Closing an app on an iPhone is a fundamental skill that ensures your device runs smoothly and conserves battery life. While the iOS interface is designed for simplicity, understanding the nuances of app management can significantly enhance your user experience.
Why You Might Need to Close an App
Unlike desktop computers, iPhones manage memory automatically, closing inactive apps when system resources are low. However, users often wonder if they should manually close apps to prevent battery drain or improve performance. In most cases, apps running in the background are in a suspended state, consuming minimal resources. The primary reasons to force quit an app are when it becomes unresponsive, exhibits bugs, or you notice significant battery drain linked to a specific application.
How to Close an App Using the App Switcher
The primary method for closing apps involves the App Switcher, a feature that allows you to view and manage recently used applications. The process differs slightly between models with Face ID and those with a Home button.
For Face ID Models
Swipe up from the bottom edge of your screen and pause slightly in the middle of the display.
Lift your finger to open the App Switcher, where you’ll see app cards arranged horizontally.
Swipe up on the app card you want to close, pushing it off the top edge of the screen.
For Home Button Models
Double-click the Home button to open the App Switcher.
Swipe the app card either up or to the side to close it.
Debunking the Myth of Routine App Closing
A common misconception is that regularly closing apps prolongs battery life or speeds up the device. Apple’s iOS is engineered to handle background processes efficiently. Frequently swiping apps away can actually have the opposite effect, as the system must reload them entirely the next time you open them, using more processing power and energy. Unless an app is malfunctioning, it is generally unnecessary to close it.
Force Quitting Unresponsive Applications
If an app freezes or fails to respond to taps, you need to force quit it. The procedure is the same as closing a standard app, but you will aggressively swipe the card upward. You will not see a confirmation message; the app will simply disappear from the App Switcher, indicating it has been closed. Restart the app by tapping its icon on the home screen.
Managing Background App Refresh
Rather than closing apps manually, Apple provides settings to control how apps behave in the background. "Background App Refresh" allows apps to update their content even when not actively used. To manage this:
1.
Open the Settings app.
2.
Tap General , then select Background App Refresh .
3.
You can disable the feature globally or adjust settings for individual apps.
Disabling this feature for apps that do not need constant updates is a more effective way to manage resources than manually closing them. When to Restart Your iPhone If you are experiencing widespread performance issues, closing individual apps may not resolve the root cause. A restart refreshes the system memory and clears temporary glitches without requiring you to manage each application. To restart your device:
When to Restart Your iPhone
Press and hold either the volume button and the Side button until the power off slider appears.
Slide to power off, wait a few seconds, then press and hold the Side button again to turn it back on.
