Managing your apps effectively is a fundamental part of using any smartphone, and knowing how to close apps on iPhone 8 is a key skill for maintaining performance and battery life. While the iPhone 8 does not require constant manual closing like some older computers, there are specific situations where force quitting an app becomes necessary. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step walkthrough for completely shutting down applications on your device.
Understanding How iPhone Manages Memory
Before diving into the steps, it helps to understand why you might need to close apps on an iPhone 8. iOS is designed to handle memory management automatically, suspending apps in the background rather than closing them entirely. This allows for quick switching between tasks but can sometimes lead to an app becoming unresponsive or consuming excessive resources. In these cases, forcing the app to close can resolve glitches and free up memory, which is the primary reason you would learn how to close apps on iPhone 8.
Method 1: Using the Home Indicator to Close Apps
The most common and recommended way to close apps on the iPhone 8 is by using the gesture-based navigation introduced with the iPhone X, which applies to the iPhone 8 models as well. This method is intuitive and mimics the physical act of sliding papers off a desk.
Step-by-Step Instructions
From the bottom of your screen, swipe up slightly and pause in the middle of the display.
This action reveals the App Switcher, showing visual previews of your recently used applications.
Locate the app card you want to close.
Swipe up on the app card, pushing it off the top edge of the screen.
The app will disappear, confirming it has been closed.
Method 2: The Classic Home Button Technique
For users who have not updated to the latest iOS version or prefer the physical button method, the old technique still works on the iPhone 8. This involves using the Home button to access the app switcher before closing the application.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Press the Home button at the bottom of your screen to return to the home screen.
Press the Home button a second time quickly.
The App Switcher interface will appear, displaying cards for all recently used apps.
Find the app you want to close.
Swipe the app card either upward or off the screen to the side.
When Should You Close Apps?
Knowing when to perform this task is just as important as knowing the steps. Frequently closing apps is not necessary for battery life because iOS suspends them, but forcing a crash or frozen app to close is beneficial. If you notice your iPhone 8 lagging, experiencing overheating, or seeing a specific app misbehaving, it is the right time to close that application.
What Happens When You Close an App?
It is a common misconception that closing apps saves battery. When you close apps on iPhone 8, you are clearing the active memory used by that app. This frees up RAM, which can help if the device is running slowly. However, reopening the app later often requires the same amount of energy to reload the data as it would to resume from a suspended state. Therefore, close apps primarily to fix errors, not to conserve battery.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you are unable to close an app using the methods described, there is a more drastic solution. A hard reset will refresh the operating system without losing any data. To perform this action on the iPhone 8, you must quickly press and release the Volume Up button, then the Volume Down button, and finally press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears. This restarts the phone and clears any stuck processes.
