Have you ever been using an app on your iPad and suddenly… it just stops behaving? Maybe it freezes, won’t load, gets stuck on a blank screen, or starts draining your battery like it’s running a marathon in the background. Super annoying, right?
The good news? You don’t have to restart your whole iPad or panic-search for fixes. In most cases, you just need to force-quit (close) the app, then open it again fresh. It’s one of the fastest troubleshooting tricks you can do—and honestly, it fixes way more problems than people expect.
I’m writing this because I’ve been there too. I’ve had apps freeze while I was trying to send a message, edit a document, watch a video, or finish something important. And every time it happens, force-closing the app is the first thing I try (and it works a lot). So let’s walk through it together in the simplest way possible.
What Does “Force-Quit” or “Close” an iPad App Mean?
Before we jump into the steps, let’s clear up the wording because Apple users hear a few different terms:
- Close an app = you stop using it and return to the Home Screen
- Force-quit an app = you manually remove it from the app switcher so it stops running
Here’s the key thing to remember:
✅ Force-quitting an app completely shuts it down, so when you reopen it, it loads from scratch.
This is useful when an app is:
- frozen or stuck
- not responding to touches
- crashing repeatedly
- glitching visually (missing buttons, blank pages, weird layout)
- running slow for no reason
Force-quitting is like giving the app a quick “reset” without affecting the rest of your iPad.
When Should You Force-Quit an iPad App (And When Should You Not)?
Force-quitting is helpful… but you don’t need to do it constantly.
✅ Force-quit an app when:
- the app freezes
- the app won’t open
- the app keeps logging you out
- the app is stuck loading forever
- the app is draining battery unusually fast
- the app is making your iPad hot
- the app is not responding
- the app screen is black or blank
❌ Don’t force-quit apps “just because”
IMO, a lot of people force-close apps all day thinking it makes the iPad faster. But iPadOS is designed to handle background apps efficiently.
Apple’s system usually pauses apps safely in the background, so force-closing apps constantly can actually be unnecessary. (And sometimes it makes the app reload slower next time.)
So use force-quit as a troubleshooting tool, not a daily habit.
How To Force-Quit an iPad App (Step-by-Step)
This is the main part you came for—and don’t worry, it’s quick.
The method depends on whether your iPad has a Home button or not.
Force-Quit an iPad App (iPads Without a Home Button)
Most newer iPads (like iPad Pro and many iPad Air models) don’t have a Home button.
✅ Steps:
- Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen
- Pause in the middle (don’t swipe all the way up too fast)
- You’ll see the App Switcher with all your open apps
- Find the app you want to close
- Swipe up on the app card to force-quit it
That’s it. The app is now closed.
Quick Tip
If you’re not seeing the App Switcher, try this:
- Swipe up from the bottom slowly
- Hold your finger in the middle for a second
It takes a tiny bit of timing, but you’ll get it quickly.
Force-Quit an iPad App (iPads With a Home Button)
If your iPad has a physical Home button at the bottom, the steps are slightly different.
✅ Steps:
- Double-press the Home button quickly
- The App Switcher will appear
- Find the app you want to close
- Swipe up on the app preview/card
Once the card disappears, the app is force-quit.
Easy win.
How To Close an iPad App Normally (Without Force-Quit)
Sometimes you don’t need to force-quit. You just want to exit the app.
✅ To close normally:
- Swipe up from the bottom and go back to the Home Screen
or - Press the Home button (if your iPad has one)
This doesn’t shut the app down completely—it just leaves it in the background.
Think of it like walking out of a room but leaving the lights on.
How To Reopen the App After Force-Quitting
After you force-quit an app, it won’t be running anymore.
To open it again:
- Go to your Home Screen
- Tap the app icon like normal
The app will reload fresh, which often solves:
- freezing
- slow performance
- login issues
- loading loops
FYI, you might need to log in again in some apps because force-quitting can restart your session.
What If the App Keeps Freezing Even After You Force-Quit?
Okay, so you force-quit the app and reopened it… but it still acts weird.
Annoying. But don’t worry—you’ve got options.
Here are the next best steps you can try.
Check for an App Update (This Fixes More Than You Think)
Apps break all the time after updates, or when the developer releases a bug.
✅ How to update apps on iPad:
- Open the App Store
- Tap your profile icon (top right)
- Scroll to see available updates
- Tap Update next to the app (or Update All)
If an app is crashing or freezing, an update can instantly fix it.
Restart Your iPad (The Classic Fix That Actually Works)
Restarting refreshes the system and clears temporary glitches.
✅ Restart iPads without a Home button:
- Press and hold Top button + Volume button
- When the slider appears, drag Slide to power off
- Wait 10 seconds
- Press the Top button to power back on
✅ Restart iPads with a Home button:
- Hold the Top button
- Slide to power off
- Wait 10 seconds
- Hold the Top button again to turn it on
This can fix apps that keep freezing even after force-quitting.
