The fastest way to close an app on Apple TV

To close an app on Apple TV, swipe up on the Siri Remote while the app is open. This brings up the app switcher — a row of recently used apps at the top of the screen. Swipe up again or press the Menu button to return to the home screen. The app closes in the background.

If you want to force an app to close completely rather than just leaving it running, swipe up to open the app switcher, then swipe up on the app card you want to close. This removes it from memory entirely. Most of the time you do not need to do this — Apple TV manages apps automatically — but it can fix a frozen or misbehaving app.

On older Apple TV models with the aluminum remote (before the Siri Remote arrived in 2015), you swipe up on the trackpad instead of the remote itself. The action is the same: swipe up once to see running apps, swipe up again to close the app switcher.

Key Takeaways

  • Swipe up on the Siri Remote while an app is open to see your recently used apps and switch between them.
  • Swipe up a second time or press Menu to return to the home screen and leave the app running in the background.
  • Swipe up on an app card in the switcher to force-close it completely, which can fix a frozen app.
  • Apple TV automatically manages apps in the background, so you rarely need to manually close them.
  • Older Apple TV remotes use the trackpad instead of the top of the remote for the same swipe-up gesture.

Why you might want to close an app

Most of the time, you do not need to close apps on Apple TV. The system suspends apps you are not using and manages memory automatically, so leaving an app running does not drain the battery or slow down your TV the way it might on a phone.

You may want to force-close an app if it is frozen, not responding to remote commands, or behaving strangely. Closing and reopening the app often fixes these problems. You might also close an app if you want to sign out of it completely — closing the app does not sign you out, but it can help you start fresh if you are having login trouble.

The difference between closing and suspending an app

When you swipe up once and then press Menu, the app stays running in the background but is suspended — it is not using your TV's processor or much memory. You can return to it quickly by swiping down and tapping the app card.

When you swipe up on an app card in the switcher, you force-close it completely. The next time you open it, it starts fresh from the beginning. This takes a few extra seconds but can fix problems that suspending does not solve.

Apple TV keeps the last several apps you used in the switcher, so you can jump between them without going back to the home screen. If you swipe far enough to the left or right, you will see older apps you used earlier.

What happens when you close an app

Closing an app does not delete it from your Apple TV or remove it from your home screen. It simply stops the app from running. Your data, settings, and login information stay on your TV unless you specifically delete the app or sign out.

If an app was playing video or music when you closed it, that playback stops. The next time you open the app, it usually starts from where you left off, though this depends on how the app is designed.

How to delete an app instead of just closing it

Closing an app is different from deleting it. If you want to remove an app from your Apple TV entirely, go to the home screen, highlight the app icon, press and hold the Siri Remote's trackpad or touch surface, then select "Delete" from the menu that appears. This removes the app and frees up storage space.

You can reinstall a deleted app later by going to the App Store, searching for it, and downloading it again. Your Apple ID remembers which apps you have purchased, so you do not have to pay again.

Troubleshooting apps that will not close

If an app is completely frozen and swiping up does not work, try pressing the Menu button repeatedly to return to the home screen. If that does not work, unplug your Apple TV from power for 30 seconds, then plug it back in. This forces a restart and closes all running apps.

If a particular app keeps freezing, try deleting it and reinstalling it fresh from the App Store. Sometimes a corrupted app file causes problems that closing and reopening cannot fix. Before you delete it, check the App Store to see if an update is available — updating the app is often faster than deleting and reinstalling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to close apps on Apple TV before turning it off?

No. When you turn off your Apple TV, all running apps close automatically. You can leave apps open and simply turn off the TV without any problems. The next time you turn it on, your most recently used apps will be in the switcher.

Will closing an app delete my saved progress or login information?

Closing an app does not delete your data or sign you out. Your progress, settings, and login information remain on your TV. If you want to sign out of an app, you usually need to do that through the app's settings menu, not by closing it.

What is the difference between the Menu button and swiping up?

Swiping up opens the app switcher so you can see and switch between recently used apps. Pressing Menu takes you back to the home screen. Both actions leave the app running in the background unless you swipe up on the app card itself to force-close it.

Can I close multiple apps at once?

No, you can only force-close one app at a time by swiping up on its card in the switcher. If you want to close all running apps, restart your Apple TV by unplugging it for 30 seconds and plugging it back in.