The quickest way to close apps on iPhone

To close an open app on iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the app switcher, then swipe up on the app card you want to close. On newer iPhones with Face ID, swipe up from the bottom and pause briefly; on older iPhones with a home button, double-tap the home button instead. The app will disappear from the switcher and close completely.

You do not need to close apps regularly to save battery or improve performance — iOS manages background activity automatically. However, closing an app is useful if it is frozen, behaving oddly, or if you want to force it to refresh the next time you open it.

Key Takeaways

  • Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to see all open apps, then swipe up on any app card to close it.
  • iPhones with a home button use a double-tap of that button instead of a swipe to open the app switcher.
  • Closing apps does not significantly extend battery life, but it can fix a frozen or misbehaving app.
  • You can close multiple apps at once by swiping up on several cards in quick succession.

Closing apps on iPhones with Face ID (iPhone X and newer)

On iPhones without a home button, the app switcher appears when you swipe up from the very bottom of the screen and hold briefly. You will see all your open apps displayed as cards. Swipe up on any card to close that app — the card will fly off the screen and the app will shut down.

If you want to close multiple apps at once, swipe up on one card, then immediately swipe up on the next one without waiting for the switcher to close. This works quickly if you have several apps you need to shut down.

Closing apps on iPhones with a home button (iPhone 8 and older)

On older iPhones, double-tap the home button at the bottom center of the screen. The app switcher will show your open apps in a stack. Swipe left or right to find the app you want to close, then swipe up on it to shut it down.

You can also swipe up on multiple apps in succession to close several at once. The process is the same as on newer iPhones — just use the home button to open the switcher instead of swiping from the bottom.

When you actually need to close an app

Closing apps is most useful when an app is frozen, not responding to taps, or stuck on a loading screen. Force-closing it and reopening it usually fixes the problem. You might also close an app if you want it to completely refresh — for example, if a messaging app is not showing new messages, closing and reopening it will force it to sync again.

You do not need to close apps to save battery or free up RAM. iOS automatically manages which apps run in the background and which ones pause. Closing apps manually does not meaningfully extend battery life on modern iPhones.

Force-closing an app that will not respond

If an app is completely frozen and will not close with a normal swipe, open the app switcher the same way you normally would. Find the frozen app and swipe up on it. If the app still does not close, try swiping up more forcefully or wait a few seconds and try again.

If the app still will not close, restart your iPhone. Press and hold the power button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears, then slide to turn off. Wait a few seconds, then press and hold the power button again until the Apple logo appears. This will close all apps and restart the phone.

Closing apps without using the app switcher

You can also close an app by opening a different app. When you tap an app icon on the home screen or in the app library, the previous app closes automatically in the background. This is not a true force-close — the app may still be running in the background — but it removes the app from your active view.

If you want to completely close an app without opening another one, the app switcher method is the most direct route. There is no setting to change how apps close or to prevent them from running in the background on their own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does closing apps save battery on iPhone?

Closing apps does not significantly save battery. iOS automatically pauses apps running in the background and manages their activity. Closing an app manually may save a tiny amount of power, but the difference is not noticeable in daily use. Close apps only if they are misbehaving or you want to force a refresh.

Will closing an app delete my data or messages?

No. Closing an app does not delete any data, messages, or files stored in that app. The app's data remains on your phone. When you reopen the app, your information will still be there — the app simply starts fresh from its default state.

Can I close the system apps that come with iPhone?

Yes, you can close built-in apps like Mail, Safari, and Messages using the same swipe-up method. Closing them works the same way as closing third-party apps. They will not be removed from your phone — they will simply close and can be reopened by tapping their icon.

What if an app keeps crashing after I close it?

If an app crashes repeatedly after you close and reopen it, try restarting your iPhone. If the problem continues, delete the app and download it again from the App Store. If it still crashes, the app may have a bug — check the App Store to see if an update is available, or contact the app's developer.