How to Force Close an App on Apple Watch

If an Apple Watch app is frozen, unresponsive, or displaying stale information, force closing it can stop that app so you can reopen it. You only need the watch; after closing the app, launch it again and check whether the problem has cleared.

What You’ll Need

Your Apple Watch, awake and unlocked if a passcode is enabled.
The app you want to close should be open on the screen. If it is not, open it first so you can select it for closure.

Step-by-Step

Open the affected app. If you are not already in it, press the Digital Crown to see your apps, then tap the app. If it is stuck on a screen, wait a moment to confirm that it is not simply loading.
Press and hold the side button. This is the flat button below the Digital Crown, not the rotating crown itself. Keep holding until the power options screen appears. Depending on your watchOS version, the screen may show controls such as Power Off, Medical ID, or Emergency SOS.
Release the side button. Do not slide or tap Power Off. The goal is to reach the shutdown options temporarily, not to turn off the watch.
Press and hold the Digital Crown. Hold the round, rotating crown until the display returns to the watch face or the app view closes. This should force the app you were using to quit.
Reopen the app. Press the Digital Crown to open the app list or app view, then tap the app. Give it time to load and test the feature that was not working.
Check whether the issue is resolved. If the app still freezes, close it once more if possible, then restart the watch using the steps in Troubleshooting. Avoid repeatedly force closing an app while it is updating or completing an action.

Common Mistakes

Holding the Digital Crown first. The sequence matters: open the affected app, hold the side button until the power options appear, release it, and then hold the Digital Crown.
Using the wrong button. The side button is below the Digital Crown. Holding the crown alone does not bring up the same power-options screen.
Sliding Power Off. That shuts down the entire watch. For a force close, leave the power screen untouched and hold the Digital Crown instead.
Trying to close an app that is not active. The button sequence is meant to quit the app currently in use. Open the app you intend to close before starting.
Expecting force close to fix every cause. It can clear a temporary app hang, but it will not necessarily resolve a network outage, an account issue, an app bug, or a watchOS problem.

Tips

Use force close when an app is genuinely unresponsive or behaving incorrectly. It is not usually necessary to close apps after every use; Apple Watch manages background activity for you.
After reopening, allow the app a few seconds to refresh. Some apps need the paired iPhone, an internet connection, or location access to show current information.
If you are unsure which app is active, press the Digital Crown to leave it, then tap the app again and follow the sequence. Do not start with the watch face if you need to quit a particular app.
Button behavior can vary slightly with watchOS and accessibility settings. If the power options do not appear, check that you are holding the side button and not the crown.
If an app repeatedly locks up, check for an available update in the App Store on the watch or the paired iPhone. Also check for a watchOS update in the Watch app on iPhone under General, then Software Update.

Troubleshooting

The power options screen does not appear: Make sure the app is open, then press and hold the side button below the Digital Crown. Keep holding until the options show. A brief press may not be enough. If the watch is not responding to either button, try restarting it rather than repeating the sequence.

The Digital Crown does not seem to close the app: First bring up the power-options screen with the side button, then release the side button and press and hold the Digital Crown. Hold it until the watch returns to the watch face or exits the app. A quick crown press is not the same as a long press.

The app remains frozen after reopening: Restart the Apple Watch. Press and hold the side button until the power options appear, tap the power control, and slide to turn the watch off. When it is fully off, press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears. Do not force-restart the watch during a watchOS update.

The watch will not turn off normally: If it is not updating, press and hold the side button and the Digital Crown together until the display goes dark and the Apple logo appears. This is a force restart, not the normal force-close procedure. Use it only when the watch is unresponsive; interrupting an update can cause problems.

The problem returns or affects several apps: Confirm the watch has a connection to its paired iPhone or Wi-Fi when the app requires one. Update the app and watchOS if updates are available. If the watch still behaves unexpectedly after a restart and updates, contact Apple Support or consult Apple’s current support guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does force closing an Apple Watch app delete its data?
No. Force closing quits the running app; it does not normally erase the app or its saved data. Any unsaved work in the app may be lost, so avoid doing this during an important operation.

Will force closing an app save battery?
Not generally. Apple Watch is designed to manage apps and background activity, so routinely quitting apps is not needed as a battery-saving habit. Close one when it is stuck or malfunctioning.

Can I force close an app from my iPhone?
The button sequence is performed on the Apple Watch. You can use the iPhone Watch app to manage some app settings or updates, but it does not replace this on-watch force-close procedure.

What is the difference between force closing an app and restarting the watch?
Force closing quits one active app. Restarting turns the entire watch off and back on, which can help when the system or multiple apps are having trouble.

Why does the app reopen to the same frozen screen?
The app may be restoring its previous screen, or the underlying issue may still be present. Restart the watch, check the app’s connection requirements, and install available app or watchOS updates.

Should I force close every app when I finish using it?
No. Leave apps alone unless one is unresponsive or causing a problem. The watch is designed to handle apps without requiring you to quit them each time.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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