The fastest way to quit an app on Apple TV
To quit an app on Apple TV, press and hold the Menu button on your remote while the app is open, then swipe up on the touchpad and release. The app will close when ready and return you to the home screen. This works on all Apple TV models running tvOS 9 and later.
If you're using an older Siri Remote (the aluminum one from 2015), the Menu button is the physical button at the top of the remote. On the newer Siri Remote with a clickpad (released 2021 and later), the Menu button is still at the top—it's the button with three horizontal lines. Either way, the gesture is the same: hold Menu, swipe up on the touchpad, and release.
You don't need to force-quit apps on Apple TV the way you might on an iPhone. The system manages background apps efficiently, so closing an app this way is the normal, intended method.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold the Menu button on your remote while inside any app, then swipe up on the touchpad to close it.
- This method works on all current Apple TV models and is the standard way to quit apps—you don't need to force-quit.
- The Menu button is at the top of your remote on both the older aluminum Siri Remote and the newer clickpad version.
- Closed apps return you to the home screen, and Apple TV manages background processes automatically so you rarely need to manually close anything.
Why you might want to close an app
Most of the time, you don't need to close apps on Apple TV. Unlike phones, Apple TV is designed to run one app at a time, and the system automatically manages memory and power. Switching to a different app or returning to the home screen is usually enough.
You might want to close an app if it's frozen or not responding, if you want to completely stop a streaming service from running in the background, or if you're troubleshooting a problem. Closing and reopening an app can sometimes fix minor glitches like audio dropping out or the picture freezing.
What happens when you close an app
When you quit an app using the Menu button and swipe-up gesture, the app stops running and you return to the home screen. Any unsaved progress within the app may be lost, though most streaming apps (Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney+) automatically save your place in a show or movie.
The app itself remains installed on your Apple TV. Closing it doesn't remove it from your device—it just stops it from running. If you want to remove an app permanently, you would delete it from the home screen by pressing and holding the app icon and selecting "Remove" or "Delete."
If an app won't close normally
If holding Menu and swiping up doesn't work, the app may be frozen. Try the gesture again, but wait a few seconds after swiping up before releasing. If the app still doesn't respond, restart your Apple TV by going to Settings > System > Restart.
Restarting Apple TV takes about 30 seconds and will close all running apps. This is the closest thing to a force-quit on Apple TV, and it solves most problems where an app is completely unresponsive. After the restart, your Apple TV will return to the home screen, and you can open the app again.
Differences between Apple TV models
The quit gesture is the same across all Apple TV models, but the remote design changed in 2021. If you have an Apple TV 4K (2nd generation) or later, or an Apple TV HD (2021 or later), your remote has a clickpad in the center and the Menu button at the top. If you have an older model, your remote is aluminum with a touch surface, and the Menu button is still at the top.
Regardless of which remote you have, the process is identical: Menu button held down, swipe up on the touchpad or touch surface, then release. The location and feel of the button might differ slightly, but the action works the same way.
Switching between apps without closing
You don't have to close an app to open another one. straightforward press the TV/Home button (the button with the Apple TV logo) to return to the home screen, then select a different app. The previous app will pause in the background, and you can return to it later by selecting it again from the home screen or from your recently used apps.
This is actually the preferred method on Apple TV because it's faster and the system handles multiple paused apps without any performance issues. You only need to actively close an app if it's misbehaving or if you want to may support it's completely stopped.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does closing an app on Apple TV save my progress?
Most apps, especially streaming services, automatically save your place. Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney+, and similar apps remember where you stopped watching. However, games and some other apps may not save progress if you close them without saving first, so check the app's settings if you're unsure.
Will closing apps make my Apple TV faster?
Probably not noticeably. Apple TV manages background apps efficiently, and closing one app won't significantly speed up your device. If your Apple TV feels slow, restarting it is more effective than closing individual apps. Restart from Settings > System > Restart.
What's the difference between closing an app and deleting it?
Closing an app stops it from running but keeps it installed on your device. Deleting an app removes it completely from your Apple TV. To delete, press and hold the app icon on the home screen and select "Remove" or "Delete." You can always reinstall it later from the App Store.
Can I close multiple apps at once?
No, you can only close the app that's currently open. Return to the home screen first, then open the next app you want to close. Apple TV runs one app at a time, so there's no way to close multiple apps simultaneously.
Why won't the Menu button work to close my app?
The app may be frozen. Try the gesture again and wait a few seconds. If it still doesn't work, restart your Apple TV from Settings > System > Restart. This will close all apps and usually fixes unresponsive behavior.