Your Guide to Closing Open Apps on Any iPhone
Tech for Life & Work
BY 7. June 2025 0 comments

Your Guide to Closing Open Apps on Any iPhone

The Download

  • iPhone X and newer: Swipe up halfway and pause to reveal the App Switcher view. Then, swipe up on the app to close.
  • iPhone SE, 8, and earlier: Double-click Home button > swipe to find the app to quit > swipe up to close it.

This article explains how to close open apps on the iPhone. Instructions apply to all devices that have iOS 6 or newer.

How to Quit or Close Open Apps on iPhone X and Newer

The process of quitting apps on the iPhone X and newer models is a bit different from earlier iPhones (with a Home button). Here’s how to do it:

  1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause about halfway up the screen to reveal the multitasking view.

  2. Swipe the app you want to close up and off the top of the screen.

  3. Tap the wallpaper or swipe up from the bottom again to return to the Home screen.

How to Quit or Close Open Apps on iPhone 8 and 7

If you have the iPhone 8 or iPhone 7, quitting apps is super simple. Here’s what you need to know:

  1. To access the App Switcher feature, double-click the Home button.

    That action causes the apps to fall back a bit so that you can see the icons and screenshots of all the running apps.

  2. Slide the apps from side to side to find the one you want to quit.

  3. Swipe the app off the top edge of the screen to close it.

  4. When you’ve closed all the apps you want, click the Home button again to return to using your iPhone.

In iOS 7 and up, you can quit multiple apps at the same time. Just swipe up to three apps to the top of the screen at the same time. All the apps you swipe disappear.

How to Quit or Close Open Apps on iOS 6

To close apps on iPhone 6, the process is similar. However, if you updated the operating system beyond iOS 6, refer to the instructions above.

  1. Double-click the Home button to reveal a row of apps below the dock.

  2. Slide to the app you want to quit.

  3. Tap and hold the app until a red badge with a – (Minus Sign) appears. The apps wiggle like they do when you’re rearranging them.

  4. Tap the minus sign to close the app.

  5. Repeat the process for additional apps. Click the Home button when you finish closing apps.

How to Close Open Apps on Older iPhones

If you have an old version of the iOS that doesn’t include multitasking, hold down the Home button at the bottom center of the iPhone for about six seconds to quit the current app and return to the main Home screen.

If it doesn’t, you may need to restart your iPhone.

Holding down the Home button activates Siri on newer iOS versions.

Closing Apps Doesn’t Save Battery Life

There is a popular belief that quitting apps running in the background can save battery life even when the apps aren’t being used.

However, that has been proven to be incorrect and can even hurt the battery life.

FAQ

  • How do I hide apps on an iPhone?

    To hide apps on an iPhone, launch the App Store app and tap your profile picture. On the Account screen, tap Purchased to view the apps you’ve downloaded. Tap All; find the app you want to hide, swipe left, and then tap Hide.

  • How do I unhide apps on an iPhone?

    To unhide apps on an iPhone, swipe right to left on the Home screen to open the App Library. Tap the search bar to find the app you want to unhide and tap and hold it to add it to the Home screen. In iOS 18, go to the Hidden folder and authenticate with Face or Touch ID to restore hidden apps to the App Library.

  • How do I delete apps on an iPhone?

    To delete apps from your iPhone, find the app you want to delete and tap and hold the app icon. Tap Remove app. You can also tap and hold an empty space on the home screen until all icons start wiggling; tap the minus sign on the corner of the app icon and select Delete App.

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