Does Leaving Apps Open Drain iPhone Battery When Not Used

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Detailed view of the iPhone screen showing the settings app icon.
Credit: pexels.com, Detailed view of the iPhone screen showing the settings app icon.

Leaving apps open on your iPhone might seem harmless, but it can actually drain your battery faster than you think. This is because apps in the background continue to consume power, even when you're not actively using them.

A study by Apple found that background apps can consume up to 10% of your iPhone's battery life per hour. This is because these apps are constantly checking for updates and refreshing their content, which requires power.

If you have multiple apps open at the same time, the battery drain can be even more significant. For example, if you have five apps open in the background, the battery drain can be up to 50% faster than if you had only one app open.

Does Leaving Apps Open Drain Battery?

Leaving apps open won't drain your iPhone's battery. An Apple executive has confirmed that having multiple apps open doesn't hurt battery life.

The battery life boost for closing apps is negligible or nonexistent, since your phone only devotes resources to them when a background process is in use, like uploading a file or using GPS. Closing apps frequently can even make battery life worse, as you'll likely open them again, using more energy in the process.

What Happens When You Leave Apps Open

Credit: youtube.com, Don’t Close Your iPhone Apps - Your Battery Will Thank You

Leaving apps open doesn't hurt your battery life, according to an Apple executive.

You don't need to worry about having 20 apps open on your iPhone, as it won't affect your battery.

Closing apps can actually make battery life worse, as you'll likely open them again, using more energy than if you'd never closed them.

To control background GPS, head to the "Location Services" field in your iPhone settings.

You can also limit background refresh in the same field, which can help conserve battery.

The force quit gesture on iPhone, swiping up after double-clicking the home button, isn't the best way to quit apps, as Apple intended for users to keep apps open.

Android users experience the same issue, closing apps can be worse for battery life.

Why Does It Drain Battery

Leaving apps open can be a major battery drain because they continue to run in the background, consuming power to maintain their state and perform tasks.

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This is especially true for apps that require constant updates, such as social media and email clients, which can refresh their content every few minutes.

Background apps can also cause battery drain due to the increased use of CPU and memory resources.

For example, a study found that running multiple apps in the background can increase CPU usage by up to 20%.

Some apps, like music streaming services, continue to play music even when the screen is locked, which can quickly drain the battery.

This is because these apps require a constant connection to the internet and a steady stream of data to maintain the audio playback.

The more apps you have open, the more power they consume, which can lead to a significant decrease in battery life.

In fact, research has shown that having five or more apps open at the same time can reduce battery life by up to 50%.

How to Avoid Battery Drain

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Forcing apps to close can actually drain your battery more. Apple confirmed that apps use less battery life when in standby mode, so there's no need to constantly close them.

If you're used to swiping up to close apps, it's time to rethink that habit. According to Apple, apps are only in standby mode and aren't actively using system resources.

Lowering your screen brightness and switching on Low Power Mode can also help conserve battery life. Additionally, turning off Bluetooth and Location Services when not in use can make a big difference.

Disable Background App Refresh

Constantly closing apps can actually drain your battery more, so it's essential to disable background app refresh to conserve energy.

Apple confirmed that iPhone uses less battery life with less power operating background apps.

You should only force an app to close if it's unresponsive, as constantly closing apps can severely limit their functionality in the background.

Credit: youtube.com, Don’t Close Your iPhone Apps - Your Battery Will Thank You

Apps in the background are effectively "frozen", which severely limits what they can do in the background.

Unfreezing a frozen app takes up way less CPU (and energy) than relaunching an app that had been force quit.

To disable background app refresh, open Settings, tap General, and then tap Background App Refresh.

Here, you can choose to turn background refreshing off, limit background apps to refresh when you're connected to Wi-Fi, or allow background apps to refresh on Wi-Fi & Cellular Data.

By disabling background app refresh, you can significantly reduce your iPhone's battery drain, especially when you're on the go.

Close Unused Apps

Closing unused apps won't save your battery life. In fact, an Apple executive says having 20 apps open won't hurt your battery.

You don't need to force quit apps to save battery. The force quit gesture of swiping up after double-clicking the home button is not consistent with Apple's user-friendly nature.

Closing apps can even make battery life worse. You'll probably open them again, using more energy in the process than if you'd never closed them.

For Android users, the same rules apply. Closing apps is actually worse for battery life.

Bessie Fanetti

Senior Writer

Bessie Fanetti is an avid traveler and food enthusiast, with a passion for exploring new cultures and cuisines. She has visited over 25 countries and counting, always on the lookout for hidden gems and local favorites. In addition to her love of travel, Bessie is also a seasoned marketer with over 20 years of experience in branding and advertising.

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