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Leaving Apps Open

What are thoughts on leaving apps open for iPad and iPhone?


When you open an app and then go back to home, you can slide to the right from your home screen to see open existing apps; then you can slide up to close it.


Does having several apps open that you use everyday, have any affect on your battery? Does it take more battery to just slide to the right from home page and select the app or does it take more battery to close each of the apps with a double click on home button and then open them when you need it again ?

iPad Pro, iOS 9.3.2

Posted on Jun 4, 2016 10:22 AM

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Posted on Jun 4, 2016 10:43 AM

HI There toula21, I'm not sure about the battery usage leaving apps open can have, but I can tell you from Experince leaving to many apps open at once can lag your IPhone/IPad

28 replies

Jun 4, 2016 10:46 AM in response to toula21

Although I have not seen that as a recommendation from Apple, I do from time to time close the apps I have been working with. There are several stories around whether or not you should be doing that, and you can find those who support and those (like Craig Federighi) who don't.


Leave them open (one among many): http://www.macrumors.com/2016/03/10/force-quitting-apps-doesnt-help-battery/

Jun 4, 2016 10:35 AM in response to toula21

Force an app to close on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support


"When you double-click the Home button, your recently used apps appear. The apps aren’t open, but they're in standby mode to help you navigate and multitask. You should force an app to close only when it’s unresponsive."


Leave the apps in standby mode. You will go through more battery opening the apps again and again.

Jun 4, 2016 8:58 PM in response to toula21

When IOS 7 came out with the ability to double click the home button and force close an app by swiping it up it's been a common misperception that apps run in the background and need closing.. Click the home button and go to the next app and the app closes. Only apps like the Music apps can run in the background and they always should be forced closed.

Jun 4, 2016 11:13 PM in response to mabaeyens

Maybe you can't find any documentation from Apple about shutting down apps, but from personal experience with Apple Care, I can tell you that Apple does support shutting down apps not being used. I have very limited data available from my cell phone provider, and because I did not understand about an app remaining open and continuing to use data when I left the app, I went over my allowed amount. Although I was not continuing to use the app, it continued to run in the background according to Apple and this is what caused my data usage to be so high. My children have experienced the same thing. I also own the Apple TV, and I have experienced multiple screen freezes. Apple Care says I need to shut down all apps when they are not being used to avoid the freezing. So far sometimes it helps with the Apple TV, and sometimes not.

Jun 5, 2016 2:00 AM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan

Background app refresh is one thing, and the main issue to cause battery draining or data usage, having the app open in the background is another and, if properly configured (i.e.: not using GPS or location while open), should use minimum data and resources (still some, but minimum).


Swipe up the app is a force quit and for those familiar with UNIX/Linux, the equivalent of a "kill -9" and for those familiar with Windows, "End Task". Having the app in the background, however, has the app in sleep status (as said, except for when configured otherwise or for the nature of the app) using minimal requirements.


I have all my devices with Background App Refresh turned off in most cases, and when I do force quit is usually because I'm not patient enough to wait to the app for refresh or because indeed the app is dead.

Jun 5, 2016 4:08 AM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan

RebekkahRoseRyan wrote:


Maybe you can't find any documentation from Apple about shutting down apps, but from personal experience with Apple Care,

It's a great thing to tell people to do when there is a) really nothing wrong with their phone or b) you're not sure what else to do and you're buying time. Additionally, in the rare case there is an app that has gone rogue, it will do some good. However, as some form of daily maintenance, it's pointless.

Leaving Apps Open

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