How to close apps without pressing the home button

[Towle]

I am new to Apple products, and am not very familiar with how they work. One thing I have noticed that really bothers me, is that the only way (that I have found) to leave an application is to press the home button, which doesn't even close the app because when you go back into it, you are exactly where you left off. The part of it that bothers me the most is when I'm already using one app (ie. notes) and then want to look something up in Safari, after I'm done using Safari I have to press the home button which closes out of Safari AND notes, so I have to go back and re-open the notes app.

Is there any way to actually CLOSE the app you are in, without going all the way "home"?

 

[gibby71]

You can double tap the home button. That will bring up all the app you have run with the most recent apps to the left. You can select the other app you want to go to. If you want to remove an app from the list just hold your finger on the app until they wiggle. Then hit the red x to close the app out.

 

[Towle]

Thanks! both of your responses helped a lot. And yes I have the iPad 2. I always thought the double tap just showed recent apps, not running apps. I double tapped the home button and EVERY app I have on my iPad was there, so I had a lot running. I remember on the original iPod touch you could just hold the home button and that would completely close the current app you were using. Thanks again for your responses!

 

[bkford]

I am confused. When I double tap the home button, all apps are along the bottom, it seems to me. Am I wrong?

 

[bkford]

Oh wait. They are not all there, but apps that I only opened once, weeks ago, are there. So I should jut delete them as explained in a previous post?

 

[RoofMonkey]

Oh wait. They are not all there, but apps that I only opened once, weeks ago, are there. So I should jut delete them as explained in a previous post?

Yes it is safe to 'delete' / close them from the multitasking bar. If your phone seems a bit slow or things just don't act right, this is one way to possibly speed things back up.