Force closing an app on iPhone stops a frozen or stuck program without restarting your whole phone
When an app stops responding, freezes mid-task, or drains your battery, force closing it will shut it down completely. Unlike closing an app normally (which lets it save its state), force closing cuts power to it when ready. On iPhone, the steps depend on which model you have, but the process takes under 10 seconds.
Force closing is safe — it does not delete the app, your data, or your settings. The app will reopen normally the next time you tap it. If an app crashes repeatedly after you force close it, that is a sign the app itself has a problem and may need an update or reinstall.
Key Takeaways
- iPhone models with Face ID use a swipe gesture from the top-right corner; older models with a home button use a double-tap on the home button first.
- Force closing does not delete the app or your data — it straightforward stops the program from running until you open it again.
- If an app crashes repeatedly even after force closing, check the App Store for an update or try deleting and reinstalling it.
- Force closing is different from clearing an app's cache or data, which requires going into Settings and is a separate step if the app still misbehaves.
Force close on iPhone with Face ID (iPhone X and newer)
Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle of the screen — do not swipe all the way to the top. You will see all your open apps displayed as cards. Find the app you want to close, then swipe it upward off the screen. The app closes when ready.
If you swipe too fast or too far, you will open Control Center instead. If that happens, tap elsewhere on the screen to close Control Center and try again, pausing longer in the middle of the screen before swiping the app card upward.
Force close on iPhone with a home button (iPhone 8 and earlier)
Double-tap the home button at the bottom of your phone. You will see your open apps displayed as cards, just like on newer iPhones. Swipe upward on the app card you want to close. The app shuts down when ready.
On very old iPhones (iPhone 6s and earlier), you may see a different view with app previews stacked on top of each other. Swipe upward on the app you want to close, and it will disappear from the list.
What happens after you force close an app
The app stops running, but it remains installed on your phone. When you tap the app icon again, it will launch fresh, as if you had just restarted it. Any unsaved work in that app will be lost — for example, if you were typing a message and force closed the app before sending it, that message will be gone.
Force closing does not clear the app's stored data, login information, or settings. If you were logged into the app before you force closed it, you will still be logged in when you open it again. If you want to clear an app's cached data or stored information, that requires a separate step in Settings.
When to force close versus when to restart your phone
Force close a single app when only that one program is frozen or misbehaving. It takes seconds and solves the problem in most cases. Restart your whole phone only if multiple apps are crashing, your phone is running very slowly, or force closing individual apps does not help.
A full restart (turning your phone off and back on) clears temporary memory and can fix deeper problems, but it takes longer and affects everything running on your phone. Start with force closing the problem app first.
Troubleshooting an app that crashes after you force close it
If an app crashes or freezes again within a few minutes of reopening it, the app itself likely has a bug or compatibility issue. Open the App Store, search for the app by name, and check whether an update is available. Tap "Update" if you see it. Many crashes are fixed in newer versions.
If no update is available or the app still crashes after updating, try deleting the app and reinstalling it fresh. Press and hold the app icon on your home screen, tap "Remove App," then "Delete App." Go back to the App Store, search for the app, and tap the cloud icon to reinstall it. This clears out any corrupted files that may have caused the crash.
Force closing versus clearing an app's cache or data
Force closing stops the app from running but leaves all its stored information intact. Clearing an app's cache or data is a separate action that removes temporary files or stored login information, and it requires going into Settings. You do not need to clear cache or data just to stop a frozen app — force closing alone will fix that.
Clear an app's cache or data only if the app continues to misbehave even after you update it, or if you want to log out and remove stored information before uninstalling. To do this, go to Settings, tap "General," then "iPhone Storage," find the app in the list, tap it, and choose "Offload App" (which keeps your data) or "Delete App" (which removes everything).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does force closing an app delete my data or login information?
No. Force closing stops the app from running but leaves all your saved data, login credentials, and settings untouched. When you reopen the app, you will still be logged in and your information will be there.
What if I force close an app while I am in the middle of something?
Any unsaved work will be lost. If you were typing a message, editing a photo, or filling out a form, that work will disappear because you did not save it before the app closed. Saved work (like a draft email or a photo already stored in your library) will remain.
Can I force close multiple apps at once?
You can close them one at a time by swiping each app card upward, but there is no button to close all open apps at once. If your phone is running slowly because many apps are open, closing a few of the ones you are not using will help. Restarting your phone closes all apps at once.
Is it bad to force close apps regularly?
No. Force closing is a normal troubleshooting step and does not harm your phone or the app. However, if you find yourself force closing the same app every day, that app has a problem and should be updated or reinstalled rather than closed repeatedly.