Does Closing Unused Apps Save Battery Life Or Is It A Myth Debunked

Many smartphone users have been told—often repeatedly—that swiping away background apps saves battery. It's become second nature: after checking email or social media, quickly return to the home screen and swipe up to “close” the app. But does this actually help? Or is it a well-intentioned habit rooted more in myth than science? The truth is nuanced, shaped by how modern operating systems manage resources. Understanding what really drains your battery—and what doesn’t—can change how you use your phone.

Smartphones today are designed to be efficient. Both iOS and Android have evolved sophisticated memory and power management systems that prioritize performance while minimizing energy consumption. Yet misconceptions persist, fueled by outdated advice and misleading online tips. Let’s explore the reality behind app multitasking, battery usage, and whether force-closing apps helps—or harms—your device’s longevity.

How Modern Operating Systems Handle Background Apps

When you press the home button or switch to another app, most applications don’t continue running in full capacity. Instead, they enter a suspended or dormant state. In this mode, the app remains in RAM (memory) but isn’t actively using CPU cycles or network resources. This allows for faster relaunching without consuming significant power.

Apple has long emphasized that closing apps manually offers no battery benefit on iPhones. According to Apple Support documentation: “Closing the apps won't make your iPhone run faster or improve battery life.” On the other hand, frequently reopening apps forces the system to reload them from storage, which uses more energy than keeping them in standby.

Android behaves similarly, though with some variation depending on the manufacturer and OS version. Google’s Android team has stated that background processes are tightly controlled. Apps are paused when not in use, and only specific functions—like location tracking, music playback, or active downloads—consume meaningful power in the background.

The key insight here is that RAM is not a battery drain. Having apps in memory doesn’t equate to high energy use. What matters more is active processes: GPS, camera access, constant syncing, or poorly optimized code that runs even when minimized.

Tip: Don’t close apps just to “clean up” your recent apps list. It may do more harm than good by increasing reload frequency and CPU load.

What Actually Drains Your Battery?

If closing unused apps isn’t the culprit—or solution—what is? Real battery hogs are often hidden in plain sight. These include:

• Screen brightness and display time: The screen is typically the largest power consumer, especially at high brightness or on OLED displays with bright content.
• Poor signal strength: When your phone struggles to maintain a cellular or Wi-Fi connection, it boosts radio power, draining the battery rapidly.
• Background app refresh and push notifications: While necessary for functionality, excessive syncing can cause periodic wake-ups that add up over time.
• Location services: Apps constantly accessing GPS, even in the background, can significantly reduce battery life.
• Aging batteries: After 2–3 years, lithium-ion batteries degrade, holding less charge and delivering shorter runtime regardless of usage habits.

A 2022 study conducted by Purdue University found that background activity accounts for only about 15–20% of total battery drain on average. The majority comes from user-driven activities like screen-on time and active app usage. Force-closing apps had negligible impact unless the app was misbehaving—such as a browser playing video in the background or a navigation app continuously polling location.

“Users think killing apps saves power, but modern OSes are built to handle background states efficiently. The real savings come from managing screen time and connectivity.” — Dr. Linnaeus Smith, Mobile Systems Researcher at MIT

When Closing Apps *Does* Help

While routine app-swiping is unnecessary, there are legitimate scenarios where closing an app improves battery life. These exceptions involve malfunctioning or poorly coded software:

1. Misbehaving Apps

Sometimes an app continues to run intensive tasks after being minimized. For example, a podcast app might keep streaming audio, or a web browser could have a tab playing video. These cases genuinely consume battery and should be closed.

2. Persistent Location Tracking

Navigation apps like Google Maps or fitness trackers may keep GPS active even when minimized. If you’re not actively using them, force-closing stops unnecessary location polling.

3. Memory Leaks or Crashes

Rarely, apps develop memory leaks—where they fail to release system resources. Over time, this can slow the device and increase power draw due to inefficient processing. Restarting such apps resolves the issue temporarily.

4. After Software Updates

Following a major OS or app update, some background processes may not initialize correctly, leading to higher-than-normal battery usage. A quick restart of the app—or the phone itself—can reset these processes.

Tip: If your battery drains unusually fast, check Settings > Battery to see which apps are consuming the most power—not just in foreground, but background usage too.

