How to Close Apps Faster on Your Phone or Computer 📱
If your device feels sluggish or you're trying to free up memory, closing apps properly matters—but the right way depends on what device you're using and what you're trying to accomplish. Let's walk through what actually happens when you close an app, when it's worth doing, and the clearest methods for different situations.
What Happens When You Close an App
When you close an app, you're telling your device to stop running that program and clear it from active memory. This is different from deleting an app, which removes it entirely from your device.
Closing an app can:
- Free up RAM (temporary memory your device uses while running things)
- Stop an app from using battery power
- Prevent background activity like location tracking or data syncing
- Help if an app is frozen or misbehaving
However, simply closing an app doesn't delete your data within it—your photos, messages, saved information, and login details stay on your device.
Why Speed Matters: When Closing Apps Actually Helps ⚡
Not every app needs to be closed constantly. The impact depends on:
Your device's age and available memory. Newer phones and computers with plenty of RAM can usually run several apps simultaneously without noticeable slowdown. Older devices or those running low on storage may benefit more from regular closing.
What the app does in the background. Some apps quietly sync data, check for notifications, or use location services even when you're not actively using them. Closing these can reduce battery drain and improve overall responsiveness.
Whether an app is malfunctioning. A frozen or crashing app sometimes needs to be force-closed and relaunched to work properly again.
How many apps you typically have open. If you habitually keep 20+ apps running simultaneously, closing unused ones may noticeably improve speed.
How to Close Apps: Different Methods for Different Devices
On iPhones and iPads
Standard close (swipe up): Swipe up from the bottom of the screen, hold briefly, then release. This removes the app from recent memory. (Gesture varies slightly by iOS version—check your device settings if you're unsure.)
Force close: If an app is frozen, press and hold the app icon on your home screen, then select "Remove App" → "Remove from Home Screen," or use Settings > General > iPhone Storage to offload the app temporarily.
On Android Phones and Tablets
Swipe to close: Swipe up from the bottom to view recent apps, then swipe the app card upward to close it.
Close via Settings: Go to Settings > Apps, select the app, and tap "Force Stop" if it's unresponsive.
Task switcher: Hold the navigation buttons or swipe left/right through your recent apps and close individually.
On Windows Computers
Click the X button: Close the window in the top-right corner. This removes the app from your screen and typically from active memory.
Task Manager: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, find the app in the list, and click "End Task" to force-close if it's frozen.
Alt + F4: A keyboard shortcut to close the current window quickly.
On Mac Computers
Red close button: Click the red button in the top-left corner of the app window.
Command + Q: Quits the current app entirely (different from simply closing the window).
Force Quit: Press Command + Option + Esc, select the app, and click "Force Quit" for frozen applications.
When You Shouldn't Worry About Closing Apps
Modern devices are designed to manage multiple apps efficiently. Many experts recommend not obsessively closing apps because:
- Reopening uses energy. Starting an app from scratch often consumes more battery and processing power than keeping it in background suspension.
- Modern systems prioritize automatically. Both iOS and Android intelligently manage memory, closing background apps when resources get tight.
- Cloud syncing depends on apps running. If you close an email or messaging app constantly, you may miss notifications.
A Practical Approach
Rather than closing every app after use, consider:
- Close apps that misbehave. If something is frozen, crashing, or draining battery noticeably, close and relaunch it.
- Periodically review background activity. Check Settings to see which apps are using location, data, or battery in the background and disable unnecessary permissions.
- Close memory-heavy apps before demanding tasks. If you're about to edit video or play a large game, closing social media or web browsers first can help.
- Restart your device weekly. A full restart clears memory more thoroughly than individually closing apps and often improves overall performance.
The speed you feel on your device depends less on religiously closing apps and more on how much storage you have free, how many apps you've installed, and how recent your device is. Closing apps is a useful tool for specific problems, not a daily maintenance habit most people need.
