How To Close Apps On Apple Tv

Tips
1

I’m new to using an Apple TV and I’m not sure I’m closing apps the right way. I’ve noticed some apps seem to lag or freeze after a while, and I’m wondering if it’s because I’m just backing out to the Home screen instead of actually closing them. Can someone explain the correct steps to fully close apps on Apple TV and if it really helps with performance?

2

On Apple TV, going back to the Home screen does not fully close the app. It keeps it in the background. If stuff is lagging or freezing, closing it from the app switcher helps.

Here is how to do it on newer Apple TV remotes with the clickpad:

  1. Press the TV/Home button once to go to the Home screen.
  2. Double‑press the TV/Home button quickly.
  3. You will see a row of app cards.
  4. Swipe left or right on the clickpad to find the app you want to close.
  5. Swipe up on the clickpad to “throw” that app off the top of the screen. That closes it.
  6. Press the TV/Home button again to return to the Home screen.

On the older Siri Remote with a glass touch surface, same idea:

  1. Press Home to go Home.
  2. Double‑press Home.
  3. Swipe left or right.
  4. Swipe up on the app to close it.

A few tips from my own mess with this:

• If an app freezes, force close it like above, then reopen. Fixes most issues.
• If the whole box starts lagging, hold Menu and TV/Home together for about 5–10 seconds to restart the Apple TV.
• You do not need to close every app every time. tvOS handles memory on its own.
• Focus on closing only the ones that misbehave, like streaming apps that stutter or crash.

If you still see lag after doing that, check:

• Software update in Settings > System > Software Updates.
• Network speed, for example with the Speedtest app or another device on the same Wi‑Fi. Streaming apps often stutter when download drops under ~10 Mbps for HD or under ~25 Mbps for 4K.

So you are not doing anything “wrong” by going to Home. For day‑to‑day use that is fine. Use the app switcher close when something acts up or feels stuck.

3

You’re not crazy, Apple TV app behavior is just a bit… opaque.

Backing out to the Home screen does not fully close the app, but honestly, that’s usually fine. tvOS is designed so you mostly just hop between apps and let it manage memory. Constantly force-closing everything (like some folks do on iPhone) can actually make things slower because each relaunch has to fully reload.

@cacadordeestrelas already nailed the app-switcher method for force-closing. Instead of repeating that, I’ll throw in some “when” and “what else” tips:

When to actually bother closing apps:

  • An app is frozen and won’t respond to any buttons
  • Audio keeps playing after you leave the app
  • Video is stuttering while the rest of the system is snappy
  • App is stuck on a black screen or endless loading

If it’s just a tiny bit laggy once in a while, I’d not force-close immediately. Try this order instead:

  1. Pause a sec on the Home screen
    Give it a few seconds there. Sometimes the system finishes background tasks and things smooth out.

  2. Open a different app briefly
    Weirdly, hopping into another app and back can “kick” the first one into behaving again without force-closing it.

  3. Restart the app only if it’s clearly misbehaving
    Use the app switcher close like described above. That’s your “kill switch,” not your routine exit.

  4. If multiple apps are lagging
    Here I slightly disagree with the habit of closing a bunch of apps one by one. Instead:

    • Go to Settings > System > Restart
      or
    • Unplug the Apple TV for 10–15 seconds, plug it back in
      A full restart can clear out glitchy system-level stuff better than nuking 5 different apps.

  5. Check storage if you’re using the 32 GB models
    Go to Settings > General > Manage Storage. Huge games or bloated apps can get autounloaded and reloaded, which feels like freezing sometimes. Deleting junk you don’t use can help.

  6. Turn off “Background App Refresh” where possible
    Some apps constantly ping servers or cache artwork. If they offer any settings to limit that, it can reduce lag over time.

Key idea:

  • Going Home = app paused, still in memory
  • App switcher swipe-up = force close, only needed when there’s a problem
  • Full restart = use when lots of things feel slow, not just one cranky app

So no, you’re not “using it wrong” by just going to the Home screen. For normal use that’s exactly what Apple expects you to do. Reserve the force-close trick for the apps that are clearly acting like toddlers who missed nap time.