How to Close Apps on iPhone 13: Your Simple Guide

Quick and Easy Way to Close Apps on Your iPhone 13

App Switcher, showing all your background apps. Think of it as peeking into different rooms—each one with an app patiently waiting to be closed or reopened.

Closing Apps Properly

To start, place your finger at the bottom edge of the screen and swipe upwards quickly. You’ll see a carousel of your open apps—much easier than scrolling through a long list. If you pause your swipe for a moment before lifting, you might trigger the App Switcher again—strange but true. For iPhones with Face ID, like the iPhone 13, this is the way to do it.

Once the App Switcher appears, swipe left or right to find the app you want to close. Each app shows a preview, like flipping through magazine pages. If you prefer, you can customise gestures in Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch.

To close an app, simply swipe it upward off the screen. It’s like shutting a book after reading it—no more background activity, and your iPhone can breathe a little easier. This is especially useful if an app’s misbehaving or draining your battery.

Why Bother Closing Apps?

Some users swear their iPhone 13 feels snappier after closing background apps. Apps running in the background can hog RAM and processor power, making the device sluggish. Closing them—especially after multitasking—can help keep things running smoothly. But Apple’s iOS is pretty clever at handling background processes on its own, so closing apps isn’t always necessary. Save it for those that are acting up or draining your battery fast.

Tips for Managing Open Apps

It’s generally best to close apps you haven’t used in a while or don’t need right now. This can free up memory and might help your battery last longer. For more control, head to Settings > General > Background App Refresh to pick which apps can run in the background. But don’t make a habit of closing everything all the time—iOS handles most of this stuff seamlessly on its own. Remember to keep your apps up to date via the App Store—just tap your profile icon and select Update All. If your phone feels sluggish, sometimes a quick restart works better than closing apps one by one.

Common Questions About Apps and Performance

Why close apps on the iPhone 13?

It can make your phone feel quicker or help save battery. Some background apps keep running and may impact performance or drain power. Closing them can sometimes help things run smoother.

Does closing apps really save battery?

Often, yes. Some apps can consume resources even when not in use, but iOS manages background activity pretty well. So, only close those that are definitely draining your battery excessively.

How can I see which apps are open?

Swipe up from the bottom to access the App Switcher, giving you a clear view of what’s running and allowing you to close anything you don’t need.

Is it bad to close apps often?

Not exactly “bad”, but usually unnecessary. iOS is designed to handle background tasks efficiently. Constantly closing apps might even use more battery, as the system has to reload them each time you open.

Can I close all apps at once?

Not at the moment. You’ll need to swipe up on each app individually. Slightly tedious, but that’s how it works.

Summary: How to Close Apps on Your iPhone 13

1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the App Switcher. If you’re using gestures, this also works by double-tapping the Side Button.
2. Scroll through the carousel to find the app you want to close.
3. Swipe up on that app’s preview to close it. Easy as that.