The fastest way to close an app on Samsung tablets
To close an app on a Samsung tablet, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold for a moment. This opens the recent apps view. Find the app you want to close, then swipe it up and off the screen. The app closes when ready.
If swiping does not work on your model, press and hold the recent apps button — the square icon at the bottom right of your screen — then swipe the unwanted app upward. On older Samsung tablets, you may see an X button in the corner of each app card; tap it to close that app instead.
You can also close an app by opening Settings, going to Apps, selecting the app you want to close, and tapping Force Stop. This method is slower but works if the app is frozen or not responding to the swipe gesture.
Key Takeaways
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold to see your recent apps, then swipe any app upward to close it.
- The recent apps button (square icon at the bottom right) opens the same view if the swipe gesture does not work on your tablet.
- Force Stop in Settings stops an app completely and clears it from memory, useful when an app is frozen or draining battery.
- Closing apps does not delete them; they remain installed and can be opened again from your home screen or app drawer.
Using the recent apps view on Samsung tablets
The recent apps view shows all the apps you have opened recently, stacked like cards. To open it, swipe up from the bottom edge of your screen and pause for about half a second. The view appears with your most recently used apps at the top.
Once the recent apps view is open, you can swipe any app card upward to close it. You can close one app at a time this way, or close all open apps at once by tapping the "Close all" button, usually located at the bottom of the screen. Closing all apps at once is useful if your tablet feels slow or you want to start fresh.
The recent apps view also lets you switch between open apps without closing them. Tap any app card to jump back into that app. This is faster than closing an app and reopening it from your home screen.
Closing frozen or unresponsive apps
If an app stops responding or freezes, swiping it away may not work. In this case, use Force Stop. Open Settings, tap Apps, then find the frozen app in the list and tap it. On the app details page, tap Force Stop. This command tells your tablet to shut down the app completely and clear it from memory.
Force Stop is more aggressive than a normal close. It stops the app even if it is in the middle of a task, so use it only when an app is not responding. After you Force Stop an app, you can open it again normally from your home screen, and it will start fresh.
If an app keeps freezing, you can also clear its cache from the same Settings menu. Tap Storage, then tap Clear Cache. This removes temporary files the app created and sometimes fixes performance problems without uninstalling the app.
The difference between closing and uninstalling
Closing an app stops it from running but leaves it installed on your tablet. You can open it again anytime from your home screen or app drawer. Uninstalling removes the app entirely from your device.
Most of the time you want to close, not uninstall. Close an app when you are done using it and want to free up memory. Uninstall an app only if you no longer want it on your tablet at all. If you uninstall by mistake, you can read it again from the Google Play Store.
When to close apps and when to leave them running
You do not need to close every app you open. Modern Samsung tablets manage memory well, and closing apps does not significantly extend battery life. Close an app if it is draining battery, using too much memory, or if you straightforward want to clean up your recent apps list.
Some apps, like messaging or email, work better when left running in the background because they can receive notifications and sync new messages. Closing these apps means you will miss notifications until you open them again. Check the notification settings for each app to decide whether it should stay open or be closed when you are not using it.
If your tablet feels slow or sluggish, closing all open apps and restarting your device often helps more than closing individual apps. Restarting clears memory completely and gives your tablet a fresh start.
Keyboard shortcuts and alternative methods
On Samsung tablets with a keyboard case or external keyboard, you can use keyboard shortcuts to close apps. Press Alt + F4 to close the current app, or press the Home button to return to your home screen (which also closes the current app).
If you use Samsung DeX mode — which lets you use your tablet like a desktop computer — you can close apps by clicking the X button in the top corner of the app window, just like on a computer. This method is only available when DeX is active.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does closing apps save battery on my Samsung tablet?
Closing apps has a small effect on battery life. The bigger battery drain usually comes from apps running in the background or using location services. If battery is your main concern, check Settings > Battery and Device Care to see which apps are using the most power, then close or uninstall the heavy users.
What happens if I close an app while it is saving a file?
If an app is in the middle of saving, closing it may cause the file to save incompletely or not at all. Most apps warn you before closing if you have unsaved work. If you see a warning, tap Cancel and let the app finish saving before you close it.
Can I close multiple apps at once?
Yes. Open the recent apps view by swiping up from the bottom, then tap "Close all" at the bottom of the screen. This closes all open apps at once. You can also swipe multiple apps upward one at a time if you want to keep some apps open.
Why does my app reopen after I close it?
Some apps are set to start automatically when you turn on your tablet or when certain conditions are met. If an app keeps reopening, open Settings > Apps, find the app, and tap Disable or Uninstall. If you cannot disable it, the app may be a system app that came with your tablet.
Is it bad to leave apps running all the time?
Leaving apps running uses memory and can slow down your tablet over time. If you notice your tablet getting sluggish, close unused apps and restart your device. You do not need to close every app when ready, but closing apps you are not using helps keep your tablet running smoothly.