Why and when to close apps on your iPhone

Closing an app on iPhone means forcing it to stop running in the background. Most of the time you do not need to do this — iOS manages apps well on its own. But closing an app can help if it is freezing, using too much battery, or behaving strangely. It also stops an app from accessing your location or camera when you are not using it.

The confusion comes from the difference between closing an app and deleting it. Closing an app keeps it on your phone but stops it from running. Deleting removes it entirely. This guide covers closing only.

You may also want to close an app if you notice it draining your battery faster than usual, or if it keeps asking for permission to use your microphone or location even after you have denied it. Closing and reopening the app often fixes these problems without any other steps.

Key Takeaways

  • Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the app switcher, then swipe up on the app card to close it.
  • On iPhone models with a home button, double-tap the home button instead to see running apps.
  • Closing an app does not delete it or free up storage space — it only stops it from running in the background.
  • If an app keeps misbehaving after you close and reopen it, force-closing it (holding the app card until a menu appears) can help.

Closing apps on newer iPhones without a home button

Most current iPhones use Face ID and do not have a physical home button. To close an app on these models, start by swiping up from the very bottom of the screen. You do not need to swipe hard — a smooth motion from the bottom edge upward will open the app switcher, which shows all your open apps as cards.

Once the app switcher is open, you will see thumbnail images of each app you have used recently. Find the app you want to close and swipe upward on its card. The card will disappear, and the app is now closed. You can close multiple apps by repeating this step for each one.

If you swipe up too slowly or from the wrong spot, you may just go to the home screen instead. That is fine — just swipe up again from the bottom to bring the app switcher back. The motion takes practice, but most people get it within a few tries.

Closing apps on older iPhones with a home button

If your iPhone has a physical home button at the bottom, the process is different. Double-tap the home button — do not hold it down, just tap it twice quickly. This opens the app switcher and shows your recently used apps as cards, just like on newer models.

Once the app switcher is open, swipe upward on the app card you want to close. The card will disappear. You can close as many apps as you need to by repeating this step.

If you accidentally hold the home button instead of tapping it twice, you will set up Siri. Just say "cancel" or tap the screen to dismiss Siri, then try again with a quick double-tap.

Force-closing an app that will not respond

Sometimes an app freezes or stops responding to taps. In these cases, a normal close may not work. To force-close an app, open the app switcher the same way you normally would — swipe up from the bottom on newer iPhones, or double-tap the home button on older ones.

Find the frozen app and hold your finger on its card for about two seconds. A menu will appear at the bottom of the screen with options including "Remove App" and "Close All". Tap "Remove App" to force-close just that one app. The app will stop when ready, even if it was frozen.

After force-closing, wait a few seconds, then tap the app icon on your home screen to reopen it. It should start fresh. If the same app keeps freezing, the problem may be with the app itself rather than your phone — check the App Store to see if an update is available.

What closing an app does and does not do

Closing an app stops it from running in the background and using your phone's resources. This can save battery life if the app was active. It also stops the app from accessing your location, camera, or microphone until you open it again.

Closing an app does not delete it from your phone. The app icon stays on your home screen, and all your data inside the app remains saved. When you open the app again, it will be exactly as you left it. Closing also does not free up storage space — that only happens if you delete the app entirely.

Many people worry that closing apps will slow down their phone or cause problems. This is not true. iOS is designed to handle closed apps without any negative effects. In fact, closing a misbehaving app and reopening it often fixes problems faster than restarting your entire phone.

When you should not close apps

You do not need to close apps regularly just to keep your phone running well. iOS automatically manages background apps and closes them when it needs memory for something else. Closing apps constantly will not make your phone faster or last longer on a single charge.

Some apps, like fitness trackers or navigation apps, need to keep running in the background to work properly. If you close these apps while using them, they will stop tracking or stop giving directions. Only close an app if it is misbehaving or if you want to stop it from using your location or camera.

If your phone feels slow or your battery drains quickly, the problem is usually not that apps are running in the background. Check your battery usage in Settings to see which apps are using the most power, then update or delete the problematic ones instead of closing everything.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does closing an app delete my data or messages inside it?

No. Closing an app saves all your data and messages. When you reopen the app, everything will be exactly as you left it. The only way to lose data is to delete the app entirely from your phone, which is different from closing it.

Will closing apps make my iPhone battery last longer?

Closing an app that was actively running in the background can help a little, but the effect is usually small. If your battery drains quickly, check Settings to see which apps use the most power, then update or delete those apps instead of closing everything regularly.

What is the difference between closing an app and swiping it away?

They are the same thing. Swiping up on an app card in the app switcher is how you close it. Both terms mean you are stopping the app from running in the background.

Can I close multiple apps at once?

You can close them one at a time by swiping up on each card, but there is no button to close all apps at once. If many apps are misbehaving, restarting your phone is faster than closing each one individually.

Why does my app keep running even after I close it?

Some apps are designed to restart automatically when you use certain features, like location services or background app refresh. If an app keeps running after you close it, check Settings, then Privacy, then Location Services to see if the app has permission to run in the background.