Does Closing Background Apps Save Battery On Iphone Or Make It Worse

Many iPhone users believe that swiping away apps from the app switcher helps conserve battery life. It feels intuitive—fewer open apps must mean less strain on the system, right? But in reality, iOS handles background processes very differently than most people assume. Understanding how Apple’s operating system manages memory and power can help you avoid counterproductive habits and focus on real battery-saving strategies.

The truth is, force-closing apps regularly doesn’t extend your iPhone’s battery life—and in some cases, it may even reduce efficiency. This article breaks down the mechanics behind iOS multitasking, explains why killing apps isn’t helpful, and provides science-backed tips to genuinely improve battery performance.

How iOS Manages Background Apps

Unlike desktop operating systems or some versions of Android, iOS uses a sophisticated model for handling background apps. When you press the Home button or swipe up to return to the home screen, the app doesn’t continue running in full capacity. Instead, it goes through a series of suspended states designed to minimize resource usage while preserving user experience.

Here’s how it works:

1. Active: The app is currently in use and drawing full system resources.
2. Inactive: The app is still visible but not receiving events (e.g., during a phone call).
3. Background: For a brief time, the app may run limited tasks like finishing downloads or location updates.
4. Suspended: Most apps enter this state quickly. They remain in memory but consume no CPU or energy. Think of it like pausing a movie—it's ready to resume instantly without restarting.

When an app is suspended, it’s essentially frozen. It uses a small amount of RAM but draws negligible battery power. Only when you reopen it does iOS reactivate it, usually faster than launching from scratch because it resumes where you left off.

“iOS is designed to manage app states efficiently. Force-quitting apps disrupts this flow and often leads to more battery usage due to reload overhead.” — Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, Apple Inc.

Tip: Let iOS handle app management. Swiping away apps repeatedly increases CPU load and shortens battery life over time.

Why Closing Apps Uses More Battery

Every time you close an app and then reopen it, the iPhone has to reload it entirely from storage. This process involves:

• Loading code into memory
• Re-establishing network connections
• Refreshing data (like social media feeds or email)
• Rendering the interface again

All of these actions require CPU cycles, network activity, and screen rendering—all of which consume significantly more power than simply resuming a suspended app.

Consider a real-world example: You check your weather app, get distracted by a text, and later swipe the weather app away “to save battery.” When you reopen it, instead of instantly showing the cached forecast, it now fetches new data, refreshes animations, and reconnects to GPS if needed. That extra work drains more battery than leaving it suspended ever would.

The Myth of “RAM Hogs”

A common misconception is that having many apps in the switcher consumes RAM and slows down the phone. In reality, iOS dynamically manages memory. If a new app needs more RAM, the system automatically removes suspended apps from memory—without any action from you.

You’re not “freeing up RAM” by swiping apps away; you’re just making the system do the same job inefficiently. iOS was built with tight memory constraints in mind and excels at prioritizing active tasks.

What Actually Drains iPhone Battery

If closing apps doesn’t help, what *does* cause rapid battery drain? The real culprits are features and behaviors that actively consume power. Here’s a breakdown of the top offenders:

Battery Drain Source	Impact Level	Why It Matters
Screen brightness (especially max level)	High	The display is the largest single consumer of battery power.
Background App Refresh (for certain apps)	Medium-High	Some apps constantly sync data even when not in use.
Poor cellular signal	High	iPhone boosts radio power to maintain connection, using more energy.
Location Services (always-on tracking)	Medium	Apps like maps or fitness trackers can keep GPS active.
Push Email & Notifications	Low-Medium	Frequent wake-ups prevent deep sleep mode.
Bluetooth & Wi-Fi scanning	Low	Constantly searching for devices uses incremental power.

Noticeably absent from this list? Simply having apps open in the background. The difference between a phone with five suspended apps and one with none is imperceptible in terms of battery consumption.

Practical Steps to Improve iPhone Battery Life

Instead of obsessing over the app switcher, focus on settings and habits that have measurable impacts. Follow this checklist to extend your battery life meaningfully.

🔋 Battery Optimization Checklist

• Reduce screen brightness or enable Auto-Brightness
• Turn off Background App Refresh for non-essential apps
• Limit Location Services to “While Using” instead of “Always”
• Disable Push email; set fetch intervals to “Hourly” or “Manually”
• Enable Low Power Mode when battery drops below 20%
• Turn off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Personal Hotspot when not in use
• Avoid extreme temperatures (both hot and cold)
• Update iOS regularly—Apple often includes battery optimizations

Tip: Use Settings > Battery to see which apps are truly consuming power. Focus on managing those—not the ones merely listed in the app switcher.

Step-by-Step: Optimize Background Activity

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Tap General > Background App Refresh.
3. Select Wi-Fi & Cellular Data or turn it off entirely.
4. Scroll through the list and disable refresh for apps you don’t need updated constantly (e.g., games, shopping apps).
5. For essential apps like Messages or Maps, leave them enabled.

This targeted approach prevents unnecessary background activity without disrupting iOS’s efficient memory management.

Real Example: Sarah’s Battery Struggles

Sarah, a freelance designer in Austin, noticed her iPhone 14 Pro was dying by mid-afternoon despite charging it nightly. She had developed a habit of swiping away all apps every few hours, believing it helped preserve battery.

After reading about iOS behavior, she stopped force-closing apps and instead reviewed her battery usage in Settings. She discovered that Instagram and a navigation app were consuming over 40% of her battery daily—even when not in use.

She adjusted her settings: disabled Background App Refresh for Instagram, changed location access to “While Using,” and lowered her screen brightness. Within two days, her battery lasted nearly 30% longer. She also realized her phone stayed cooler throughout the day, indicating reduced processing strain.

Sarah now only closes an app if it’s clearly malfunctioning—such as freezing or draining battery abnormally. Her new routine is simpler and far more effective.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I close apps if my iPhone is running slow?

Not necessarily. If your iPhone feels sluggish, it’s more likely due to low storage, outdated software, or temporary glitches. Restarting the device is more effective than swiping apps. However, if a specific app is frozen or unresponsive, closing it may help.

Do background apps use data?

Some do—but only if Background App Refresh is enabled. Apps like news, social media, or cloud services may download updates in the background. You can control this per app in Settings > General > Background App Refresh.

Is it bad to never close apps?

No. iOS automatically suspends apps and clears them from memory when needed. There’s no harm in leaving apps in the switcher. The system is designed to handle this seamlessly.

Conclusion: Work With iOS, Not Against It

Force-closing apps on your iPhone doesn’t save battery—it often wastes it. iOS is engineered to suspend apps intelligently, preserving both performance and power. Every time you swipe an app away, you’re trading efficiency for a placebo effect.

The real path to better battery life lies in adjusting settings that govern screen usage, connectivity, and background activity. These changes yield tangible results, unlike the myth of app-swiping. Trust the system Apple built, and redirect your attention to what actually matters.

💬 Have you been closing apps to save battery? Try stopping for a week and monitor your usage. Share your experience in the comments—your insight could help others break the habit too.