The two ways to close an app, and why it matters
Closing an app on iPad means removing it from your device's active memory so it stops running in the background. There are two different things people mean by "closing": swiping an app away from the multitasking view (which most people do), and uninstalling it entirely (which deletes it from your iPad). This guide covers both, because the method you need depends on what you're trying to accomplish.
Most of the time, you only need to swipe an app away. This stops it from using battery, data, or processing power. You don't need to do this regularly — iPad manages background apps well on its own — but it's useful when an app is frozen, draining battery unusually fast, or you simply want it out of your recent apps list.
If you want to remove an app permanently, you'll uninstall it instead. That's a different process and actually deletes the app from your iPad.
Key Takeaways
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen or use the app switcher to see all open apps, then swipe up on the app you want to close.
- On iPad models with a home button, double-press the home button to open the app switcher instead of swiping from the bottom.
- Closing an app this way stops it from running but doesn't delete it — you can open it again anytime from your home screen.
- If you want to permanently remove an app, press and hold its icon on the home screen and choose "Remove App," then confirm the deletion.
- You don't need to close apps regularly; iPad handles background processes automatically and closing apps won't significantly improve performance in most cases.
How to close an app using the app switcher on newer iPads
On iPad models without a home button (iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch from 2018 onward, iPad Air 4 and later, iPad 7th generation and later), swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause briefly. This opens the app switcher, which shows all your currently open apps as cards.
Once the app switcher is open, find the app you want to close. Swipe up on that app's card — the motion is the same as swiping up to close it. The app will disappear from the switcher and stop running. You can close multiple apps this way by swiping up on each one.
If you want to see the app switcher without closing anything, swipe up from the bottom and hold your finger there for a moment, then release. This shows you what's running without forcing you to close anything immediately.
How to close an app on iPad models with a home button
If your iPad has a physical home button (iPad Air 2 or earlier, iPad mini 4 or earlier, iPad 5th generation or earlier), double-press the home button instead of swiping. This opens the app switcher and shows your open apps as cards across the screen.
Find the app you want to close and swipe up on its card. The app will close and disappear from the switcher. You can close multiple apps by swiping up on each one in turn.
After you're done closing apps, press the home button once to return to your home screen.
How to permanently remove an app from your iPad
Closing an app temporarily is different from uninstalling it. If you want to delete an app entirely so it no longer takes up storage space, press and hold its icon on the home screen. A menu will appear with several options.
Tap "Remove App" from this menu. A confirmation screen will ask whether you want to remove the app from the home screen only or delete it entirely. Choose "Delete App" to remove it completely from your iPad. Confirm again when prompted. The app and all its data will be deleted.
If you change your mind later, you can reinstall the app from the App Store. Your purchase history is saved, so you won't be charged again for paid apps.
When closing apps actually helps (and when it doesn't)
Modern iPads are designed to manage background apps efficiently. Closing apps won't noticeably speed up your iPad in everyday use, and you don't need to close apps regularly to keep your device running well. iPad automatically suspends apps you're not using and closes them when it needs memory for something else.
There are specific situations where closing an app is genuinely useful. If an app is frozen or not responding, closing it and reopening it often fixes the problem. If you notice an app is draining your battery unusually fast, closing it can help you identify the culprit. If an app is behaving strangely — showing old data, not loading properly, or crashing repeatedly — closing and reopening it sometimes resolves the issue.
You might also close an app simply because you want a cleaner app switcher, or because you're done using it and don't want it taking up memory. Neither of these is necessary for iPad performance, but both are perfectly fine reasons to close an app if you prefer to.
The difference between closing and force-closing an app
Normally, when you swipe an app away, it closes gracefully — the app gets a moment to save any unsaved work and shut down properly. This is the standard way to close an app and it's what you should do most of the time.
Force-closing is different. It means shutting down an app immediately without letting it save or clean up. On iPad, you force-close an app by holding down the power button and volume button together until the power-off slider appears, then releasing. This forces your entire iPad to restart, not just one app.
Because force-closing restarts your whole device, it's a last resort. Use it only if your iPad is completely frozen and won't respond to anything else. For a single frozen app, just swipe it away normally — that's usually enough to fix the problem.
Checking which apps are currently running
You can see which apps are currently open by opening the app switcher. On newer iPads, swipe up from the bottom and pause. On iPads with a home button, double-press the home button. The cards you see are the apps currently in memory.
The app switcher shows apps in the order you used them most recently. The app you were just using appears first, followed by others in reverse order of use. This is useful for quickly jumping between apps you're actively working with.
If you want to switch to a different app without closing the current one, just tap its card in the switcher. The app will come to the front and the previous app will move to the background.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will closing apps make my iPad faster?
Not noticeably. iPad manages background apps automatically, and closing apps won't improve everyday performance. Close an app if it's frozen, draining battery, or behaving oddly — but you don't need to close apps regularly for speed.
Do I lose my work if I close an app?
Most apps save your work automatically as you type or make changes. However, if you close an app without saving, you may lose unsaved changes. When in doubt, look for a save button or menu option before closing.
Can I close multiple apps at once?
No, you have to swipe up on each app individually in the app switcher. There's no way to close all open apps at the same time, but you can close several in quick succession by swiping up on each card.
What happens to an app after I close it?
The app stops running and is removed from memory. It stays on your home screen and you can open it again anytime. Closing an app doesn't delete it or erase any of your data within that app.
Is there a difference between closing an app and putting my iPad to sleep?
Yes. Putting your iPad to sleep (by pressing the power button) turns off the screen but leaves all apps running in the background. Closing an app stops that specific app from running. You can do both — close apps and then put your iPad to sleep.