To close apps on your iPhone 11, you access the App Switcher and swipe them away. If you meant to delete (uninstall) apps from your device, the process is slightly different.
How to Close Apps on iPhone 11
Closing apps removes them from the App Switcher, which is where your iPhone keeps a record of recently used applications. While iOS is designed to manage background app activity efficiently, you might choose to close apps if one is unresponsive or if you prefer a tidier App Switcher.
Here's how to close apps:
- Access the App Switcher: From the Home Screen or while using an app, swipe up from the bottom edge of your screen and pause slightly in the middle of the screen. This will reveal the App Switcher, displaying all your recently used apps as cards.
- Find the App to Close: Scroll left or right through the app cards to find the app you wish to close.
- Close the App: Swipe the app's card upwards and off the top of the screen. The app will disappear from the App Switcher.
You can efficiently close multiple apps in quick succession by using this swiping gesture. By performing this action repeatedly, you can quickly clear all open apps from your phone's App Switcher.
Important Note: It's a common misconception that regularly closing apps saves battery life or improves performance. iOS is highly optimized to manage background processes. Continuously force-quitting apps can sometimes use more battery because the app needs to reload completely the next time you open it. You generally only need to close an app if it's frozen or misbehaving.
How to Delete (Uninstall) Apps on iPhone 11
If you want to remove an app entirely from your iPhone 11, including all its data, you need to delete it.
Here are the steps to delete an app:
- Locate the App: Find the app icon on your Home Screen or within the App Library.
- Enter Jiggle Mode: Tap and hold the app icon until all the app icons start to "jiggle" and an 'X' or a minus sign (-) appears in the upper-left corner of each icon.
- Delete the App:
- Tap the minus sign (-) on the app you wish to delete.
- A menu will appear with options like "Remove App," "Delete App," or "Edit Home Screen." Select "Delete App".
- Confirm your choice when prompted by tapping "Delete."
- Exit Jiggle Mode: Press the Side button once or tap "Done" in the upper-right corner (if available) to stop the icons from jiggling.
Alternative Method for Deleting Apps:
You can also delete apps from the Settings menu:
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
- Wait for the list of apps to load.
- Tap on the app you want to delete.
- Select "Delete App" and confirm.
When to Close vs. Delete Apps
| Feature | Closing an App | Deleting an App |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Remove from App Switcher, resolve minor glitches. | Remove from device, free up storage, uninstall. |
| Data | App data and settings remain on the device. | App and its data are completely removed from the device. |
| Re-opening | App resumes from its last state (if not fully quit). | App must be re-downloaded from the App Store. |
| Frequency | Rarely needed, mainly for troubleshooting. | As needed, for storage management or disuse. |
For more detailed information on managing apps, you can visit the official Apple Support page on organizing your apps.