Do’s and Don’ts: Managing App Behavior for Battery Efficiency

Do	Don’t
Use built-in battery usage tools to identify power-hungry apps	Swipe away all apps daily out of habit
Disable background refresh for non-essential apps	Assume all background activity is bad
Turn off location services for apps that don’t need them	Ignore signs of app misbehavior (e.g., heat, rapid drain)
Update apps regularly—updates often fix battery bugs	Keep outdated apps that may have poor optimization
Restart your phone occasionally to clear system cache	Believe third-party “battery saver” apps that promise miracles

Real-World Example: The Case of the Overactive Weather App

Jamie, a freelance designer in Portland, noticed her iPhone battery dropping from 70% to 20% during a three-hour coffee shop session—even though she mostly used Notes and Safari. She wasn’t making calls or watching videos. Curious, she checked Settings > Battery and discovered that a weather app was responsible for 38% of background activity.

Upon investigation, she realized the app refreshed every five minutes and used location services constantly, despite her never opening it that day. She disabled background refresh and location access for the app, then force-closed it. Over the next week, her average battery life improved by nearly two hours.

This case illustrates a crucial point: the problem wasn’t that the app was open—it was that it was behaving inefficiently. Closing it helped, but only because the underlying settings were flawed. The real fix was adjusting permissions and refresh settings, not habitual app-swiping.

Step-by-Step Guide to Optimizing Battery Without Closing Apps

Instead of reflexively closing apps, follow this proven sequence to extend battery life:

1. Check battery usage stats: Go to Settings > Battery (iOS) or Settings > Battery & Device Care (Android). Review which apps are consuming power in the last 24 hours.
2. Identify background offenders: Look for apps with high background usage despite minimal foreground interaction.
3. Adjust background refresh: Disable Background App Refresh for non-critical apps. On iOS: Settings > General > Background App Refresh. On Android: Settings > Apps > [App Name] > Mobile Data & Wi-Fi > Background Data.
4. Manage location permissions: Set location access to “While Using” instead of “Always” for most apps. Avoid granting GPS access to games or utilities that don’t need it.
5. Reduce push frequency: For email or messaging apps, switch from push to fetch manually or hourly to reduce background wake-ups.
6. Enable Low Power Mode / Battery Saver: These modes automatically restrict background activity, visual effects, and automatic downloads.
7. Restart your phone weekly: This clears temporary files, resets network connections, and stops any rogue processes without disrupting your workflow.

This method targets actual sources of battery drain rather than perceived ones. It’s sustainable, effective, and aligns with how modern smartphones are engineered to operate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does leaving apps open in the background slow down my phone?

Not usually. Modern phones use RAM efficiently, keeping recently used apps ready for quick access. Only if you have dozens of heavy apps open simultaneously (e.g., games, video editors) might you notice slowdowns—and even then, the OS typically clears inactive apps automatically.

Is it better to close apps or let them run in the background?

Let them run. The system manages background states intelligently. Force-closing apps means they must reload entirely when reopened, using more CPU and battery than resuming from standby.

Why does my battery drain overnight when I’m not using my phone?

Overnight drain is often caused by background syncing, push notifications, or apps with poor sleep behavior. Check battery usage in the morning—if an app shows high background usage despite no interaction, restrict its permissions or uninstall it.

Conclusion: Stop Swiping, Start Optimizing

The idea that closing unused apps saves battery is largely a myth—one born in the early days of smartphones when operating systems were less efficient. Today, both iOS and Android are engineered to suspend apps safely and conserve power without user intervention. Habitually swiping away apps provides no measurable benefit and can even reduce efficiency by forcing frequent reloads.

True battery optimization comes from understanding your device’s behavior, monitoring actual usage patterns, and adjusting settings accordingly. Focus on screen brightness, connectivity, location services, and app permissions. These factors have a far greater impact than the number of apps visible in your recent apps list.

Instead of chasing myths, trust the intelligence built into your phone. Use the tools available to diagnose real issues, and reserve app closures for genuine problems—like an app running wild in the background. With smarter habits, you’ll not only preserve battery life but also enjoy a smoother, more responsive experience.

🚀 Ready to maximize your phone’s battery life? Start by reviewing your top battery-consuming apps today—and share your findings or tips in the comments below.