It sounds like you're looking to get a handle on managing your iPad's open applications! It's a common question, and a very useful skill to master for optimizing your device's performance and battery life. Let's dive in and learn exactly how to close open apps on your iPad!
How to Close Open Apps on Your iPad: A Comprehensive Guide
Have you ever noticed your iPad feeling a little sluggish, or your battery draining faster than usual? Often, the culprit is a bunch of apps running in the background that you're no longer actively using. Closing these apps isn't just about tidying up; it's about optimizing your iPad's performance and extending its battery life.
Ready to take control of your open applications? Let's get started!
Step 1: Unveiling the App Switcher – Your Command Center
Our first step is to access the "App Switcher," which is essentially your iPad's control panel for all currently open applications. Don't worry, it's incredibly simple!
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For iPads with a Home Button (older models):
- Gently double-press the Home button. This is the physical circular button located below your screen. You don't need to press it hard; just a quick double-tap.
- You'll see a carousel of app previews appear, each representing an app that's currently open or recently used.
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For iPads without a Home Button (newer models with Face ID):
- From the bottom of your screen, swipe up and hold your finger in the middle of the screen for a moment. Don't lift your finger immediately, or you'll just go back to the Home screen.
- Similar to iPads with a Home button, you'll see a horizontal scrollable list of app previews.
Congratulations! You've just entered the App Switcher. Take a moment to scroll through and see all the apps your iPad is currently juggling. You might be surprised at how many are lurking there!
Step 2: Evicting the Unwanted Guests – Swiping Away Apps
Now that we're in the App Switcher, it's time to close those apps you no longer need running in the background. Think of it like politely asking an app to leave the party.
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Identifying Apps to Close:
- Scroll through the app previews. Each preview is a live snapshot of the app's current state.
- Look for apps you haven't used in a while, or apps that you know are resource-intensive (like games or video editing software).
- Pro Tip: You don't need to close every single app. iPadOS is designed to manage background processes efficiently. Only close apps that you won't be using again soon, or if you're experiencing performance issues.
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The "Swipe Up" Motion:
- Once you've identified an app you want to close, simply place your finger on its preview and swipe it upwards off the top of the screen.
- You'll see the app preview disappear with a smooth animation.
- Important Note: This doesn't delete the app from your iPad. It simply closes it from running in the background. The app icon will still be on your Home screen, ready for you to open it again when you need it.
Step 3: Understanding the "Why" – Benefits of Closing Apps
It's not just about knowing how to close apps, but understanding why it's a good practice. There are several key benefits to regularly managing your open applications.
Sub-heading A: Boosting Performance
- Freeing Up RAM: Every open app consumes a portion of your iPad's Random Access Memory (RAM). When too many apps are open, your iPad has less RAM available for the app you're currently using, leading to slower performance, lagging, and even app crashes. Closing unused apps frees up this vital resource.
- Preventing Background Processes: Some apps continue to perform tasks in the background even when you're not actively using them. This can include refreshing content, checking for updates, or even tracking your location. Closing these apps stops these background processes.
Sub-heading B: Extending Battery Life
- Reducing CPU Usage: Background activity from open apps directly translates to your iPad's Central Processing Unit (CPU) working harder. A harder-working CPU consumes more power, leading to faster battery drain.
- Minimizing Network Activity: Many apps constantly connect to the internet to fetch data or send notifications. This network activity uses significant battery power. Closing these apps reduces unnecessary data transfers.
Sub-heading C: Enhancing Privacy (in some cases)
- While closing an app doesn't prevent it from collecting data if you open it again, it can stop immediate background data collection and location tracking that might be occurring while the app is technically "open" in the App Switcher.
Step 4: When to Close Apps – Best Practices
Knowing when to close apps is just as important as knowing how. Here are some scenarios where closing apps is particularly beneficial:
- Before a Long Journey: If you're going to be away from a charger for a while, close all non-essential apps to maximize battery life.
- When Performance Dips: If your iPad feels sluggish, unresponsive, or an app keeps crashing, closing other open apps is often the first troubleshooting step.
- After Using Resource-Intensive Apps: Once you're done with a demanding app like a video editor, a graphically intense game, or a streaming service, it's a good idea to close it.
