The fastest way to close an app

To close an app on a Samsung Galaxy tablet, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold for a moment. A panel showing your open apps will appear. Find the app you want to close, then swipe it up and off the screen. The app closes when ready.

This method works on most Samsung Galaxy tablets running Android 9 and newer. If you have an older model, you may see a different screen layout, but the swipe-up gesture is still the standard way to access your open apps.

You can also close multiple apps at once by swiping up on each one in succession, or by tapping "Close all" if that option appears at the bottom of the apps panel.

Key Takeaways

  • Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold to see all open apps, then swipe each app upward to close it.
  • You can close one app at a time or use a "Close all" button if your tablet offers it.
  • Closing apps frees up memory and can help your tablet run faster if it feels sluggish.
  • Some apps continue running in the background even after you close them; turning off background activity in Settings stops this.

Using the Settings menu to stop background activity

Closing an app from the screen does not always stop it from running in the background. If an app is using battery or slowing down your tablet even after you close it, you can prevent it from running at all through Settings.

Open Settings, then tap Apps or process Manager (the name varies by model). Find the app in the list, tap it, and look for a "Force stop" button. Tapping this button stops the app completely and prevents it from restarting on its own.

Be careful with system apps — apps that came with your tablet. Force-stopping them can cause problems. Stick to apps you installed yourself, like games, social media, or messaging apps.

Clearing the recent apps list

If you want to remove an app from your recent apps list without necessarily closing it, you can do that too. Swipe up from the bottom to open the apps panel, then press and hold on the app you want to remove. A menu will appear with options including "Remove from recents" or "App info."

Removing an app from recents does not close it or uninstall it — it just clears it from the list you see when you swipe up. The app remains on your tablet and can still run in the background.

What to do if an app is frozen or not responding

Sometimes an app stops responding and will not close normally. If swiping it away does not work, go to Settings, then Apps or process Manager. Find the frozen app, tap it, and select "Force stop."

After force-stopping, wait a few seconds, then open the app again. It should restart fresh. If the app continues to freeze, try clearing its cache: in the app's Settings page, look for "Storage" or "Cache" and tap "Clear cache." This removes temporary files the app created without deleting your data inside the app.

If clearing the cache does not help, you can uninstall and reinstall the app. Go to the app's Settings page and tap "Uninstall," then read it again from the Google Play Store.

Checking which apps are using the most battery

If your tablet battery drains quickly, some apps may be running constantly in the background. To see which ones, open Settings and search for "Battery" or "Battery usage." Tap the result to see a list of apps ranked by how much battery they have used.

Apps at the top of the list are using the most power. If you see an app you do not use often, you can force-stop it or uninstall it. For apps you want to keep but that use a lot of battery, go to Settings, then Apps, find the app, and look for "Battery" or "Power saving" options to limit its background activity.

Restarting your tablet if it feels slow

If closing apps does not speed up your tablet, a full restart often helps. Press and hold the power button until a menu appears, then tap "Power off" or "Restart." Wait for the tablet to shut down completely, then press the power button again to turn it back on.

A restart clears your tablet's memory and stops all apps, even ones that were running in the background. This is the most thorough way to clean up if your tablet feels sluggish or unresponsive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does closing an app delete my data?

No. Closing an app does not delete any data you saved inside it. Messages, photos, notes, and other content remain on your tablet. Only uninstalling an app removes it completely, and even then, some apps back up their data to the cloud.

Will closing apps make my battery last longer?

Closing apps you are not using can help, especially if they were running in the background. However, most modern tablets manage background apps automatically. The biggest battery drain usually comes from screen brightness and apps that constantly sync data, like email or social media.

What is the difference between closing an app and force-stopping it?

Closing an app (swiping it away) removes it from your screen, but it may still run in the background. Force-stopping it through Settings stops it completely and prevents it from restarting on its own. Force-stop is stronger and should only be used when an app is frozen or misbehaving.

Can I close multiple apps at once?

Yes. Swipe up from the bottom to open the apps panel, then swipe up on each app you want to close. Some tablets also show a "Close all" button at the bottom of the panel that closes every open app at once.

Why does an app keep running even after I close it?

Many apps are designed to run in the background so they can send notifications, sync data, or stay ready to use. If you want to stop this, go to Settings, find the app, and tap "Force stop." You can also turn off background activity in the app's own settings menu.