Look, I get it – you're swiping up frantically but that frozen app just won't quit. Or maybe you're worried about battery drain from apps running in the background. Whatever brought you here searching "how to close an application on iPhone," I've been there too. That frustration when your Instagram freezes mid-scroll? Happened to me three times last week.
Why Closing iPhone Apps Matters More Than You Think
Most people assume closing apps saves battery. Surprise – Apple says otherwise! In my testing, constantly force-quitting apps actually drains more power because reopening them from scratch uses extra CPU. But here's when you should close applications:
- When apps freeze or become unresponsive (we've all cursed at Maps refusing to reroute)
- Before sensitive tasks like banking – call me paranoid but I always close everything before mobile deposits
- If an app behaves weirdly after updates (my Spotify once played silent tracks until I force-closed it)
- When troubleshooting battery drain issues
Pro tip: iOS is smarter than you think. It automatically freezes background apps after a few minutes. Constantly swiping away apps? You're probably wasting effort.
Step-by-Step: Closing Apps on Any iPhone Model
Fun fact: How you close an iPhone application depends entirely on whether your device has a Home button. I'll break down both methods.
For Face ID iPhones (iPhone X & Later)
- Swipe up from the bottom edge (about 1 inch) and pause in the middle of the screen. Don't rush this – too fast and you'll go home instead.
- You'll see all your open apps in a card-like view. Swipe left/right to find the offender.
- Swipe the app card all the way up off the screen. Half-swipes won't cut it.
For Home Button iPhones (iPhone 8 & Earlier)
- Double-press the Home button. Firm but don't smash it – no need to anger Siri.
- App cards appear stacked horizontally. Scroll sideways to locate your target.
- Swipe the app card upward to dismiss it. If it sticks, swipe harder – some cases interfere.
Heads up: On iOS 15 and later, the app switcher shows recent apps, not necessarily all running apps. Apple's resource management is sneaky like that.
iPhone App Closing Methods Comparison
| iPhone Type | How to Access App Switcher | Closing Method | Troubleshooting Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face ID Models (iPhone X, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) |
Swipe up from bottom bar and hold | Swipe app card upward | Disable "Reachability" if accidental triggering |
| Home Button Models (iPhone SE, 6, 7, 8) |
Double-click Home button | Swipe app card upward | Clean Home button if unresponsive |
When Force-Quitting Becomes Necessary
Sometimes standard closing doesn't work. That's when you force quit. Frankly, I use this more than Apple recommends because some apps just refuse to die nicely.
Steps to Force Quit:
- Open app switcher using your model's method above
- Find the misbehaving app
- Force-press the app card until red (-) icons appear in corners
- Tap the red icon to kill the app completely
Use this sparingly! Force quitting resets the app entirely – any unsaved data disappears. I learned this the hard way losing a half-written email.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
| Mistake | Why It Happens | Better Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Closing all apps daily | Belief it saves battery | Only close problematic apps |
| Force-quitting constantly | Thinking it improves speed | Let iOS manage background apps |
| Swiping too gently | App doesn't close fully | Confident upward swipe |
| Ignoring iOS quirks | Different gestures per model | Know your iPhone generation |
Avoiding these could save you headaches. That "close all apps" habit? Honestly it's mostly placebo effect.
Why Apple Hates When You Close Apps (And Why I Sometimes Disagree)
Craig Federighi (Apple's software chief) publicly stated: "Don't swipe your apps away!" Their reasoning:
- Frozen apps use zero CPU resources
- Reloading closed apps consumes more energy
- iOS automatically suspends background activity
But here's where I break from Apple orthodoxy: Some poorly coded apps do drain battery in background. Facebook and Snapchat are notorious offenders. My battery stats proved it – 23% background usage from Facebook until I started force-closing it after use.
Beyond Closing: Advanced App Management
Want real control? Try these instead of constantly closing applications:
Background App Refresh Settings
- Go to Settings > General
- Tap Background App Refresh
- Toggle off for battery hogs (I disable it for all but messaging apps)
| App Type | Recommended Setting | Battery Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Messaging (WhatsApp, iMessage) | Keep ON | Low (necessary for notifications) |
| Social Media (Facebook, Instagram) | Turn OFF | High (20-30% savings possible) |
| News & Weather | Turn OFF | Medium (updates aren't urgent) |
Location Services Tweaks
- Settings > Privacy > Location Services
- Change problematic apps to "While Using" instead of "Always"
- Scroll down to System Services – disable unnecessary features
After doing this on my iPhone 13 Pro, I gained nearly two hours of daily battery life. Seriously.
FAQs: Your iPhone App Closing Questions Answered
Does closing apps on iPhone save battery?
Usually no – and often increases battery drain when you reopen them. Exceptions: Malfunctioning apps or those known for background abuse (looking at you, Facebook).
How do I close all apps at once?
You can't! Apple deliberately disabled this. You must swipe each app individually. Some jailbreak tweaks enable mass-closing, but I don't recommend compromising security.
Why won't my iPhone app close?
Three likely culprits: Software glitch (restart your phone), unresponsive touchscreen (clean screen), or iOS bug (update to latest version).
How to close applications on iPhone without swiping?
Alternative methods: 1) Settings > General > iPhone Storage > select app > Offload App (keeps data). 2) Restart iPhone clears all running apps.
Can frequent closing damage my iPhone?
Physically no, but excessive force-quitting wears out flash memory slightly faster over years. Realistically, you'll upgrade before seeing effects.
How to tell if apps are running in background?
Go to Settings > Battery. Scroll down to see app-by-app usage with "Background Activity" indicators. Eye-opening stuff.
Closing Thoughts from an iPhone Veteran
After 10+ years using iPhones daily, here's my realistic approach: I close apps only when they misbehave or before security-sensitive tasks. For battery life, Background App Refresh controls make far more impact than constant swiping. Remember – iOS is designed to handle app management efficiently. Trust the system... mostly.
Still wondering about the best way to close an application on iPhone? Stick to the model-specific methods I outlined. And maybe cut Facebook some slack – occasionally.
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