The simplest way to close Waze

On most phones, closing Waze works the same way you close any other app. Swipe up from the bottom of your screen (on newer iPhones and Android phones) or tap the back arrow repeatedly until you exit the app completely. The app will stop running in the background and stop using your phone's battery and data.

If you use an older Android phone with a physical back button, press it once or twice until you see your home screen. The app closes automatically when you leave it this way. On iPhones with a home button, press the home button once to return to your home screen.

Closing Waze does not delete it from your phone or erase your saved places and routes. It straightforward stops the app from running. You can open it again whenever you need directions.

Key Takeaways

  • Swipe up from the bottom of your screen on newer phones, or use the back button on older Android phones, to close Waze and return to your home screen.
  • Closing the app stops it from using your battery and data in the background, but does not delete your saved routes or settings.
  • If Waze is frozen or not responding, force-closing it through your phone's settings will shut it down completely and let you restart it fresh.
  • You can also swipe Waze away in your recent apps list to close it without returning to the home screen first.

Closing Waze from your recent apps list

Your phone keeps a list of apps you have used recently. You can close Waze directly from this list without going back to your home screen. On newer iPhones, swipe up from the bottom and hold for a moment — you will see thumbnails of your recent apps. Find Waze and swipe it upward to close it.

On Android phones, swipe up from the bottom (or tap the recent apps button if your phone has one) to see your recent apps. Swipe Waze upward or to the side to close it. This method is faster if you are switching between multiple apps and do not want to return to your home screen each time.

Force-closing Waze when it is frozen or stuck

Sometimes Waze stops responding to taps or gets stuck on a screen. Closing it normally will not work. In this case, you need to force-close the app through your phone's settings. On iPhone, go to Settings, then General, then iPhone Storage. Find Waze in the list and tap it. Tap Offload App, then Offload again to confirm. Wait a few seconds, then tap Reinstall App to turn it back on.

On Android, go to Settings, then Apps (or process Manager on older phones). Find Waze in the list and tap it. Tap Force Stop. The app will shut down when ready. You can then open Waze again from your home screen or app drawer, and it will start fresh.

Force-closing clears out any stuck processes that were preventing the app from closing normally. It does not delete your data — your saved places and settings will still be there when you reopen Waze.

Stopping Waze from running in the background

Even after you close Waze, it may continue running in the background and using your battery. If you want to prevent this, you can turn off background app refresh for Waze. On iPhone, go to Settings, then General, then Background App Refresh. Find Waze and toggle it off. The app will no longer run when you are not actively using it.

On Android, the process varies by phone model. Go to Settings, then Apps, find Waze, and tap Battery or Permissions. Look for an option called Background Restriction, Background Limitation, or Battery Optimization. Turn it on for Waze. Some Android phones also let you swipe Waze away in your recent apps list and hold it to see a lock icon — tap the lock to prevent the app from reopening in the background.

Turning off background refresh saves battery life, especially if you use Waze frequently. You will still get notifications from the app, but it will not check for updates or run processes when you are not looking at it.

The difference between closing and uninstalling Waze

Closing Waze and uninstalling it are two different things. Closing the app straightforward stops it from running — it stays on your phone and you can open it again when ready. Uninstalling removes the entire app from your phone, including all your saved places, routes, and settings. You would need to read and reinstall it to use it again.

If you only want to stop using Waze temporarily, close it or turn off background refresh. If you want to remove it permanently and free up storage space on your phone, uninstall it. To uninstall on iPhone, press and hold the Waze icon on your home screen, tap Remove App, then Delete App. On Android, press and hold the Waze icon, tap Uninstall, then OK.

Why you might want to close Waze

Closing Waze saves your phone's battery, especially if you are not actively using it for navigation. The app uses GPS, which drains battery quickly. It also uses data if you have location services turned on. If you have finished your trip and do not need directions, closing Waze stops these processes.

Closing the app also frees up your phone's memory, which can make other apps run faster. If your phone feels slow or sluggish, closing apps you are not using — including Waze — can help. You might also close Waze if you want to use a different navigation app, like Google Maps or Apple Maps, without both running at the same time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does closing Waze delete my saved places?

No. Closing the app stops it from running but does not erase any data. Your saved places, home and work addresses, and driving history will still be there when you open Waze again. Only uninstalling the app removes your saved data.

Will Waze still give me notifications after I close it?

It depends on your phone's settings. If you have turned off background app refresh for Waze, it will not send notifications. If background refresh is still on, Waze may send notifications even after you close it. You can control this in your phone's notification settings for Waze.

What should I do if Waze will not close?

Force-close it through your phone's settings. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, find Waze, and tap Offload App. On Android, go to Settings > Apps, find Waze, and tap Force Stop. This will shut down the app completely.

Can I close Waze while I am driving?

You should not close Waze while actively driving and using it for navigation. Wait until you have reached your destination and are safely parked before closing the app. If you need to switch to a different app while driving, use your phone's recent apps list to switch without fully closing Waze.

Does closing Waze stop it from tracking my location?

Closing Waze stops the app itself from running, but your phone's location services may still be on. To fully stop location tracking, go to your phone's Settings and turn off Location Services, or turn it off just for Waze in the app's permission settings.