Clear Storage Space (Low Storage Can Break Apps)
A lot of people don’t realize this, but low iPad storage can cause apps to:
- crash randomly
- freeze while loading
- fail to download data
- lag badly
✅ Check your iPad storage:
- Open Settings
- Tap General
- Tap iPad Storage
If your storage is almost full, try deleting:
- old videos
- unused apps
- large downloads
- duplicate photos
Even freeing up 2–5 GB can make your iPad feel smoother.
Check Your Internet Connection (Some Apps Look “Frozen” But Aren’t)
If the app needs Wi-Fi or cellular data, it may appear stuck when your connection is weak.
Ask yourself:
- Does the app load forever on a blank screen?
- Is it stuck “connecting”?
- Does it say “no internet”?
Quick fixes:
- Turn Wi-Fi off and on
- Switch to a different network
- Toggle Airplane Mode on for 10 seconds, then off
- Restart your router (if you can)
A bad connection can make apps look broken even when they’re fine.
What If the App Won’t Close or Your iPad Screen Is Frozen?
Sometimes you can’t even reach the App Switcher. Your iPad might be completely stuck.
If that happens, you may need to force restart the iPad.
✅ Force restart iPads without Home button:
- Press and release Volume Up
- Press and release Volume Down
- Press and hold the Top button
- Keep holding until you see the Apple logo
✅ Force restart iPads with Home button:
- Press and hold the Home button + Top button
- Keep holding until the Apple logo appears
This doesn’t erase your data. It just forces the iPad to reboot.
And yes—this can rescue you when the screen is totally unresponsive.
Why Does Force-Quitting Fix So Many App Problems?
Good question.
Most app issues come from temporary system hiccups like:
- memory overload
- app processes getting stuck
- corrupted temporary cache
- background tasks looping endlessly
- login tokens glitching out
Force-quitting stops all that instantly.
When you reopen the app, it starts clean—like you’re launching it for the first time.
That’s why it works so often (and so fast).
Should You Force-Quit Apps to Save Battery?
This is one of the most common myths.
Here’s the truth:
Most apps in the app switcher are not “running” at full speed. iPadOS freezes them in a paused state to save power.
So force-quitting everything constantly doesn’t automatically improve battery life.
BUT force-quitting can help if:
- an app is stuck using GPS
- a video call app is running in the background
- a streaming app is bugged
- your iPad is heating up for no reason
If your iPad battery is dropping fast and you suspect one app is the cause, force-quitting that app is a smart move.
What’s the Difference Between Closing an App and Deleting an App?
This is important because people mix them up.
✅ Closing an app means you stop using it for now
✅ Force-quitting an app means you shut it down completely
✅ Deleting an app means removing it from your iPad
Deleting an app is a bigger step and should only be done if:
- the app keeps crashing no matter what
- the app is totally broken
- reinstalling might fix corrupted files
Reinstalling an app can help when:
- updates didn’t fix it
- it won’t open at all
- you see constant login errors
Just remember: deleting an app might remove local data (depending on the app), so check if anything important is stored inside it.
How To Tell If an App Is Actually Closed
When you force-quit an app:
- it disappears from the app switcher (after swiping it up)
That’s the simplest sign it’s shut down.
When you reopen it and it starts from the loading screen, that’s another sign it restarted fresh.
Extra Tips for Keeping iPad Apps Running Smoothly
If you want fewer freezes and less frustration overall, these tips help a lot.
✅ Keep iPadOS updated
Go to:
Settings → General → Software Update
Updates often fix:
- app compatibility issues
- bugs that cause freezing
- performance problems
✅ Don’t overload your iPad with too many heavy apps at once
Especially if you’re doing things like:
- video editing
- gaming
- running multiple browsers
- multitasking with Split View
✅ Close unnecessary browser tabs
Safari tabs can quietly eat memory.
✅ Disable Background App Refresh for problem apps
Go to:
Settings → General → Background App Refresh
You can turn it off for apps that cause issues.
Troubleshooting Checklist (Quick Summary)
If an app is acting up, try this order:
- Force-quit the app
- Reopen the app
- Check for app updates
- Restart your iPad
- Check storage
- Check Wi-Fi
- Force restart iPad (if frozen)
- Delete + reinstall the app (last resort)
Simple, fast, and effective.
Conclusion: You’re Now an iPad App-Fixing Pro
At the end of the day, knowing how to force-quit or close an iPad app is one of those basic skills that saves you time, stress, and frustration. Whether the app is frozen, loading forever, glitching out, or just being stubborn, force-quitting gives it a clean restart—and most of the time, that’s all you need.
So next time your iPad app starts acting weird, don’t panic. Just open the App Switcher, swipe the app away, and relaunch it like a boss.
And hey—if you want, I can also help you troubleshoot specific apps that keep crashing or freezing (Safari, YouTube, Netflix, Facebook, WhatsApp, banking apps, etc.). Just tell me which one is giving you trouble!
