Swipe up from the bottom to close an app on most iPhones
To force close an app on iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle of the screen. This works on iPhone X and newer models, which don't have a home button. Hold your finger there for a moment until the app switcher appears — you'll see thumbnail cards of your open apps stacked on top of each other.
Once the app switcher is visible, find the app you want to close and swipe it up and off the top of the screen. The app will close immediately. You can close multiple apps this way by swiping each one away individually.
If you're using an older iPhone with a home button (iPhone 8 or earlier), double-press the home button instead. This brings up the same app switcher view, and you can swipe apps upward to close them.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone X and newer, swipe up from the bottom and pause to open the app switcher, then swipe the app upward to close it.
- On iPhone 8 and earlier, double-press the home button to see open apps, then swipe each one upward to close it.
- Force closing an app stops it completely and clears it from memory, which can fix freezing or unresponsive behavior.
- Force closing is different from swiping an app away from the home screen — swiping away just removes the icon, not the running app.
Why you might need to force close an app
An app might freeze, crash repeatedly, or stop responding to touches. Force closing stops the app completely and clears it from your phone's active memory. When you reopen it, the app starts fresh, which often fixes the problem.
Force closing is also useful if an app is draining your battery or using data in the background when you're not using it. Closing it stops that activity immediately until you open the app again.
The difference between closing and deleting an app
Closing an app (or force closing it) stops it from running but leaves it installed on your phone. You can open it again whenever you want. Deleting an app removes it entirely from your phone — you'd have to download it again from the App Store if you wanted it back.
If an app is misbehaving, start by force closing it. Only delete it if force closing doesn't fix the problem or if you no longer want the app at all.
What happens when you force close an app
The app stops running immediately and any unsaved work in that app is lost. If you were typing a message or editing a photo, that work won't be saved unless you had already tapped a save button.
Some apps are designed to save your progress automatically, so you might not lose anything. Others require you to manually save. If you're unsure whether an app saves automatically, it's safer to look for a save button before force closing.
When force closing doesn't fix the problem
If an app keeps freezing or crashing even after you force close it, try restarting your iPhone. Turn it off completely, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on. This clears your phone's memory more thoroughly than closing a single app.
If the problem continues after a restart, check the App Store to see if an update is available for that app. Outdated apps sometimes have bugs that newer versions fix. You can also try deleting and reinstalling the app, which removes any corrupted files that might be causing the issue.
Apps that run in the background
Some apps are designed to keep running even when you're not actively using them — music apps, navigation apps, fitness trackers, and messaging apps often work this way. Force closing these apps will stop them from running in the background, which means you might miss notifications or music will stop playing.
If you want an app to keep running in the background but you're not using it right now, you don't need to force close it. Just switch to a different app or go to the home screen. The app will keep running unless your phone runs low on memory, in which case iOS automatically closes background apps to free up space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does force closing an app damage my iPhone?
No. Force closing an app is a normal troubleshooting step and won't harm your phone. iOS is designed to handle apps being closed abruptly. The only downside is that any unsaved work in that app will be lost.
Will force closing an app delete my data?
Force closing won't delete the app itself or the data it has saved to your phone. Photos, messages, and other information stored in the app will still be there when you reopen it. Only unsaved work — like a draft message you haven't sent — will be lost.
Can I force close multiple apps at once?
You can close multiple apps one after another using the app switcher, but you have to swipe each one away individually. There's no button to close all open apps at once. Most people only force close the app that's causing problems.
What if I accidentally force close an app I didn't mean to?
Just open it again from your home screen or app library. The app will launch normally. If you closed it before saving your work, that work will be gone, but the app itself is fine.