Closing apps on your iPhone 14 might seem simple, but there are nuances to understand depending on what you're trying to achieve – freeing up RAM, saving battery, or simply tidying your app switcher. This guide will cover all the methods, explaining the differences and when to use each.
What Does Closing an App Actually Do?
Before we dive into the how, let's address the why. Many believe closing apps improves performance or battery life significantly. While this is partially true, iOS (the iPhone's operating system) is designed to manage background processes efficiently. Closing apps doesn't necessarily boost speed dramatically. iOS intelligently manages app activity, pausing apps when not in use and only using resources when needed. However, closing resource-intensive apps can free up some RAM and potentially improve battery life in the long run, particularly for apps that continuously run in the background (like location services or certain games).
Method 1: Using the App Switcher (The Most Common Method)
This is the standard way to close apps on your iPhone 14. It's quick and easy:
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause slightly in the middle. This will bring up the App Switcher, showing all your recently used apps as cards.
- Locate the app you want to close.
- Swipe up on the app's card and hold briefly. The app card will then slide off the top of the screen, indicating it's closed.
Repeat this process for each app you want to close.
Method 2: Force Quitting an App (For Unresponsive Apps)
Sometimes, an app might freeze or become unresponsive. Force quitting is a more forceful method to close the app:
- Follow steps 1 and 2 from Method 1 to open the App Switcher and find the frozen app.
- Instead of swiping up, press and hold on the app's card. This will bring up a small menu.
- Swipe up on the app's card again to force quit the app.
How Many Apps Should I Close?
There's no magic number. Closing a few resource-intensive apps might free up some RAM and improve performance. However, constantly closing every app isn't necessary and can even be counterproductive. iOS manages resources effectively, so only close apps if they're misbehaving or you need to free up significant space for another task.
Does Closing Apps Improve Battery Life?
Closing apps can marginally improve battery life, especially if they're using location services or background processes extensively. However, it's not a major factor. For significant battery improvements, focus on settings like screen brightness, background app refresh, and location services.
How to Manage Background App Refresh
Background App Refresh allows apps to update in the background, which can consume battery and data. You can manage this setting:
- Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
- You can turn off Background App Refresh entirely, or choose to allow it for specific apps.
This setting is separate from closing apps, but it helps control background activity and can significantly impact battery life.
Will Closing Apps Delete My Data?
No, closing apps will not delete your data or progress within those apps. Your work will be saved and will be available when you open the app again.
Conclusion
Knowing how to close apps on your iPhone 14 is useful, but understand that iOS is designed to manage app activity efficiently. Use the app switcher for routine closing, and force quit only when needed. Prioritize managing background app refresh and other battery-saving settings for a more significant impact on performance and battery life.
