With the limited battery life of smartphones, iPhone users often wonder if it’s better to close apps when not using them or just leave them running in the background. There are good arguments on both sides of this debate, so let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of closing apps versus leaving them open on an iPhone.
Quick Answer
The quick answer is that it is generally not necessary to actively close apps on an iPhone. iOS is designed to efficiently manage resources and battery life, suspending apps in the background when not in use. Force closing apps can actually be detrimental, requiring the app to fully reload next time it’s launched.
Should You Close Apps to Save Battery Life?
One of the most common reasons people close apps is to try to save battery life. The thinking is that having many apps running in the background must drain the battery faster. However, this is a misconception of how iOS handles app resources.
When you leave an app and go to the Home screen, the app is not fully closed. Instead, iOS puts the app into a suspended or frozen state so it doesn’t take up system resources but can be instantly resumed when opened again. This suspended state uses minimal battery life compared to when the app is actively in use.
In fact, closing iOS apps can actually reduce battery life in some cases. When you fully force quit an app, it has to reload completely when launched again, using more battery than resuming from suspension. The app may also use resources to re-cache data and reminders can be delayed or missed without the app running in the background.
Exceptions
There are a few exceptions where force closing an app may improve battery life:
- Buggy apps with known memory leak or battery drain issues.
- Apps freezing or crashing frequently.
- Apps continuing heavy background activity when not needed.
In these cases, force closing the offending apps can provide battery savings. But in general, the iOS system already does a good job managing resources, so you don’t need to micromanage app state.
Does Closing Apps Improve Performance?
Another common belief is that closing apps will speed up your iPhone by freeing up RAM and processing power for other tasks. Again, this misunderstands iOS multitasking.
Suspended apps take up a trivial amount of RAM. iOS is aggressively proactive about suspending, freezing, and even terminating apps in the background when low on memory. The small amount of RAM used by suspended apps has minimal impact on performance.
In fact, closing apps can actually reduce performance in some cases. As mentioned above, a closed app needs to fully restart next time it’s opened rather than quickly resume. This restart process consumes computing resources and drains more battery.
When Performance May Improve
There are a few scenarios where closing apps could potentially improve iPhone performance:
- Apps continuing heavy CPU or network activity in the background.
- Buggy apps hogging resources with memory leaks.
- Preparing for demanding tasks like gaming or video editing.
In these limited cases, closing some apps may help performance somewhat. But in most day-to-day iPhone use, keeping apps open or closed makes little difference to speed or responsiveness.
Closing Apps and Multitasking
Another point to consider is that closing apps stops useful background activities like downloading files, getting notifications, auto-updating content, and location-based functions.
Having to constantly restart apps whenever you need them can make multitasking on your iPhone more cumbersome. Letting apps stay open makes features like Getting Things Done workflows more seamless. Everything resumes instantly right where you left off.
When Should You Close Apps?
Here are some of the main situations where it makes sense to close apps on an iPhone:
- Before updating apps – Close apps to allow the update process full access.
- App bugs or glitches – Force close any apps with performance/battery issues.
- Rebooting device – Close all apps before powering your iPhone off and on again.
- Change of scenario – Quit apps between very different contexts, like work and personal.
However, the general rule of thumb is to just let iOS manage app state unless you have a specific reason. You can comfortably leave apps open most of the time.
How to Close Apps on iPhone
If you do need to force quit an app, here is how to close apps on an iPhone running iOS 13 or later:
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to bring up the App Switcher view.
- Swipe left and right to find the app you want to close.
- Swipe up on the app preview to close the app.
Repeat this process for any other apps you want to close. All done!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does closing apps save battery life?
No, closing iOS apps does not inherently save battery life. When suspending apps, iOS already freezes them into a low-power state. Force closing apps can even drain battery faster when they have to fully reload next time.
Should I close all apps before turning off my iPhone?
No, there is no need to close apps before powering your iPhone off and on again. iOS will automatically close all apps safely during the shutdown process.
How many apps should I keep open at once?
There is no fixed limit for how many apps you can keep open. iOS is designed to efficiently suspend and resume apps as needed. Just use your iPhone naturally without worrying about the number of apps open.
Does closing apps speed up my iPhone?
Generally no, closing iOS apps does not speed up your iPhone’s performance. Suspended apps take up negligible RAM and CPU. Restarting closed apps can even temporarily slow down your iPhone in some cases.
Should I close apps to resolve crashes?
Yes, force closing any apps that are freezing, crashing, or otherwise glitching can help resolve those issues. Reset app state to eliminate any corrupted data.
Key Takeaways
- iOS suspends apps intelligently, so force closing is rarely needed.
- Closing apps does not inherently improve battery or speed.
- Let iOS handle app state unless troubleshooting issues.
- Restart misbehaving apps to reset app data.
- Always close apps before rebooting or updating your iPhone.
Conclusion
Contrary to common belief, actively closing iOS apps is generally unnecessary and can even be detrimental in some cases. iOS does an excellent job freezing and suspending apps when not in use. Letting apps remain open provides the best performance and battery life in most situations.
The exceptions are apps that are clearly glitching, draining resources, or otherwise malfunctioning. Force quit these trouble apps and restart to reset their state. But avoid making a habit of constantly closing all apps – you can comfortably leave most apps open and let iOS manage things efficiently in the background.