring a full restart of your phone.
If your battery is draining quickly, you can also check which apps are using the most power. Go to Settings, tap Battery, then Battery Usage. This shows you which apps have used the most battery in the last 24 hours or the last 10 days. If one app is using far more than the others, close it and see if the drain improves.
The difference between closing and force-quitting an app
Closing an app (the method above) is the normal way to stop it. Force-quitting is stronger and is used when an app is completely frozen and will not respond to any taps. To force-quit an app on a Face ID iPhone, use the same swipe-up method to see the app cards, then press and hold the app card until options appear, and tap "Remove App from Dock." On a home button iPhone, double-press the home button, find the frozen app, and swipe it up.
Force-quitting is safe and will not damage your phone or the app. Use it when an app stops responding or when closing normally does not work.
Restarting your iPhone instead of closing individual apps
If multiple apps are running slowly or your phone feels sluggish overall, restarting your entire iPhone is often faster than closing apps one by one. A restart clears your phone's memory completely and closes every app at once.
To restart an iPhone with Face ID, press and hold the volume up button and the side button together until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your phone, wait 10 seconds, then press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears. On an iPhone with a home button, press and hold the top (or side) button until the power-off slider appears, then follow the same process.
A restart takes about a minute and often solves performance problems better than closing individual apps. If your phone is running slowly regularly, a restart once a week or once every two weeks can help keep it running smoothly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does closing apps make my iPhone faster?
Closing apps can help if your phone is running slowly or if a specific app is misbehaving. However, closing apps does not speed up your phone in the long term — iOS manages background apps automatically. If your phone feels slow regularly, a restart is usually more effective than closing individual apps.
Will closing an app delete my data or messages?
No. Closing an app stops it from running but does not delete any data, messages, or files stored in that app. When you open the app again, everything will be exactly as you left it. The only way to delete an app's data is to uninstall the app itself from your phone.
Can I close multiple apps at once?
You can close them one at a time using the app switcher, but there is no button to close all apps simultaneously. If you want to close everything at once, restart your iPhone instead. A restart takes about a minute and closes every app.
What happens if I close an app I need?
Nothing bad happens. The app remains installed on your phone and you can open it again anytime. Closing an app is completely reversible — just tap the app icon to reopen it.
Why does my iPhone show apps still running after I close them?
iOS sometimes keeps recently closed apps in the app switcher for a few seconds before they fully disappear from the list. This is normal. The app is closed and not using battery or memory, even though you might still see it in the switcher briefly.