Managing your iPhone’s open apps is a fundamental skill that ensures smooth performance and battery longevity. While iOS is designed to handle background processes efficiently, knowing how to close apps on iPhone properly can free up memory and resolve minor glitches. This guide walks you through the standard methods, troubleshooting tips, and best practices for a seamless user experience.
Understanding How iOS Manages Background Apps
Before learning how to close apps on iPhone, it helps to understand how iOS handles multitasking. The system keeps recently used apps in a suspended state, allowing for quick switching without draining significant battery. However, some apps may continue background activities like music playback or location updates. Closing these apps manually can be beneficial when they become unresponsive or consume excessive resources.
Standard Method: Using the App Switcher
Step-by-Step Guide for iPhone with a Home Button
For older models, follow these steps to close apps on iPhone effectively:
Double-press the Home button to bring up the App Switcher.
Locate the app you want to close; cards will scroll horizontally.
Swipe the app card upward toward the top of the screen.
Repeat for additional apps, then press the Home button to exit.
Step-by-Step Guide for Face ID Models
If you’re using a newer iPhone without a Home button, the process differs slightly when learning how to close apps on iPhone:
Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause slightly in the middle.
Tap and hold an app card until it jiggles.
Swipe the app card upward to close it.
Continue for other apps, then swipe up from the bottom to exit the App Switcher.
When to Force Restart Instead
If an app is frozen and standard closure methods fail, a force restart may be necessary. This technique refreshes the system without closing every app manually. The steps vary by model:
Model | Force Restart Steps
iPhone 8 and later | Quickly press and release Volume Up, then Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
iPhone 7/7 Plus | Hold the Volume Down button and the Side button until the screen goes black.
iPhone 6s and earlier | Hold the Home button and the Top button until the screen turns off.
Common Misconceptions About Background Apps
Many users believe that closing apps frequently improves speed or battery life, but iOS is optimized to manage background processes. Force-closing apps unnecessarily can actually slow down your device because reopening them requires reloading data. It is typically better to close apps only when they are misbehaving or after heavy use.
Managing Background App Refresh
For more control over how apps behave in the background, use the Background App Refresh settings. This feature allows you to disable unnecessary background activity for specific apps, conserving battery without manually closing them:
Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
Toggle off apps you don’t want updating in the background.
Select “Wi-Fi” or “Wi-Fi + Cellular” to restrict data usage.
