I just purchased an IPad 13 air and managed to get it set up. However, I can’t close apps. I know how to do it because I’ve done it for years on my iPad Pro. I can get all the apps open by swiping up from the bottom, but then I can’t get the apps to go up and close. They don’t move. I tried the force restart. Any ideas?
iPad Air, iPadOS 26
There is generally no reason (or benefit) to force close an App that is operating normally. Due to the design of iOS/iPadOS, Apps consume virtually no system resources when they are dormant. Force closing and relaunching an App is also not power efficient; relaunching an App requires the App to be fully re-initialised, whereas resuming from a saved state requires significantly less power.
If you need to force-close an App, swipe upwards from the bottom edge to the centre of the screen - and pause briefly before lifting your finger from the screen. This will open the App switcher page - that will show a thumbnail image of each of your open (but not necessarily running) Apps. To force-close an App, swipe the corresponding thumbnail off the top of the screen.
If your iPad is not operating as expected, try a forced-restart - as this will often clear an isolated software issue:
Force restart iPad (models with Face ID or with Touch ID in the top button)
If your iPad doesn’t have the Home button, do the following:
If the problem persists after performing the restart, it may be necessary to reset your iPad settings. While this reset will not cause any loss of data, as a precaution, it is always wise to ensure that you have a current iCloud or iTunes backup before performing the reset:
How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support
When you are happy to proceed, you can perform the reset from iPad settings:
Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset > Reset All Settings
If the problem still doesn’t clear, the next step is to reset the iPad to factory settings:
Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support
Otherwise, you would be best advised to seek assistance directly from Apple Support. You can contact the Support Team using the Support link at top-right or bottom-left of this page. Alternatively and perhaps easier, you can initiate and manage your support cases using the excellent Apple Support App. If not already installed on your iPad, the App can be downloaded from the App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-support/id1130498044
You might also visit the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store or Apple Authorised Service Provider (AASP) - where the technicians will be able to assist with troubleshooting:
Cannot close apps on new iPad Air
