For years, one persistent tech myth has shaped how millions of people use their devices — even though experts say it’s simply not true. Despite constant debunking, it continues spreading through social media posts, office conversations, and well-meaning advice from friends. Here’s what specialists want you to stop believing — and what the science actually says.
The Myth: Closing Background Apps Saves Your Battery
It’s one of the most widespread pieces of smartphone “wisdom”: if your battery is draining too fast, swipe away all your background apps. Many users treat this as a daily ritual, convinced it will extend battery life and make their device run faster.
But according to engineers and mobile system designers, this habit often does the opposite.
Why the Myth Persists
The misconception is partly psychological. When users see a long list of apps in the multitasking tray, it feels like those apps must be running and consuming power. The visual cue creates a false sense of overload, reinforcing the idea that clearing them is a necessary cleanup step.
Another factor: years ago, early smartphones did struggle with multitasking, so closing apps manually could help. But that hasn’t been true for more than a decade.
What Experts Say Is Really Happening
Modern operating systems like iOS and Android work very differently from computers. When you swipe away apps:
• They are often forced to fully restart when reopened
• The restart process requires more energy than keeping the app paused in memory
• The system already limits background activity automatically
Battery researchers confirm that apps in the multitasking screen are usually in a frozen or suspended state — meaning they’re not actively using power.
“Smartphones are designed to manage memory on their own. Closing apps repeatedly can actually increase battery usage because the phone needs to reload everything from scratch,” explains one mobile performance analyst.
What You Should Do Instead
If your battery is draining quickly, these steps are more effective:
• Lower screen brightness or enable auto-brightness
• Restrict location access for apps that don’t need it
• Disable push notifications from low-priority apps
• Turn off Bluetooth or Wi-Fi when not in use
• Check battery settings to see which apps are using the most power
Experts emphasize that one background process — the display — is often the biggest drain. Focusing on that has a far greater impact than clearing apps.
The Bigger Truth: Let Your Phone Do the Work
Today’s smartphones are built to self-optimize. Whether it’s managing RAM, closing dormant apps, or limiting background tasks, the operating system is constantly making decisions to keep the device running efficiently.
Manual “maintenance” habits, many of which come from outdated advice, aren’t just unnecessary — they can harm performance over time.
Bottom Line
The myth that closing background apps saves battery life is more fiction than fact. And while it can feel satisfying to swipe everything away, experts say it’s time to let go of that ritual. Trust the software, adjust the settings that actually matter, and let your phone handle the rest.
7 years in the field, from local radio to digital newsrooms. Loves chasing the stories that matter to everyday Aussies – whether it’s climate, cost of living or the next big thing in tech.
