Why you might want to close an app
Closing an app on your iPhone stops it from running in the background and using your phone's memory and battery. Most of the time, iOS handles this automatically — apps pause when you switch away from them. But if an app is behaving strangely, draining your battery faster than usual, or using data when you are not actively using it, closing it completely and reopening it can fix the problem.
Closing an app is different from deleting it. When you close an app, it stays on your phone. When you reopen it later, it will still be there. This is a temporary action, not a permanent one.
Key Takeaways
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or swipe down from the top right on newer iPhones) and hold to see all your running apps, then swipe up on the ones you want to close.
- Closing an app does not delete it — it just stops it from running in the background until you open it again.
- You do not need to close apps regularly to keep your iPhone running well; iOS manages background activity automatically.
- If an app is frozen, crashing, or using too much battery, closing and reopening it often fixes the problem without needing to restart your phone.
How to close apps on iPhone with Face ID (iPhone X and newer)
On iPhones with Face ID — the ones that unlock with your face instead of a home button — swipe down from the top right corner of the screen. Hold your finger there for a moment until the app switcher appears, showing all your open apps as cards stacked on top of each other.
Once the app switcher is open, swipe up on any app card to close it. You can close one app at a time, or close several in a row. When you are done, swipe down or tap the home screen to exit the app switcher.
How to close apps on iPhone with a home button (iPhone 8 and older)
On older iPhones with a physical home button at the bottom, swipe up from the very bottom of the screen and hold. The app switcher will appear after a moment, showing your open apps as cards. Do not release your finger until you see the cards appear.
Swipe up on any app card to close it. You can close multiple apps this way. When you are finished, press the home button or swipe down to return to your home screen.
What happens when you close an app
When you close an app, it stops running when ready. Any unsaved work in that app may be lost — for example, if you were typing a message in an app that does not auto-save, that text will disappear. Most modern apps save your progress automatically, so this is usually not a problem.
The app itself remains on your phone. Its icon stays on your home screen or in your app library. The next time you tap the app, it will open fresh, as if you had just restarted it. Any data the app stores — like your login information or saved files — stays on your phone.
When closing an app actually helps
Close an app if it is frozen and not responding to taps. Close it if it keeps crashing when you try to use it. Close it if you notice your battery draining unusually fast and you suspect a particular app is the culprit. In these cases, closing the app and reopening it often fixes the problem.
You do not need to close apps regularly just to keep your iPhone running smoothly. iOS is designed to manage background apps on its own. Closing apps constantly will not make your phone faster or extend your battery life in any meaningful way. If your phone feels slow or your battery drains quickly, the problem is usually something else — like too many notifications, location services running all the time, or an app that genuinely has a bug.
Checking which apps are using the most battery
If you suspect an app is draining your battery, you can see which apps are using the most power. Go to Settings, then Battery, then Battery Usage. This shows you a list of apps ranked by how much battery they have used in the last 24 hours or the last 10 days. Tap the time period at the top to switch between them.
If one app is using far more battery than the others, close it and reopen it. If the problem continues, the app may have a bug that the developer needs to fix. Check the App Store to see if an update is available — updated versions often fix battery drain problems. If no update helps, you may need to delete the app and reinstall it, or contact the app's support team.
The difference between closing, force-quitting, and restarting
Closing an app (the method described above) is the gentlest option. It stops the app but leaves everything else on your phone running normally. Force-quitting is stronger — it shuts down an app that is completely frozen and will not respond. To force-quit, hold down the app card in the app switcher for a moment until a menu appears, then tap "Remove App" or "Force Quit" (the exact wording depends on your iOS version).
Restarting your entire phone is the strongest option. It shuts down every app and clears your phone's memory completely. You would do this if multiple apps are misbehaving or your phone feels sluggish overall. To restart, go to Settings, then General, then Shut Down, and follow the prompts. Wait a few seconds, then press the power button to turn it back on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will closing apps make my iPhone faster?
Closing apps will not make your iPhone faster in any lasting way. iOS manages background apps automatically, so closing them regularly does not improve performance. If your phone feels slow, the issue is usually something else — like storage being full, too many notifications enabled, or a specific app with a bug.
Do I need to close apps before I turn off my iPhone?
No. When you turn off your iPhone, all apps close automatically. You do not need to close them first. When you turn your phone back on, the apps will be in the same state they were in before you shut down.
What if I close an app by accident?
Nothing bad happens. Just tap the app icon on your home screen to open it again. Any data the app had saved will still be there. The only thing you might lose is any work you were doing in the app that had not been saved yet.
Can I close multiple apps at once?
Yes. In the app switcher, swipe up on each app card one at a time. You can close as many as you want in one session. There is no limit to how many you can close at once.
Does closing an app delete my data or login information?
No. Closing an app does not delete anything. Your login information, saved files, photos, and any other data the app stores will still be there when you reopen it. Only the app's temporary memory — what it was actively doing when you closed it — is cleared.