Stop Closing Every iPhone App to “Save Battery”

If you regularly open the iPhone App Switcher and swipe away every application because you think they are all running in the background, you can stop treating that as routine maintenance.

Apple says recently used apps only consume resources and power when they are active or performing specific background tasks or services. Suspended apps are not actively in use.

In other words, seeing an app in the App Switcher does not mean it is continuously running at full speed.

What happens when you leave an app?

After switching away, an app may continue running briefly before iOS puts it into a suspended state.

Some apps can also use Background App Refresh to check for new content.

You can control that at Settings > General > Background App Refresh.

Apple lets you turn Background App Refresh off or choose whether it can operate over Wi-Fi or over Wi-Fi and cellular data.

When should you force an app closed?

Closing an app makes sense when the app itself has stopped responding or is behaving incorrectly.

It is not necessary simply because you finished using it.

Apple specifically notes that closing all apps does not improve the iPhone's overall performance or battery life.

There is another reason not to make force-closing automatic: Apple says an app you quit from the App Switcher might not be able to run or check for new content again until you reopen it.

What if battery life really is poor?

Treat rapid battery drain as a separate problem instead of assuming every visible app is responsible.

Check the iPhone's battery information, consider which applications are actually consuming energy, and review unnecessary background activity. Also remember that poor cellular reception, navigation, video, screen brightness, battery age, and other factors can affect runtime.

The App Switcher is primarily a convenient way to move between recently used apps—not a list of processes that must be cleaned out.

Sources and Further Reading

Apple Support: Switch apps on your iPhone or iPad and use Background App Refresh — https://support.apple.com/en-la/118408