- Before Charging: While not strictly necessary, closing apps before charging can sometimes help your iPad charge slightly faster as there's less background activity consuming power.
Step 5: Troubleshooting & Common Misconceptions
Let's address some common questions and clear up a few myths about closing apps.
Sub-heading A: My App Won't Close!
- Occasionally, an app might freeze or become unresponsive and refuse to swipe away. In these rare cases, a force restart of your iPad is the best solution.
- For iPads with a Home Button: Press and hold the Home button and the Top (or Side) button simultaneously until you see the Apple logo.
- For iPads without a Home Button: Quickly press and release the Volume Up button, then quickly press and release the Volume Down button, then press and hold the Top button until
you see the Apple logo. - This will fully reset your iPad and close all open apps.
- For iPads with a Home Button: Press and hold the Home button and the Top (or Side) button simultaneously until you see the Apple logo.
Sub-heading B: "Force Quitting" vs. "Closing"
- You might hear the term "force quitting." When you swipe an app up from the App Switcher, you are essentially force quitting it. There's no separate "force quit" button on iPadOS like there might be on a desktop computer. The swipe-up gesture is the iPad's method for closing an app.
Sub-heading C: Is Closing Apps Bad for My iPad?
- No, quite the opposite! This is a common misconception. Some people believe that constantly closing and reopening apps is worse for battery life or wear and tear. While opening an app does consume some power, the consistent background activity of too many open apps is far more detrimental to battery life and performance. Regularly closing unused apps is a good maintenance practice.
Step 6: Making it a Habit – Regular Maintenance
The key to a well-performing iPad is consistent, albeit quick, maintenance.
- Quick Check-ins: Get into the habit of occasionally checking your App Switcher. A quick glance can tell you if there are any lingering apps that you don't need.
- Prioritize Resource Hogs: Learn which apps tend to use more resources. These are the ones you'll want to close more frequently. Games, video editors, and streaming apps are often the culprits.
- Educate Others: If you share your iPad, or if others use your device, show them how to close apps. It benefits everyone!
By following these steps, you'll be able to efficiently manage the apps on your iPad, leading to a smoother, faster, and longer-lasting user experience. You've now mastered a fundamental aspect of iPad maintenance!
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to check which apps are open on my iPad? You can check which apps are open by accessing the App Switcher: double-press the Home button (for older iPads) or swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold (for newer iPads).
How to close multiple apps at once on iPad? In the App Switcher, you can use two or even three fingers to swipe up multiple app previews simultaneously, closing them all at once.
How to prevent apps from running in the background on iPad? While you can't completely prevent apps from running in the background when they're "open" in the App Switcher, you can manage their background refresh permissions in Settings > General > Background App Refresh. However, closing them from the App Switcher is the most direct way to stop their immediate background activity.
How to know if an app is truly closed on iPad? Once you swipe an app's preview upwards and it disappears from the App Switcher, it is considered closed and is no longer running in the background.
How to make my iPad run faster by closing apps? By closing unused apps, you free up RAM and reduce CPU usage, which directly contributes to your iPad running faster and smoother.
How to improve iPad battery life by closing apps? Closing apps reduces background activity, network requests, and CPU usage, all of which contribute to significant improvements in your iPad's battery life.
How to force close a frozen app on iPad? If an app is frozen and won't swipe away, you'll need to perform a force restart of your iPad. (See Step 5, Sub-heading A for instructions based on your iPad model).
How to find apps that are draining my iPad battery? Go to Settings > Battery. Here you'll see a detailed breakdown of which apps have consumed the most battery life over the last 24 hours or 10 days.
How to stop apps from automatically opening on iPad? Apps don't "automatically open" on iPadOS unless you tap their icon or they are triggered by a notification. However, some apps are designed to refresh in the background, which can be managed via Background App Refresh settings.
How to restart my iPad to close all apps? To restart your iPad and close all open apps, press and hold the Power button (and a Volume button for newer iPads) until the "slide to power off" slider appears, then slide it to the right. Once off, press the Power button again to turn it back on. Alternatively, perform a force restart as described in Step 5, Sub-heading A.
