Should You Close Background Apps On iPhone And iPad? (Myth Vs. Fact)

Many iPhone and iPad users have a habit of swiping up to close the apps they are not using, thinking that this will free up memory, improve performance, and save battery life. However, this is a myth that has been debunked by experts and even by Apple itself. 

In fact, constantly closing background apps can have the opposite effect and actually harm your device. In this article, we will explain why you shouldn’t close background apps on your iPhone and iPad, and when you should do it.

Why You Shouldn’t Constantly Close Apps on Your iPhone?

There are several reasons why closing background apps on your iPhone is unnecessary and counterproductive:

1. Apps Don’t Run in The Background

Unlike some Android devices, iOS does not allow apps to run in the background indefinitely. Instead, it uses a system called Background App Refresh, which lets apps perform certain tasks in the background, such as updating content, syncing data, or playing audio. 

However, this feature is strictly controlled by iOS, and it only allows apps to run for a short period of time, and only when they have something important to do. You can also disable Background App Refresh for individual apps or for the whole system in Settings > General > Background App Refresh. Therefore, closing apps does not stop them from running in the background, because they are not running in the first place.

2. Your iPhone Manages RAM on its Own

RAM stands for Random Access Memory, and it is the temporary storage that your device uses to run apps and processes. The more RAM you have, the more apps you can run at the same time. However, RAM is also a limited resource, and it can get filled up quickly. 

That’s why iOS has a smart way of managing RAM, by automatically freezing the apps that you are not using, and unfreezing them when you return to them. This way, the frozen apps do not consume any RAM, but they are still ready to resume where you left off. When you close an app, you are actually removing it from RAM, and forcing iOS to reload it from scratch when you open it again. This leads us to the next point.

3. Closing Apps Forces them to Reload

When you close an app, you are not only removing it from RAM but also from the app switcher, which is the screen that shows you all the apps that you have recently used. The app switcher is not a list of running apps, but a list of frozen apps that are ready to resume. When you swipe up to close an app, you are telling iOS that you don’t want to use that app anymore, and that it should be removed from the app switcher and from RAM. This means that the next time you want to use that app, iOS will have to load it from the beginning, which will take longer and consume more battery than resuming a frozen app. This is especially true for apps that require an internet connection, such as social media, email, or streaming apps, because they will have to reconnect and fetch new data every time you open them.

4. Closing Apps Makes the App Switcher Less Useful

The app switcher is a convenient way to switch between the apps that you use frequently, without having to go back to the home screen and search for them. However, if you constantly close the apps that you use, you will end up with an empty app switcher, or with apps that you don’t use often. This will make the app switcher less useful, and you will have to rely more on the home screen, which can be slower and less intuitive. Moreover, closing apps can also interfere with some features that rely on the app switcher, such as Handoff, which lets you continue what you are doing on another Apple device, or Split View, which lets you use two apps side by side on the iPad.

Apple Says it’s Unnecessary

If you are still not convinced that closing background apps is a bad idea, you can take Apple’s word for it. The company has repeatedly stated that closing background apps is unnecessary and can hurt your device. For example, in 2016, Apple’s software chief Craig Federighi confirmed in an email that closing background apps does not improve battery life. 

In 2017, Apple published a support document that explained how iOS manages RAM and background apps, and stated that “you should force an app to close only if it’s unresponsive”. 

In 2019, Apple updated its Human Interface Guidelines, which are the rules that app developers have to follow, and stated that “people don’t need to close an app unless it’s unresponsive”.

When You Should Actually Close iPhone Apps?

As we have seen, closing background apps on your iPhone is generally a bad idea, and you should let iOS manage them for you. However, there are some rare cases when you should close an app manually:

Only If It’s Unresponsive

Sometimes, an app can become unresponsive, meaning that it does not respond to your touch, it shows a blank screen, or it crashes. This can happen due to a bug, a network issue, or a compatibility problem. In this case, you should close the app and reopen it, to see if it works properly. To close an unresponsive app, you can either swipe up from the app switcher or double-tap the home button (or swipe up from the bottom edge on devices without a home button) and swipe up on the app.

Misbehaving

Sometimes, an app can behave in a way that is not intended, such as showing incorrect data, playing unwanted sounds, or sending too many notifications. This can also happen due to a bug, a network issue, or a compatibility problem. In this case, you should close the app and reopen it, to see if it fixes the issue. You can also try to update the app or contact the developer for support.

Using Too Much Energy

Sometimes, an app can use too much energy, meaning that it drains your battery faster than normal. This can happen due to a bug, a network issue, or a compatibility problem. In this case, you should close the app and reopen it, to see if it reduces the energy consumption. You can also try to update the app or contact the developer for support. You can check which apps are using the most energy by going to Settings > Battery > Battery Usage.

Debunking Common Beliefs

Now that we have explained why and when you should close background apps on your iPhone, let’s debunk some common beliefs that people have about this topic:

The Belief: Closing background apps improves performance and saves battery life.

The Reality: Force closing apps can hurt your performance and battery life because it forces iOS to reload the apps from scratch, which takes longer and consumes more energy than resuming frozen apps. iOS is designed to manage RAM and background apps on its own, and it does a better job than you can do manually. The only time you should close an app is if it is unresponsive, misbehaving, or using too much energy.

The Belief: You should close all the apps before you charge your device, or before you go to sleep, or before you travel, or before you do anything else.

The Reality: You don’t need to close any apps before you do anything, because closing apps does not make any difference. iOS will automatically freeze the apps that you are not using, and it will prioritize the apps that you are using. Closing apps will not make your device charge faster, last longer, or perform better. It will only make your device work harder, and waste your time and battery.