The fastest way to quit an app on Apple TV

To close an app on Apple TV, swipe up from the bottom of the Siri Remote touchpad, then swipe left or right to find the app you want to close, and swipe down on it. The app will disappear from the screen and close completely. This works on all Apple TV models running tvOS 12 and later.

If you have an older Apple TV remote without a touchpad (the aluminum remote), press and hold the Menu button while the app is open. A menu will appear at the top of the screen showing recently used apps. You can then navigate to the app and press the Menu button again to close it.

Most of the time you do not need to manually close apps on Apple TV. The system manages memory automatically and will close apps running in the background when it needs space. However, closing an app can help if it is frozen, using too much power, or behaving strangely.

Key Takeaways

  • Swipe up from the bottom of the Siri Remote touchpad to see your open apps, then swipe down on the one you want to close.
  • On older aluminum remotes, hold the Menu button to see open apps, then press Menu again on the app you want to quit.
  • Apple TV automatically closes apps in the background, so you rarely need to manually quit them unless an app is frozen or misbehaving.
  • Closing an app completely stops it from running, which can free up memory and battery power on your Apple TV device.

Using the app switcher on the Siri Remote

The app switcher is the easiest way to see and close apps on newer Apple TV models. While you are in any app, place your thumb on the Siri Remote touchpad and swipe upward from the bottom edge. You will see a row of recently used apps appear at the bottom of the screen, with the current app highlighted.

Once the app switcher is open, swipe left or right across the touchpad to move between apps. The app name will appear above each icon as you highlight it. When you find the app you want to close, swipe downward on the touchpad. The app will close when ready and you will return to the home screen or the app you were using before.

You can close multiple apps in a row without returning to the home screen. straightforward keep the app switcher open, move to the next app, swipe down, and repeat. This is faster than closing one app and waiting for the home screen to load.

Closing apps on older Apple TV remotes

If you have an Apple TV with the aluminum remote (the older model without a touchpad), the process is different. While the app is open, press and hold the Menu button for about one second. A menu bar will appear at the top of the screen showing your recently used apps.

Use the clickpad or directional buttons to navigate left and right through the list of open apps. When you highlight the app you want to close, press the Menu button once. The app will close and you will return to the home screen or the previous app.

The aluminum remote menu can feel slower than the touchpad method, but it works reliably on older hardware. If you find yourself closing apps often, upgrading to a Siri Remote with a touchpad will make the process noticeably faster.

When to manually close an app

Apple TV is designed to manage apps in the background without your help. When you switch away from an app, it pauses and uses very little power. The system will automatically close apps if it needs memory for something else. In normal use, you will never need to manually quit an app.

Close an app manually if it stops responding to your remote, if the picture freezes, or if buttons do not work. Closing and reopening the app often fixes these problems. You should also close an app if it is draining battery power unusually fast or if the Apple TV is running slowly overall.

If an app crashes or closes on its own, you do not need to do anything. straightforward open it again when you are ready to use it. The system has already cleaned up after the crash.

Restarting your Apple TV if apps won't close

If an app will not close using the normal method, or if multiple apps are frozen, restart your Apple TV. Go to Settings, then select System, then Restart. The device will shut down and turn back on, which clears the memory and stops all running apps.

A restart usually takes 30 seconds to one minute. During this time, the Apple TV logo will appear on your screen. Do not unplug the device or press buttons while it is restarting. Wait until the home screen appears before using it again.

If your Apple TV is completely unresponsive and will not restart through the menu, unplug it from power for 10 seconds, then plug it back in. This is a hard reset and will force the device to shut down and start fresh. Use this method only if the normal restart does not work.

Checking which apps are running in the background

You can see which apps are currently open by opening the app switcher. Swipe up from the bottom of the Siri Remote touchpad (or hold Menu on an aluminum remote) to see the row of recently used apps. These are the apps that are currently running or were recently closed.

The order of apps in the switcher shows which ones you used most recently. The app on the far left is the one you were using before you opened the current app. This makes it straightforward to switch back and forth between two apps without returning to the home screen.

Apps that do not appear in the switcher are not running. They are only loaded when you open them from the home screen. Closing apps that are not in the switcher will not change anything because they are already inactive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to close apps on Apple TV to save battery?

No. Apps that are not in use consume almost no battery power on Apple TV. The system automatically pauses them and puts them into a low-power state. Manually closing apps will not noticeably extend battery life unless an app is actively misbehaving or using power when it should not be.

What happens if I force close an app while I'm watching something?

The app will stop when ready and you will return to the home screen or the previous app. Any unsaved progress in the app you closed will be lost. Most streaming apps save your place automatically, so you can usually pick up where you left off when you open the app again.

Can I close multiple apps at once?

No, Apple TV does not have a way to close all apps at once. You must close them one at a time using the app switcher. If you want to stop all apps quickly, restart your Apple TV through Settings instead.

Why does my app keep closing on its own?

Apps close automatically when the system needs memory for something else, or if the app encounters an error. If an app crashes repeatedly, try restarting your Apple TV, updating the app through the App Store, or reinstalling it. If the problem continues, contact the app developer for support.

Is there a way to prevent an app from running in the background?

Apple TV does not have a setting to block background app activity. However, you can close an app manually whenever you are done using it. Apps do not consume meaningful power when paused, so preventing background activity will not improve performance.