Learn how to save battery by closing or restricting background apps on Android and iPhone. Discover practical battery-saving tips, manage background activity, reduce unnecessary power consumption, and make your smartphone battery last longer.
How to Save Battery by Closing Background Apps: A Practical Guide
Your smartphone battery can drain even when you are not actively using your phone. You might close a game, switch to another app, or lock your screen, but some applications may continue working in the background.
For example, social media apps can refresh feeds, messaging apps can check for new notifications, and navigation apps may continue accessing your location. These activities can consume battery power, especially when several apps are doing them simultaneously.
The good news is that you don't need to close every application manually to improve battery life. Understanding which apps are using power in the background and managing their activity can make a noticeable difference.
In this guide, you'll learn how to close unnecessary background apps on Android and iPhone, identify battery-hungry applications, and adjust a few settings to help your phone last longer throughout the day.
What Are Background Apps and Why Do They Consume Battery?
Background apps are applications that continue performing certain tasks even when they are not currently visible on your screen.
These apps may perform activities such as:
Checking for new messages and notifications.
Refreshing social media feeds.
Syncing emails, photos, and files.
Tracking your location.
Downloading updates or other content.
Playing music or audio in the background.
For example, imagine opening Instagram in the morning and switching to another app without closing it. Instagram may continue performing background activities depending on your phone settings and operating system.
Not every background activity is unnecessary. Some apps need to work in the background to provide important features. The goal is to control unnecessary activity rather than stop everything.
How to Check Which Apps Are Draining Your Battery
Before closing background apps, find out which applications are consuming the most battery power. This helps you focus on the actual problem instead of closing apps randomly.
On Android:
Open your phone's Settings.
Go to Battery or Battery Usage.
Look for Battery Usage by App.
Check which applications are consuming the most power.
Select an app to view its battery activity and available background usage controls.
The exact menu names may differ depending on your Android version and phone manufacturer.
On iPhone:
Open Settings.
Select Battery.
Scroll down to the battery usage section.
Review the apps consuming the most battery.
Switch between the last 24 hours and the last 10 days to understand usage patterns.
For example, if a social media application consistently appears near the top of your battery usage list despite limited screen time, its background activity may be worth checking.
How to Close Background Apps on Android
Android provides a simple way to close applications that are currently running or recently opened.
Follow these steps:
Unlock your Android phone.
Open the Recent Apps screen by swiping up and holding, or tapping the Recent Apps button.
Find the application you want to close.
Swipe the app upward or sideways, depending on your phone.
Repeat for other unnecessary applications.
Some Android phones also offer a Clear All option to dismiss recent apps.
However, remember that removing an app from the Recent Apps screen does not necessarily stop every background service associated with it.
How to Restrict Background App Activity on Android
If a particular application repeatedly drains your battery, restricting its background activity can be more effective than simply closing it.
Here's how:
Open Settings on your Android phone.
Go to Apps or App Management.
Select the application you want to manage.
Tap Battery or App Battery Usage.
Look for options such as Restricted, Optimized, or Allow Background Usage.
Select the appropriate restriction option if available.
For example, you might restrict background battery usage for a shopping app that you only open occasionally.
Be careful with messaging, email, banking, and other important applications. Restricting their background activity may delay notifications or prevent certain features from working correctly.
How to Close Background Apps on iPhone
iPhones manage background applications differently from Android devices. iOS automatically manages many suspended apps, so you usually don't need to close every app manually.
However, you can force-close an application if it becomes unresponsive or behaves unexpectedly.
Follow these steps:
On an iPhone with Face ID, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle.
On an iPhone with a Home button, double-click the Home button.
Find the application you want to close.
Swipe its preview upward.
Return to the Home Screen when finished.
You can repeat this process for other applications if necessary.
Important: Force-closing apps regularly is not a guaranteed way to save battery. Reopening them later can sometimes consume more power than allowing iOS to manage them normally.
How to Turn Off Background App Refresh on iPhone
Background App Refresh allows supported applications to update their content when you are not actively using them.
Turning it off for unnecessary apps can help reduce background activity.
Here's how:
Open Settings.
Select General.
Tap Background App Refresh.
Open the Background App Refresh settings.
Choose Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi & Cellular Data, or Off.
Alternatively, disable Background App Refresh individually for selected applications.
For example, you may want to keep this feature enabled for important communication apps while disabling it for games or shopping applications that don't need frequent updates.
