How to close apps on Apple Watch [Troubleshooting]

Just like on your iPhone or iPad, your Apple Watch also lets you close or force some open apps to shut down. While other devices don’t need to terminate apps after you’ve finished using, the function is important to try to troubleshoot operating or crashes.

How to close apps on Apple Watch

1. With your Apple Watch unlocked, press the side button to open the Dock;
2. When you see the app you want to close, drag to the left;
3. Tap the X to close it.

The Dock displays recent or pinned apps. Like on your iPhone, it’s a shortcut to make it easier to access frequently used apps.

How to resolve crashes or in-app issues

Another scenario is that the application has stalled or is not working as it should. At this point, Apple recommends trying some processes to resolve the issue. The first is to force application termination:

1. With the app open, keep the side button pressed until the power options appear;
2. When you see the option to turn off, hold down the digital crown until the app is closed.

The entire watch may also hang without even showing power options when holding down the side button. If it gets to this point, the solution is hard reset (or forced reboot). To do this, you need to hold the side button and digital crown for about 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears on the screen, indicating that the watch has been restarted.

System or app bugs are responsible for constant errors and crashes, Apple recommends that the user check for pending updates —both from the app and watchOS—to try to resolve.

If there are no pending updates, the last attempt is to uninstall and reinstall the app or restore your Apple Watch.