How to close apps on iPhone 13 can be done more easily than you thought, but the bigger question is when you actually need to do it.
Seeing a long row of app cards in the App Switcher can make it feel like your phone is overloaded, but iOS usually manages those apps automatically. Still, if an app freezes, glitches, or stops responding, closing it manually can help.
This guide shows the quick swipe gesture and explains when closing apps is useful, and when it is better to leave them alone.
1. How to Close Apps on iPhone 13
All iPhone 13 models use the same App Switcher gesture. There is no Home button on any of these models, so everything is done with a swipe from the bottom of the screen.
Close a Single App
Follow these steps on how to close apps on iPhone 13:
- Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen and pause in the middle.
- When the App Switcher appears, lift your finger.
- Swipe left or right to find the app you want to close.
- Swipe up on the app’s preview to close it.
- Swipe up from the bottom or tap outside the app previews to leave the App Switcher.
Tip: If the App Switcher does not appear, begin the gesture at the bottom edge and pause when you reach the middle of the screen.
Close Multiple Apps Faster
You can perform how to close apps on iPhone 13 on several apps in a row without leaving the App Switcher.
Method 1: Swipe cards one after another
Stay in the App Switcher and swipe each app card upward in quick succession. There is no need to exit between each one.
Method 2: Use multiple fingers simultaneously
You may be able to swipe away more than one app card quickly, but Apple’s official method is to swipe up on each app preview. Do not worry about closing every card unless an app is frozen or not working correctly.
Note: There is no Close All button on iPhone 13. This is intentional because iOS manages apps automatically. Each app card must be swiped away individually or in small groups.
Can I Close All Apps at Once on iPhone 13?
No. iPhone 13 does not have a built-in Close All Apps button. You can only close apps from the App Switcher by swiping each app card upward individually or a few at a time using multiple fingers.
2. Close All Tabs in Safari
Closing Safari tabs is different from closing the Safari app. Tabs are webpages open inside Safari, while Safari itself appears as one app in the App Switcher.
To close the tabs in your current Tab Group:
- Open Safari.
- Tap the Tabs button. Depending on your Safari layout, you may need to tap the More button and then All Tabs.
- Touch and hold Done.
- Tap Close All [number] Tabs.
- Confirm the action if prompted.
This closes every tab in the current Tab Group. It does not close tabs stored in other Tab Groups or remove the Safari app.
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3. Should You Close Apps on iPhone 13?
Most people close apps, thinking it saves battery and speeds up their phone. Apple’s support guidance says there is typically no reason to quit an app, and quitting apps does not save battery power.
You do not need to close apps on the iPhone 13 regularly. iOS manages background apps automatically, and many apps are paused when you are not using them.
Force-closing an app can make your iPhone reload it from scratch the next time you open it, so it is not a useful daily battery-saving habit.
Here is a simple guide for when closing actually makes sense:
| Situation | What to Do |
| An app is frozen or not responding | Close it in the App Switcher, then reopen it |
| An app displays outdated or incorrect information | Refresh the content first; close and reopen the app if the problem continues |
| One app appears to use excessive battery | Check Settings > Battery, then review that app’s permissions, background activity, and usage |
| You only want to clear the App Switcher | Skip it because iOS manages apps automatically |
| The iPhone feels slow | Restart the iPhone and check storage, battery, temperature, and software updates instead of closing every app |
4. What Should You Do if the App Switcher Is Not Working?
If the App Switcher is not opening or an app card will not close, check the most common causes below.
| Issue | What It Means | Quick Fix |
| App Switcher does not open | The swipe began too high or did not pause in the middle | Start at the bottom edge, swipe upward, and pause in the middle |
| An app preview does not close | The upward swipe did not travel far enough | Swipe the app preview upward and off the screen |
| The app remains frozen after reopening | The app or its stored data may have a problem | Restart the iPhone, check for app and iOS updates, and reinstall the app if necessary |
| The entire iPhone is frozen or unresponsive | iOS is not responding to touch or normal controls | Press and quickly release Volume Up, press and quickly release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears |
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5. FAQ
Q1. How do I close running apps on my iPhone 13?
To close an app on iPhone 13, swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen and pause in the middle to open the App Switcher. Swipe left or right to find the app, then swipe up on its preview. Keep in mind that the App Switcher shows recently used apps, not necessarily apps that are actively running.
Q2. Does closing apps on iPhone 13 save battery life?
No. Closing apps on iPhone 13 is not a daily battery-saving trick. Apple says there is typically no reason to quit an app and that quitting apps does not save battery power. Only close an app if it is frozen, glitching, or not responding.
Q3. How do I close all open tabs on my iPhone 13?
In Safari, open the tab overview by tapping the Tabs button or More > All Tabs. Touch and hold Done, then tap Close All [number] Tabs. This closes the tabs in the current Tab Group only.
Final Words
Closing apps can feel like a quick way to clean up your iPhone, but it is not something you need to do all day.
Once you know how to close apps on iPhone 13, use the gesture mainly for frozen or misbehaving apps instead of clearing every card from the App Switcher.
For Safari, remember that tabs are handled separately, so closing browser tabs and closing the Safari app are two different things.
