January 07 2025
Apple has issued guidance to iPhone users, advising against the habitual force-closing of apps, a practice commonly believed to enhance device performance and extend battery life. Contrary to popular belief, manually closing apps by swiping them away can negatively impact battery efficiency. Apple clarifies that apps displayed in the app switcher are in a suspended state and are not actively consuming system resources. Force-quitting these apps necessitates a complete restart upon reopening, which demands more energy than resuming from suspension.
The misconception that closing apps conserves battery life is widespread among users. However, Apple recommends force-closing an app only when it becomes unresponsive. Regularly closing apps can lead to increased battery drain and may degrade the overall user experience.
To genuinely enhance battery performance, Apple suggests alternative strategies:
- **Adjust Screen Brightness**: Lowering the screen brightness or enabling auto-brightness can significantly reduce battery consumption. Users can activate auto-brightness by navigating to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and toggling on Auto-Brightness.
- **Utilize Wi-Fi**: Connecting to Wi-Fi networks instead of relying on cellular data can decrease battery usage, as Wi-Fi consumes less power.
- **Enable Low Power Mode**: This feature reduces background activity and lowers power consumption. It can be activated via Settings > Battery or by adding it to the Control Center for quick access.
Over time, iPhone batteries experience natural degradation, typically retaining about 80% of their original capacity after approximately 500 charge cycles, equating to around two years of usage. Users noticing significant battery decline are advised to consider a battery replacement. Apple offers battery replacement services, which are more cost-effective than purchasing a new device and can restore optimal performance.
In summary, Apple emphasizes that force-closing apps is unnecessary for battery conservation and may, in fact, be counterproductive. Adhering to recommended practices like adjusting screen brightness, utilizing Wi-Fi, and enabling Low Power Mode are more effective methods for maintaining battery health and ensuring a seamless user experience.
