Free Guide to Closing Running Apps on Devices

Understanding Why Apps Run in the Background

Many people don't realize that apps continue running even after they close them on their phone or tablet. This happens because modern devices use something called "background processes." When you tap the home button or swipe an app away, the app doesn't fully stop—it stays in your device's memory, ready to restart quickly when you open it again.

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According to research from mobile analytics firms, the average smartphone user has between 60 to 100 apps installed, though most people actively use only 20 to 30 of them. Of those installed apps, studies show that approximately 40% continue consuming battery power and data even when not in active use. This happens because apps may be refreshing content, sending notifications, or checking for updates in the background.

Different types of apps behave differently. Social media apps like Facebook and Instagram often run background processes to fetch new posts and messages. Messaging apps continue listening for incoming texts. Fitness apps track your steps and location. Navigation apps may update maps. Email clients refresh your inbox. Even weather apps periodically check for new forecasts. Each of these background activities uses a small amount of battery power and data.

The reason devices allow this is performance. If your phone completely stopped every app and cleared its memory, reopening that app would take much longer. Your device would feel slower. By keeping apps in a "suspended" state, developers create the smooth experience people expect from modern phones and tablets.

Practical takeaway: Apps running in the background is normal behavior, not a malfunction. Understanding this helps you make informed decisions about which apps you want closed and when.

How to Close Running Apps on iPhone

iPhone users have several methods to close apps that are currently running. The most common approach uses the App Switcher, which shows all open apps on your device. To access it on newer iPhones (those with Face ID, made from 2017 onward), swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause briefly. On older iPhones with a home button, double-click the home button instead.

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Once the App Switcher appears, you'll see thumbnail images of your open apps displayed on the screen. To close an individual app, locate its thumbnail and swipe it upward. The app will disappear from the switcher and fully close. You can close multiple apps this way by swiping up on each one. Most users find they need to close only 5 to 10 apps at a time, since iPhone's operating system (iOS) manages background activity fairly efficiently.

Another method involves using iPhone Settings. Go to Settings, then General, then Background App Refresh. This screen lists your apps and shows which ones are allowed to refresh data in the background. You can toggle individual apps off to prevent them from running background processes. This approach prevents apps from running rather than closing ones already open.

There's also the force-close method for when an app becomes unresponsive. On newer iPhones, swipe up from the bottom and hold your finger on an app thumbnail until a menu appears, then select "Remove." On older models with home buttons, press and hold an app thumbnail in the switcher until an X appears, then tap it. Force-closing an app can sometimes solve problems when an app freezes or behaves unexpectedly.

Practical takeaway: iPhone users have multiple methods available depending on their device model and what they want to accomplish—from the App Switcher for regular closing to Settings for preventing background refresh.

How to Close Running Apps on Android

Android devices offer several approaches to close running apps, and methods vary slightly depending on your device manufacturer and which version of Android you're running. The most straightforward method uses the Recent Apps screen. Most Android devices let you access this by tapping the square or rectangular button at the bottom of the screen (the exact appearance varies by manufacturer). On some Samsung devices, this button shows three vertical lines instead of a square.

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When you tap the Recent Apps button, your screen shows a list or grid of apps you've used recently. To close an app, swipe it off the screen—typically upward or to the side, depending on your device. You can close multiple apps this way by swiping each one individually. Some users find it helpful to close apps after finishing with them, though Android's system manages memory reasonably well without manual intervention.

If you want to prevent apps from running in the background rather than closing ones already open, navigate to Settings, then Apps or Application Manager (the exact name varies by manufacturer). Find the app you want to manage and look for "Battery" or "Background Activity" options. Disabling background activity stops the app from using resources when you're not actively using it, which many users prefer to closing apps after each use.

For unresponsive apps on Android, access Settings, then Apps, find the problematic app, and select "Force Stop." This completely closes the app immediately. You might also clear the app's cache from this same menu—a process that removes temporary files the app stored without deleting your actual data or settings within that app.

Research from Android performance studies shows that properly managing background apps can extend battery life by 15 to 30 percent, depending on how many apps you have and what they do. However, modern Android versions handle background processes automatically quite well, so extensive manual closing isn't necessary.

Practical takeaway: Android provides both manual closing through Recent Apps and preventive management through Settings, with methods varying by manufacturer and Android version.

Understanding Battery and Data Impact

When apps run in the background, they consume two key resources: battery power and cellular or Wi-Fi data. The amount varies significantly depending on the app. Some apps use negligible resources—perhaps using 1-2% of your battery over several hours. Others, particularly those using GPS, video streaming, or constant data syncing, can drain 10-20% of battery in the same timeframe.

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Location-based apps represent one of the heaviest battery drains. Navigation apps like Google Maps, Waze, and Apple Maps continuously use GPS when running in the background. According to battery testing from tech research organizations, running a navigation app for one hour drains approximately 10-15% of a typical smartphone's battery. Fitness apps that track steps and workouts continuously consume similar amounts of power.

Social media and messaging apps typically use 2-5% of battery over several hours, though this varies based on how frequently they refresh content. Video streaming apps use virtually no battery when backgrounded—the battery drain comes from active viewing. However, some apps play audio in the background (music services, podcasts, audiobooks), which uses approximately 3-8% of battery per hour depending on screen brightness settings and other device activity.

Data consumption from background apps varies widely as well. An app checking for new messages or emails might use 1-5 MB per hour. Social media apps refreshing feeds could use 5-20 MB per hour. Video auto-play features can use hundreds of megabytes per hour if left unmanaged. For users with limited data plans (such as 5 GB per month), uncontrolled background app activity could represent 10-15% of their monthly allowance.

Closing apps or disabling background refresh can help manage both resources. Testing shows that users who actively manage background app activity report subjective improvements in device speed and responsiveness, though modern devices handle background processes well enough that most users won't notice dramatic differences from closing apps occasionally.

Practical takeaway: Different apps consume vastly different amounts of battery and data—location and streaming apps use the most resources, while text-based apps use considerably less. Managing background apps can help if you notice significant battery drain or high data usage.

When You Should and Shouldn't Close Apps

The question of whether to regularly close apps is more nuanced than it might seem. Modern smartphone operating systems—both iOS and Android—are specifically designed to manage background processes efficiently. Closing apps excessively can sometimes actually harm performance rather than help it. When you force-close an app that you plan to use again soon, your device must reload it from storage into memory, which takes processing power and can temporarily slow performance.

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You should consider closing apps in specific situations. If an app becomes unresponsive or freezes, force-closing and reopening it can solve the problem by clearing its memory state. If you notice rapid battery drain and identify a specific app using excessive resources, closing it or disabling its background activity makes sense. If you're concerned about privacy and want to ensure a particular app isn't tracking your location