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No—you generally don’t need to close all your apps to make your phone faster or save battery. Apple says unnecessary force-closing can slow down reopening an app, while Google says Android manages memory and battery automatically. Close an app when it is unresponsive; for wider slowdowns, check the phone’s other likely causes.
Should you close all your apps to make your phone faster or save battery?
No. The app switcher is mainly for returning to recent apps, not a maintenance checklist. Apple’s current guidance warns that “Force closing apps unnecessarily can slow down your device. Reopening a closed app takes longer because it has to reload all its data.” Google’s Android Help similarly says, “Even if you don’t close apps, you won’t run out of memory or battery. Android manages these automatically.”
That advice is platform guidance, not a promise that every app is always inactive in the background or that closing an app can never help. Apps can perform work that uses energy—for example, Apple’s developer documentation notes that intensive computation and features such as location and networking can increase energy use. But the cited guidance does not quantify a speed or battery-life benefit from routinely clearing recent apps.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsWhen should you force-close an app?
Close a specific app if it is frozen, stuck, or otherwise not responding. That is the situation Apple identifies for force-closing. If the app works normally, leave it alone rather than repeatedly swiping it away.
#1 Best Overall
- Universal unlocked. Compatible with all major U.S. carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and other prepaid carriers.
- Super-bright, super-smooth 6.7" display. See your screen clearly even outdoors in sunlight, and enjoy seamless views with a fast-refreshing 120Hz display.*
- AI-powered camera system. Take stunning photos in any light with the 50MP camera**, look your best with a 32MP selfie cam*****, and capture extreme close-ups.
- Superfast 5G performance. Unleash your entertainment at 5G speed*** with the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset and up to 12GB of RAM with RAM Boost****.
- Long-lasting battery + TurboPower charging. Power through day after day with a 5200mAh battery, then get hours of power in just minutes.****
How to close one unresponsive app
On iPhone or iPad
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause to open the app switcher. On a device with a Home button, double-click the Home button instead.
- Find the app that is not responding.
- Swipe up on its preview to close it, then reopen the app.
Apple’s instructions are in If your iPhone or iPad is running slow.
On Android
- Open the recent-apps view using your device’s navigation gesture or button.
- Swipe the affected app away to close it. On supported devices, you can use Clear all to dismiss eligible recent apps, but that is not required as routine maintenance.
Android navigation can differ by device and version. Google notes that some steps work only on Android 14 and up, and some apps—including Google Play services and system apps—cannot be stopped. See Find, open and close apps on Android for the platform’s instructions.
Rank #2
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
What to check if your phone is still slow
Closing recent apps is not a general fix for sluggish performance. Apple’s troubleshooting guidance points to several other factors on iPhone and iPad:
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- Network conditions: A slow connection can make online apps or pages feel sluggish even when the phone itself is responsive.
- Available storage: Apple recommends keeping at least 1 GB free to help avoid slowdowns. iOS and iPadOS manage storage during installations and updates, but you can still check what is using space.
- Temperature: If the device is too hot or cold, performance may be affected.
- Low Power Mode: Check whether it is enabled if performance seems different than usual.
- Battery health: Review battery condition when investigating performance changes.
Apple also distinguishes storage cleanup from app-switcher management: offloading an app frees its storage while retaining its documents and data, whereas deleting an app removes it and its related data. Those are options for managing storage, not steps you need to take to manage recent apps. See Apple’s slow-performance guidance for details.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Carrier: This phone is locked to Tracfone, which means this device can only be used on the Tracfone wireless network. Tracfone plan required, activating is easy, just 3 steps.
- DISPLAY: Immersive viewing on a 6.7-inch super-bright 120Hz display with powerful stereo speakers and Bass Boost for cinematic entertainment.
- CAMERA SYSTEM: Advanced 50MP Quad Pixel camera captures sharp, detailed photos and videos in any lighting condition
- PERFORMANCE: Lightning-fast 5G connectivity paired with a powerful processor and RAM Boost for smooth multitasking.
- BATTERY LIFE: Long-lasting 5000mAh battery with TurboPower charging technology delivers hours of power in minutes.
Rank #4
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
Rank #3
- Charger NOT Included, 6.7" Super AMOLED FHD+, 90Hz Refresh Rate, 385 ppi, 800 nits (HBM), 1080x2340px, 5000mAh Battery
- 128GB, 4GB RAM, microSDXC, Exynos 1330 (5nm), Octa-Core, Mali-G68 MP2 or Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
- Rear Camera: 50MP, f/1.8 (wide) + 5MP, f/2.2 (ultrawide) + 2MP, f/2.4 (macro), LED flash, panorama, HDR; Front Camera: 13MP, f/2.0, Android 14, up to 6 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1
- 3G: HSDPA 850/900/1700(AWS)/1900/2100; 4G LTE: 1/2/3/4/5/7/12/13/14/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/39/40/41/48/66/71, 5G: 2/5/25/41/66/71/77/78 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - Nano-SIM + eSIM
- US Model – Global Connectivity – Compatible with Most GSM Carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T, MetroPCS, etc. Will Also work with CDMA Carriers Such as Verizon, Straight Talk.
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