How to Close Apps on iPhone 12 and Newer iPhones

If an app on your iPhone 12 or a newer Face ID model is frozen or won’t respond, open the App Switcher and swipe the app’s preview up and off the screen. On an iPhone SE or another model with a Home button, double-click Home first, then swipe up on the app preview. Apple recommends closing an app only when it is unresponsive; routinely dismissing every app does not improve battery life or overall performance.

When should you close an app?

Use the App Switcher to quit an app that has stopped responding, appears frozen, or needs a fresh launch to recover. After closing it, tap its icon on the Home Screen or in the App Library to reopen it.

You do not need to close apps just because you have finished using them. iOS manages apps in the background, and apps in a suspended state generally are not actively using system resources. Apple says closing all apps does not improve overall performance or battery life. Reopening a force-closed app can take longer because it must reload, and quitting an app can interrupt some background activity. If an app is handling a transfer, don’t swipe it away just to “free up RAM”; whether the transfer continues depends on that app.

For the current model-specific steps, see Apple’s instructions for closing an iPhone app.

Close an app on iPhone 12 and newer Face ID models

iPhone 12 models and iPhones with Face ID use the same gesture. You do not need to return to the Home Screen before opening the App Switcher.

1. Open the App Switcher. Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen, then pause around the middle. Keep your finger on the display briefly until the app cards appear. Lift your finger once the cards are visible.
2. Find the app. Swipe left or right through the previews until the app that is stuck is centered on screen.
3. Close it. Flick that app’s preview up and off the top of the screen. The app closes; the other previews remain in the App Switcher.

If the Home Screen appears instead of the App Switcher, repeat the gesture and pause midway rather than continuing all the way to the top.

These cards show recently used apps; seeing a card does not mean that the app is actively running or draining the battery. To switch to another app instead of quitting it, tap that app’s preview.

Close an app on iPhone SE or another Home button model

The iPhone SE (including the second- and third-generation models) has a physical Home button. The same method applies to older iPhones with a Home button:

1. Press the Home button twice quickly to show the App Switcher.
2. Swipe left or right to find the unresponsive app.
3. Swipe up on its preview to close it.

If your iPhone has no physical Home button, use the swipe-up-and-pause gesture in the previous section instead.

What to try if the app is still not working

After force-closing, open the app again and check whether it responds. If it remains stuck, work through these steps:

1. Restart your iPhone. A restart can clear a temporary system issue that reopening the app did not resolve.
2. Install available updates. Check the App Store for an update to the app, then check iPhone software updates in Settings.
3. Reinstall only as a last resort. Deleting an app can remove data stored inside it. Confirm that important information is synced or backed up before deleting it and downloading it again.

Apple lists these options in its guide for an app that stops responding, closes unexpectedly, or won’t open. If the problem continues after the update or reinstall, contact the app’s developer; if several apps or iOS itself are affected, contact Apple Support.

Common questions

Can you close all iPhone apps at once?

There is no close-all control in the iPhone App Switcher. You can swipe away previews individually, but Apple does not recommend doing that as routine maintenance.

Does closing apps save battery?

Usually, no. iOS manages background activity, and force-closing apps you are not using does not extend battery life. Close one when it is unresponsive, then reopen it if needed.

Will swiping an app away cancel a download?

It can affect an app’s ability to continue background work, but the exact behavior depends on the app and the task. Keep a transfer open if you need it to finish, and use the app’s own download or sync guidance if it stalls.