How to Force Close a Frozen App on iPhone or Android

When an app stops responding or freezes on your phone, force-closing it and reopening usually fixes the problem immediately.

In this guide (5 steps):

1.Force close on iPhone (with Face ID — no Home button)
2.Force close on iPhone (with Home button)
3.Force close on Android
4.Reopen the app
5.If the app keeps freezing

Force close on iPhone (with Face ID — no Home button)

~29s

Swipe up slowly from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle — this opens the app switcher showing all your open apps as cards. Find the frozen app's card. Press and hold it briefly until a red minus circle appears, then tap the minus circle to close it. Or swipe the card upward to close it.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: You can also swipe up on app cards in the switcher without the long press — just flick them upward off the screen.

Force close on iPhone (with Home button)

~15s

Double-click the Home button quickly — this opens the app switcher. You'll see all your open apps as cards. Swipe the frozen app's card upward to close it.

Force close on Android

~18s

Tap the square (or three-line) button at the bottom of your screen — this is the "Recent apps" button. You'll see your open apps as cards. Swipe the frozen app card to the left or right (or up, depending on your phone) to close it. Or tap "Close all" to close everything at once.

Reopen the app

~15s

After closing, go back to your home screen and tap the app icon to reopen it. In most cases, the app will open normally and the problem will be resolved.

If the app keeps freezing

~19s

If an app freezes repeatedly: make sure it's updated (go to the App Store or Play Store and check for updates), try restarting your phone entirely, or delete and reinstall the app. Persistent problems with a specific app should be reported to the app developer — look for a "Help" or "Feedback" option inside the app.

You Did It!

You've completed: How to Force Close a Frozen App on iPhone or Android

Need more help? Get Expert Help from a TekSure Tech

Apps freeze sometimes — they stop responding to touches, the screen goes blank, or the app seems stuck. The fix is almost always to force-close the app (which is different from just pressing the Home button) and reopen it. Force-closing completely shuts down the app's process, clearing whatever got stuck.

This is a quick fix worth knowing because it works for most frozen or misbehaving apps on both iPhone and Android. It takes about five seconds and doesn't affect your data or settings in the app.

Rate this guide

How helpful was this guide?

force close app

frozen app

iphone

android

unresponsive app