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Mastering Multitasking: A Pro’s Guide to Closing Pages on Your iPad

So, you’re staring at a screen overflowing with apps on your iPad, feeling a bit like you’ve got digital clutter holding you back. You need to close pages—fast and efficiently. Here’s the straight dope: depending on your iPad model and iOS version, you have a few key options to wave goodbye to those unwanted apps. The most common methods involve using the Home button (if your iPad has one), or the multi-finger swipe-up gesture for newer models. Let’s get you organized.

Understanding the Basics: Closing Pages on Your iPad

The fundamental principle remains the same across iPad generations: you’re accessing the App Switcher and then swiping away the apps you no longer need. Think of it as tidying up your digital workspace.

Closing Apps on iPads with a Home Button

This is classic iPad operation. If your iPad proudly displays a physical Home button, here’s your strategy:

Double-Press the Home Button: A swift double-press brings forth the App Switcher, displaying all your currently active apps as cards.
Swipe to Locate the App: Scroll horizontally through the cards until you find the app you want to close.
Swipe Up to Close: With the desired app in view, simply swipe upwards on its card. This action effectively closes the app, removing it from the App Switcher.

Closing Apps on iPads Without a Home Button

The modern, bezel-less iPad leverages the power of gestures. Here’s how to wield that power:

Swipe Up from the Bottom: From the very bottom edge of your screen, swipe upwards and hold your finger briefly in the middle of the screen. This brings up the App Switcher, mirroring the functionality of the Home button double-press.
Swipe to Locate the App: Navigate through the app cards by swiping left or right.
Swipe Up to Close: Once you’ve found the app you want to dismiss, swipe upward on its card to close it.

The Multi-Finger Swipe (The Power User’s Secret)

For those who like to work at warp speed, the multi-finger swipe is a game-changer. On iPads without a Home button, you can use four or five fingers to swipe upwards simultaneously from the bottom of the screen. This instantly takes you to the App Switcher, streamlining the process. Experiment to see what works best for you!

Pro Tips for Efficient App Management

Force Quit (When Things Go Wrong): Occasionally, an app might become unresponsive. In these cases, closing it through the App Switcher might not work. That’s where the force quit comes in. Use the same steps to access the App Switcher, but instead of swiping up on the app, press and hold on the app icon in the App Switcher until a red “-” or “x” appears. Tap the “-” or “x” to force the app to close. This should be used sparingly, as it abruptly terminates the app.
Don’t Obsessively Close Apps: iOS is designed to efficiently manage apps in the background. Repeatedly closing and reopening apps can actually decrease battery life, as the system has to reload them entirely each time. Let iOS do its job unless an app is actively misbehaving.
Understanding App States: An app can be in various states: active, inactive, in the background, or suspended. When you close an app using the methods described above, you’re typically suspending it. This means it’s not actively using resources, but its state is preserved in memory.
Regular Restarting: A periodic restart of your iPad can work wonders for overall performance. It clears out temporary files and processes, giving your device a fresh start.
Managing Background App Refresh: Head to Settings > General > Background App Refresh to control which apps are allowed to refresh in the background. Disabling this for resource-intensive apps can save battery life and prevent unwanted background activity.
Using Split View and Slide Over Wisely: These multitasking features are fantastic, but they can also contribute to app clutter. Get in the habit of dismissing Slide Over apps and closing Split View configurations when you’re finished with them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some common questions that users often ask about closing pages on their iPads:

1. Does closing apps improve battery life on iPad?

Yes and no. While it seems intuitive that closing apps would save battery, modern iOS is designed to efficiently manage background processes. Aggressively closing apps can sometimes decrease battery life, as the iPad has to expend more energy reloading them each time you open them again. Only close apps that are demonstrably misbehaving or consuming excessive battery in the background (check Settings > Battery).

2. How do I know which apps are using the most battery?

Navigate to Settings > Battery. Scroll down to the section showing battery usage by app. This provides a breakdown of which apps are consuming the most power, both on-screen and in the background. This information can help you identify resource-intensive apps that might benefit from being closed more frequently or having their background refresh disabled.

3. What is the difference between suspending and force quitting an app?

Suspending an app (by swiping it away in the App Switcher) puts it into a low-power state where its current state is preserved in memory. The app isn’t actively using resources, but it’s ready to be quickly resumed. Force quitting an app (by pressing and holding in the App Switcher until the “-” or “x” appears) abruptly terminates the app, forcing it to completely restart the next time you open it.

4. Why can’t I close certain apps?

Some apps, especially those related to core system functions or accessibility features, may appear to be running continuously but are actually designed to operate in the background. These apps are typically highly optimized and have minimal impact on battery life. You usually can’t “close” them in the traditional sense.

5. Is there a way to close all apps at once on iPad?

Unfortunately, iOS doesn’t offer a built-in feature to close all apps simultaneously. You’ll have to swipe them away individually. However, the multi-finger swipe on iPads without a Home button can speed up the process significantly.

6. What does “Background App Refresh” do, and should I turn it off?

Background App Refresh allows apps to update their content even when you’re not actively using them. This can be useful for staying up-to-date with news, social media, or email. However, it can also consume battery and data. To manage it, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh. You can disable it entirely, enable it only for Wi-Fi, or customize it on a per-app basis.

7. How do I troubleshoot an app that keeps crashing?

First, try the standard procedure: close the app using the App Switcher. If that doesn’t work, force quit the app. If the crashes persist, try restarting your iPad. As a last resort, consider deleting and reinstalling the app. Ensure your iPad is running the latest version of iOS, and the app is the latest version available from the App Store.

8. Does closing an app delete my data?

No. Closing an app, whether by suspending it or force quitting it, does not delete your data. Your data is stored independently of the app’s running state. However, if an app is malfunctioning and causing data loss, that’s a separate issue that requires further investigation.

9. How does closing apps affect iPad performance?

Closing apps can sometimes improve performance, especially if an app is consuming excessive resources or causing conflicts with other apps. However, as mentioned earlier, excessively closing apps can also negatively impact performance by forcing the iPad to reload them frequently. Monitor your iPad’s performance and only close apps that are demonstrably causing problems.

10. Can I prevent certain apps from running in the background?

Yes, you can manage which apps are allowed to refresh in the background using the Background App Refresh settings (Settings > General > Background App Refresh). Disabling this for specific apps can prevent them from consuming battery and data when you’re not actively using them.

11. My iPad is frozen. How do I close apps in this situation?

If your iPad is completely frozen, you might not be able to access the App Switcher. In this case, try a force restart. The method for force restarting varies depending on your iPad model:

iPads with a Home button: Press and hold both the Home button and the Top (or Side) button simultaneously until the Apple logo appears.
iPads without a Home button: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button, press and quickly release the Volume Down button, then press and hold the Top (or Side) button until the Apple logo appears.

12. I have too many apps. Any tips for organizing them effectively?

Organization is key! Use folders to group related apps together. Create a “Productivity” folder, a “Games” folder, a “Social Media” folder, and so on. Also, consider using the App Library (introduced in iPadOS 14) to automatically organize your apps into categories. You can then move less frequently used apps to the App Library to keep your Home Screens clean and clutter-free. Finally, regularly review your apps and delete any that you no longer use. Digital minimalism can lead to a more streamlined and enjoyable iPad experience.