Android vs iPhone: Background App Battery Management
Both operating systems offer ways to manage background activity, but their approaches are slightly different.
| Feature | Android | iPhone |
|---|---|---|
| Close recent apps | Yes | Yes |
| Battery usage monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Background activity controls | Varies by device | Background App Refresh |
| Battery optimization | Available | Managed automatically |
| Restrict individual apps | Usually available | More limited |
| Automatic app management | Yes | Yes |
Android generally provides more direct controls over individual app battery usage. iOS handles many background processes automatically and offers selected controls through its settings.
Which Background Apps Should You Close or Restrict?
Not every application deserves the same treatment. Some apps need background access to function properly, while others can operate perfectly well without it.
Here are some examples:
| App Category | Recommended Action | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Social media | Restrict if unnecessary | Frequent content refreshing |
| Mobile games | Close when finished | May use background services |
| Shopping apps | Restrict | Usually don't need constant activity |
| Video streaming | Close when finished | Avoid unwanted playback |
| Navigation apps | Allow when needed | Location services may be essential |
| Messaging apps | Keep essential activity | Important notifications |
| Email apps | Keep essential activity | Timely email notifications |
| Cloud backup | Allow scheduled syncing | Protects your files |
The best approach is to review your actual battery usage rather than assuming every application is consuming excessive power.
Additional Tips to Save More Smartphone Battery
Closing unnecessary background apps is only one part of battery management. A few additional adjustments can help your phone stay powered for longer.
Reduce Screen Brightness
Your display is often one of the biggest battery consumers. Lower the brightness to a comfortable level or enable automatic brightness.
For example, if you regularly use your phone indoors, maximum brightness is usually unnecessary.
Enable Battery Saver Mode
Android's Battery Saver and iPhone's Low Power Mode reduce certain background activities and system functions to extend battery life.
Enable these features when your battery percentage becomes low or when you know you won't have access to a charger for several hours.
Turn Off Unnecessary Location Access
Some applications may request location access even when you are not actively using them.
Review your location permissions and choose options such as While Using the App wherever appropriate.
Reduce Unnecessary Notifications
Frequent notifications can wake your display and trigger background activity.
Disable promotional alerts from shopping apps, games, and other applications that don't need to contact you regularly.
Use Wi-Fi When Available
Mobile data can consume more power in certain situations, particularly when cellular signal strength is weak.
When a reliable Wi-Fi connection is available, using it may help reduce battery consumption.
Keep Your Apps Updated
App updates sometimes include performance improvements and battery-related bug fixes.
Install updates from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store to benefit from available improvements.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Managing Background Apps
Many smartphone users follow battery-saving tricks that don't always work as expected.
Avoid these common mistakes:
Closing every app repeatedly: Modern smartphones are designed to manage memory and background processes automatically.
Using unnecessary cleaner apps: Many third-party cleaning applications provide little benefit and may introduce additional background activity.
Restricting all notifications: You could miss important messages, emails, and security alerts.
Disabling every background service: Some applications need background access for backups, notifications, and other essential functions.
Ignoring battery usage reports: Without checking actual usage, you may waste time managing apps that are not causing the problem.
Instead, identify the applications consuming the most battery and make changes based on your everyday usage.
Does Closing Background Apps Really Save Battery?
Yes, but the results depend on the application and how it behaves.
Closing an application that is actively using GPS, playing audio, or performing unnecessary background tasks may reduce battery consumption.
However, closing an app that is already suspended may provide little or no benefit. Reopening it can sometimes require additional processing power.
For this reason, restricting unnecessary background activity is often a better long-term solution than constantly clearing the Recent Apps screen.
Final Thoughts
Managing background apps can help improve smartphone battery life, but closing every application is not the best strategy.
Start by checking your battery usage report, identify applications that consume excessive power, and restrict unnecessary background activity. On Android, explore individual app battery settings. On iPhone, review Background App Refresh and let iOS manage suspended applications.
Combine these adjustments with lower screen brightness, sensible location permissions, and Battery Saver or Low Power Mode when needed.
A few smart changes can help your smartphone last longer without affecting the features you use every day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can background apps drain battery even when my screen is off?
Yes. Some apps continue syncing data, checking notifications, accessing location services, or performing other tasks while your screen is off.
Should I close all background apps on Android?
No. Android automatically manages many background processes. Close or restrict apps that genuinely consume excessive battery.
Does closing apps on an iPhone improve battery life?
Not necessarily. iOS suspends many inactive apps automatically. Force-close an app mainly when it stops responding or behaves incorrectly.
Which apps consume the most battery in the background?
Social media, navigation, video streaming, and some communication apps can consume significant battery depending on their settings and usage.
What is the best way to save battery without closing apps?
Reduce screen brightness, enable Battery Saver or Low Power Mode, restrict unnecessary background activity, and manage location permissions.
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