What "closing an app" actually means
Closing an app means stopping it from running in the background of your device. When you close an app, it stops using your device's memory and processing power, though the app itself stays installed on your phone or computer so you can open it again later. This is different from deleting an app, which removes it entirely.
Most people think apps close when they stop looking at them, but that is not how phones and computers work. Apps keep running behind the scenes unless you actively close them. On a phone, this drains your battery faster. On a computer, it slows down everything else you are trying to do. Closing apps you are not using is one of the fastest ways to speed up a sluggish device.
Key Takeaways
- Apps continue running in the background even after you stop looking at them, which drains battery and slows down your device.
- On iPhones, swipe up from the bottom of the screen or use the app switcher to close apps; on Android phones, swipe up and hold or use the recent apps button.
- On Windows computers, click the X button in the top right corner of the app window, or use Alt+F4 to close the active app.
- On Mac computers, close the window using the red button in the top left, then quit the app from the menu or press Command+Q.
- Closing apps regularly helps your device run faster and extends battery life, especially on phones.
How to close apps on an iPhone
On newer iPhones (iPhone X and later), swipe up from the bottom of the screen toward the middle of your phone and pause for a moment. You will see thumbnails of all your open apps stacked on top of each other. Swipe left or right to find the app you want to close, then swipe it up and off the top of the screen. The app disappears from the list and closes.
On older iPhones (iPhone 8 and earlier), double-tap the home button at the bottom of the phone instead. This shows the same stack of open apps. Swipe to find the one you want, then swipe it up and off the screen to close it.
You can close multiple apps at once by swiping several of them away in quick succession. There is no harm in closing apps — you can always open them again by tapping their icon on your home screen.
How to close apps on an Android phone
On most Android phones, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold your finger there for a moment. A screen appears showing your recent apps as cards. Swipe left or right to find the app you want to close, then swipe it up and off the top of the screen.
On some Android phones, there is a dedicated recent apps button — usually a square icon at the bottom of the screen. Tap that button to see your open apps, then swipe the ones you want to close upward off the screen.
If you cannot find either method, try swiping up from the bottom with two fingers at once, or look for a button labeled with three dots or lines in the bottom corner of your screen. The exact steps vary by phone manufacturer, but the goal is always the same: find the recent apps screen and swipe apps away.
How to close apps on a Windows computer
The simplest way is to look at the top right corner of any open app window. You will see an X button. Click it, and the app closes when ready. The app stops running and frees up memory on your computer.
If you want to close the active app without using the mouse, press Alt+F4 on your keyboard. This closes whatever window you are currently looking at.
Some apps have a menu at the top. Click File, then look for an option that says Close or Exit. This method is less common on modern Windows apps, but older programs sometimes require it.
How to close apps on a Mac computer
At the top left corner of any open app window, you will see three colored buttons. The red button on the left closes the window. Click it, and the window disappears from your screen.
Closing the window is not always the same as closing the app on a Mac. The app may still be running in the background. To fully close the app, look at the menu bar at the very top of your screen. Click the app's name (for example, Safari or Mail), then click Quit [App Name]. You can also press Command+Q to quit the active app.
If you are not sure whether an app is still running, look at the dock at the bottom of your screen. Apps that are running have a small dot underneath their icon. Click the icon and then quit the app from the menu to stop it.
When you should and should not close apps
Close apps regularly on your phone if your battery drains quickly or your phone feels slow. Closing apps you have not used in a while is one of the fastest ways to improve performance. On a computer, close apps you are done using to free up memory and make other programs run faster.
You do not need to close every app constantly. Closing an app and reopening it a few seconds later uses more battery than leaving it open, because the app has to start up from scratch. If you are about to use an app again in the next few minutes, there is no benefit to closing it.
Some apps, like messaging or email, are designed to run in the background and notify you when something arrives. Closing these apps means you will miss notifications until you open them again. Think about whether you want to receive notifications before closing an app.
The difference between closing and force-stopping an app
Closing an app is the normal way to stop it. Force-stopping is a more aggressive action you use when an app is frozen, crashing, or not responding to normal closing. On Android, you can force-stop an app by going to Settings, then Apps, finding the app, and tapping Force Stop. On iPhone, there is no force-stop option in the settings — if an app is frozen, close it using the app switcher and reopen it.
On a computer, if an app will not close normally, use the task manager (Windows) or force quit (Mac) to shut it down. On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open the task manager, find the frozen app, click it, and click End Task. On Mac, press Command+Option+Esc, select the app, and click Force Quit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does closing apps actually make my phone faster?
Yes, but only if the apps were using a lot of memory or processing power. Closing a few apps that were running in the background will make a noticeable difference on an older or slower phone. On newer phones, the difference may be small unless you have many apps open at once.
Will I lose my work if I close an app?
Not if you saved your work first. Most apps save automatically as you type, but some require you to manually save. If you are unsure, save before closing. When you reopen the app, your saved work will be there.
Can I close multiple apps at the same time?
On phones, you can swipe away several apps in quick succession, but you close them one at a time. On computers, you can use the task manager or force quit to close multiple apps at once, but this is usually only necessary if your computer is frozen.
What happens to an app after I close it?
The app stops running and is removed from your device's active memory. The app itself remains installed on your device, so you can open it again anytime by tapping or clicking its icon. Your saved data inside the app stays on your device.
Do I need to close apps before turning off my device?
No. When you turn off your phone or computer, all running apps close automatically. You do not need to close them manually first, though it does not hurt to do so.