Free Guide to Closing Background Apps on Devices

Understanding Background Apps and Why They Matter

Background apps are programs running on your device that you cannot see on your screen but continue to work in the background. These applications consume battery power, use your device's memory, and can slow down performance even when you are not actively using them. Understanding how background apps function is the first step toward managing them effectively.

When you open an app and then switch to another application, the first app may continue running behind the scenes. This happens because modern apps are designed to stay active so they can send notifications, refresh content, or sync data. For example, a weather app might update forecast information every hour, or a social media app might check for new messages. While these features can be useful, they also drain resources from your device.

Research from device manufacturers shows that background activity accounts for a significant portion of battery drain on smartphones and tablets. Some studies indicate that background apps can reduce battery life by 15 to 30 percent depending on how many apps are running and what they are doing. On computers, background apps can consume RAM and processing power, making other tasks run slower.

Different types of devices handle background apps differently. Smartphones and tablets have become more aggressive about managing background activity in recent years. Operating systems like iOS and Android now include features designed to limit background app activity automatically. Computers such as Windows and Mac systems also manage background processes, though users typically have more direct control over them.

Not all background activity is harmful or unnecessary. Some apps need to run in the background to function properly. For instance, messaging apps need background access to receive incoming messages, music apps need it to continue playing when you switch screens, and location services need it to work. The goal is not to close all background apps but to close the ones that are not providing value and are wasting resources.

Practical Takeaway: Before closing background apps, identify which ones actually need to run in the background for their main function and which ones are simply consuming resources without benefit.

How to Close Background Apps on iPhones and iPads

Apple's iOS operating system manages background apps through a feature called App Switcher. This tool shows all apps that have been recently used and allows users to remove them from background operation. On modern iPhones and iPads, accessing the App Switcher is straightforward and can be done in seconds.

To access the App Switcher on newer iPhones with Face ID, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause briefly. On older iPhones with a home button, double-tap the home button. This action displays all open apps in a card view. Each app appears as a window that you can swipe through. To close an app from the background, swipe upward on its card. When you swipe up, the app closes and stops running in the background.

iPads use a similar process. On newer iPads with Face ID or gesture navigation, swipe up from the bottom and pause. On older iPads with a home button, double-tap the home button. The App Switcher then displays your open apps in a similar card format. Swipe up on any app card to close that app in the background.

Beyond manually closing apps, iOS includes features that automatically manage background app activity. The "Background App Refresh" setting controls which apps can refresh their content while running in the background. Users can turn off background refresh for specific apps by going to Settings, selecting General, and choosing Background App Refresh. This setting helps conserve battery while still allowing critical apps like messaging to function.

It is important to understand that closing apps from the App Switcher on iOS does not prevent them from opening later or delete them from your device. It simply stops them from running in the background at that moment. The app remains installed and can be opened again whenever you need it. This distinction matters because some users worry that closing apps will cause data loss, which is not the case.

Practical Takeaway: Regularly close apps you are done using by swiping them away in the App Switcher, and consider disabling Background App Refresh for apps that do not need to update constantly.

Closing Background Apps on Android Devices

Android devices offer multiple methods for closing background apps, giving users more direct control than iOS. Because Android is used by many different manufacturers including Samsung, Google, and others, the exact steps may vary slightly between devices. However, the general principles and locations of these settings are similar across most Android phones and tablets.

The most straightforward way to close background apps on Android is through the Recent Apps screen. Swipe up from the bottom of your screen or tap the Recent Apps button (the square icon in the navigation bar) to see all recently used apps. Each app appears in its own card. To close an app, swipe it away from the screen. You can close multiple apps by swiping several cards away one at a time.

Android also includes an option called "Force Stop" for apps that are misbehaving or consuming too many resources. To use Force Stop, open Settings, navigate to Apps or Application Manager, and select the specific app you want to close. Tap "Force Stop" and confirm your choice. This action immediately terminates the app's background processes. However, use Force Stop only when needed, as it can sometimes cause problems if used on apps that need background access to function properly.

The Battery Saver or Power Saving mode available on most Android devices automatically closes or restricts background apps when battery becomes low. Turning on this mode can extend battery life by several hours by limiting background activity across all apps. You can access these settings by going to Settings, selecting Battery, and choosing Power Saving Mode or similar options depending on your device.

Android's Developer Options menu includes advanced settings for managing background processes. To access Developer Options, go to Settings, select About Phone, and tap the Build Number seven times. This reveals the Developer Options menu where you can set limits on background processes. These settings are more technical and should only be adjusted by users comfortable with advanced features.

Practical Takeaway: Close unused apps regularly using the Recent Apps screen, enable Power Saving mode when battery is low, and reserve Force Stop for apps that are clearly misbehaving.

Managing Background Apps on Windows Computers

Windows computers allow more detailed control over background processes than mobile devices. Windows 10 and Windows 11 include built-in tools that show exactly which apps are running in the background and how much system resources they are using. Users can then decide which apps to close based on actual resource consumption.

The Task Manager is the primary tool for managing background apps on Windows. To open Task Manager, right-click on the taskbar at the bottom of your screen and select "Task Manager," or press Ctrl+Shift+Esc on your keyboard. The Processes tab displays all currently running programs and apps. Look for apps using significant CPU or memory resources (the percentages in the CPU and Memory columns). To close an app, select it and click "End Task" at the bottom of the window.

Windows 11 includes a dedicated Settings option for controlling which apps can run in the background. Go to Settings, select Apps, and then choose Permissions. Under "App permissions," you will find "Background apps" as an option. Click on it to see all apps with background access. Toggle off the switch for any app you do not want running in the background. This prevents those apps from using resources when you are not actively using them.

The Startup tab in Task Manager shows which apps automatically launch when you turn on your computer. Some of these apps then run in the background. To prevent an app from starting up automatically, right-click it in the Startup tab and select "Disable." This reduces the number of background processes running when your computer first boots and can significantly improve startup speed.

Services are another type of background process on Windows computers. These typically run programs associated with your operating system or specific software. The Services tab in Task Manager displays these, but most users should not modify these settings unless they have specific technical knowledge, as disabling necessary services can cause problems.

Practical Takeaway: Use Task Manager to identify resource-heavy background apps, disable background access for unneeded apps in Settings, and remove unnecessary programs from Startup to improve performance.

Managing Background Apps on Mac Computers

Mac computers handle background apps through Activity Monitor and System Preferences settings. Understanding how to use these tools helps Mac users optimize their device's performance by closing unnecessary background processes. Macs generally have fewer background processes than Windows computers by default, but managing them can still improve speed and battery life on MacBooks.