I’m having trouble closing all apps on my iPhone to free up memory and improve performance. I’m not sure if there’s a quick way to do this or if it has to be done manually for each app. Can someone guide me on this?
Okay, so here’s the deal: closing all apps on an iPhone doesn’t actually ‘free up memory’ the way you think it does. iOS is designed to manage app usage and background activity efficiently without your interference. Forcing apps to close can even make things slower because the system has to reload everything when you open them again. The best performance hack? Stop trying to micromanage your phone like you’re its boss. Let it do its thing. If you’re still obsessed with shutting apps down one by one, swipe up from the bottom (or double-press the Home button if you’ve got one of those ancient models) and flick those cards away dramatically. But seriously—chill. Your iPhone’s smarter than you think.
Oh boy, here we go again with the ‘closing apps will speed up my phone’ myth. Look, iPhone’s iOS is like a magical, self-cleaning house—it tidies up memory and manages resources all by itself. You’re worrying about memory like it’s 2010 or something. Modern iPhones are designed to keep apps in a sort of “frozen state” in the background, so they’re not hogging resources. Unless an app is glitching or draining battery (which you can check under Settings > Battery), there’s really no need to shut them down.
But hey, if you’re determined to play app bouncer for the sake of peace of mind, sure, swipe up from the bottom of the screen or double-click the Home button (depending on your iPhone model) to access the App Switcher. Then flick up on each app card to close them, like swiping left on a bad Tinder match. Unfortunately, there’s no magical “close all” button—it’s manual labor all the way.
That said, I wouldn’t necessarily agree with @shizuka entirely. Sometimes, closing out apps can fix some performance hiccups, especially if there’s a buggy app making your phone feel more sluggish than a Monday morning. But unless you actually see something weird going on, like an app freezing, you’re better off letting the phone do its thing. Constantly meddling is kind of like trying to fix a clock that works perfectly fine—it’s just unnecessary drama for no reason.
TL;DR: You’re wasting your time, and your iPhone is too smart to let you micromanage it into working better. But hey, whatever makes you happy.
Alright, closing apps on your iPhone is one of those debates that pops up again and again, and while @ombrasilente and @shizuka pretty much nailed the core idea, let me throw in my two cents with a slightly different angle.
The Reality Check:
iOS is a beast when it comes to managing resources. Apple’s engineers didn’t spend years perfecting memory management just so we can swipe apps away like we’re clearing clutter off a desk. Keeping apps open (in their “frozen state”) actually helps the system perform better when you reopen them—not a myth, just facts. Constantly closing apps is like turning off your car at every red light. Sure, if it feels right to you, go for it, but it’s not saving you time or improving performance.
However, there are exceptions:
- Buggy apps? Yep, close 'em.
- Something feels super laggy or unresponsive? Sure, try closing apps.
- Battery feels like it’s draining faster than your Wi-Fi disconnected Netflix session? Go to Settings > Battery, see if an app is misbehaving, and shut it down if necessary.
Quick Method Rundown (No BS Version):
If swiping manually is your jam:
- iPhone X and later: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen, pause in the middle to open the App Switcher, then flick up each app.
- Older models with a Home button: Double-press the Home button to access the App Switcher, and flick away those apps with a satisfying motion.
Unfortunately, there’s no “close all” button. Sorry. But IF Apple ever drops that update, I’ll be the first to cheer with you. Meanwhile, enjoy the thumb workout.
Pros of Closing Apps (Rare Cases Only!):
- Fixes app freezes or glitches.
- Can stop a rogue app guzzling your battery.
- Tidy satisfaction (who doesn’t love a “clean slate”?).
Cons of Closing All Apps Regularly:
- Uses more battery, not less (reloading apps costs power).
- Slower app reopening times.
- It’s redundant—you’re micromanaging something that doesn’t need micromanagement.
Competitor Hot Takes:
@ombrasilente is spot-on about iOS being self-cleaning, and I appreciate their “stop micromanaging” stance—it’s refreshing. Meanwhile, @shizuka gets bonus points for breaking some steps down and acknowledging the occasional need to kick out a buggy app. That said, though I agree we’re past the 2010 memory tinkering days, I think it doesn’t hurt to educate users on why manual closing might not be as useful as it feels.
TL;DR:
Unless you’ve got a misbehaving app acting like it just rolled out of beta, let iOS do its thing. Swipe if it makes you happy, but don’t let it become your new phone ritual.