The two ways to close an app on your iPhone
You close apps on an iPhone in one of two ways: swiping them away from the app switcher, or force-closing them through Settings. The first method works for most situations. The second method is what you need when an app is frozen, crashing, or not responding to normal commands.
Most of the time, you do not need to close apps at all — iOS manages them in the background automatically. But if an app is misbehaving or you want to make sure it is completely shut down, these steps will do it.
Key Takeaways
- Swiping up from the bottom of the screen opens the app switcher, where you can see all your open apps and swipe them away to close them.
- On iPhones with a home button, double-tap the home button instead to open the app switcher.
- Force-closing an app through Settings stops it completely and clears it from memory, which fixes most freezing and crashing problems.
- Closing an app does not delete it from your phone — it only shuts down the running program.
Close an app by swiping in the app switcher
The app switcher is the fastest way to close an app. On newer iPhones (iPhone X and later), swipe up from the very bottom of the screen and pause for a moment. You will see all your open apps displayed as cards. Swipe left or right to find the app you want to close.
Once you see the app card, swipe it upward off the screen. The app closes immediately. You can close multiple apps this way — just swipe each one up in turn. When you are done, swipe down or tap the home screen to exit the app switcher.
If your iPhone has a home button (iPhone 8 or earlier), double-tap the home button instead of swiping from the bottom. The app switcher will open showing your recent apps. Swipe left or right to find the one you want, then swipe it upward to close it.
Force-close a frozen or crashing app
If an app is frozen, not responding, or crashing repeatedly, swiping it away may not work. In that case, force-close it through Settings instead. Open Settings and tap General, then tap App Management (on older iPhones, this section is called iPhone Storage).
Scroll down and find the app that is giving you trouble. Tap it once to open its details page. At the top, you will see an Offload App button and a Delete App button. Tap Offload App. A popup will ask if you want to offload the app — tap Offload again to confirm.
This removes the app from memory completely but keeps your data and settings for it. Wait a few seconds, then go back to the app's details page and tap Install to put it back. The app will restart fresh, which fixes most freezing and crashing problems. If you want to delete it entirely instead, tap Delete App and then Delete App again.
What happens when you close an app
Closing an app stops it from running, but it does not delete the app from your phone. The app icon stays on your home screen or in your app library, and all your data inside the app stays saved. The next time you tap the app, it opens normally.
iOS also closes apps automatically in the background when your phone needs memory for other tasks. You do not have to manually close apps to save battery life or improve performance — iOS handles that on its own. Closing apps manually is only necessary when an app is misbehaving or you want to make absolutely sure it is not running.
When you should close an app
Close an app if it is frozen and not responding to taps, if it keeps crashing when you open it, or if it is behaving strangely (like showing old information or not loading properly). You should also close an app if you want to stop it from using your location, microphone, or camera in the background, though you can also control this through Settings under Privacy.
You do not need to close apps after you finish using them. Leaving them open does not drain your battery or slow down your phone noticeably. If you are concerned about an app running in the background, go to Settings, tap Privacy, and check which apps have permission to use your location or other features. You can turn off permissions there without closing the app.
Troubleshooting if an app will not close
If you swipe an app away and it immediately reopens, or if the app switcher is not responding, restart your iPhone. Press and hold the side button and one of the volume buttons until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your phone, wait 10 seconds, then press and hold the side button again until you see the Apple logo.
If restarting does not fix the problem, try force-closing the app through Settings as described above. If the app still will not close or keeps crashing, delete it and reinstall it from the App Store. This removes any corrupted files that might be causing the problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does closing apps save battery?
No. iOS manages background apps automatically and closes them when it needs memory. Manually closing apps does not meaningfully extend your battery life. If you are concerned about battery drain, check Settings under Battery to see which apps are using the most power, then adjust their permissions or usage habits.
Will closing an app delete my data?
No. Closing an app only stops it from running. All your messages, photos, notes, and other data saved inside the app stay on your phone. When you open the app again, everything is still there.
What is the difference between closing and deleting an app?
Closing an app shuts it down but leaves it installed on your phone. Deleting an app removes it completely from your iPhone, including the app icon. You can reinstall a deleted app from the App Store, but you may lose data if the app did not back it up to iCloud.
Can I close multiple apps at once?
No, you have to close them one at a time by swiping each app card upward in the app switcher. There is no option to close all open apps with a single command.
Why does an app keep reopening after I close it?
The app may be set to launch automatically, or another app may be opening it in the background. Check Settings under General, then App Management, and look for any apps with auto-launch features. You can also try force-closing the app through the Offload method described above.