How to fully close Waze on iPhone 11
To close Waze on iPhone 11, you must use the App Switcher, as this is the only way to completely stop the app from running. From the Home Screen or while inside Waze, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause your finger in the middle. This gesture brings up the App Switcher, showing cards of recently used apps; swipe left or right to find Waze, then swipe its preview card upward and off the top of the screen until it disappears.
Why stopping navigation isn't the same as closing Waze
Tapping the blue arrow and then "Stop" or activating "Sleep mode" inside Waze does not fully close the app. These actions end the active route, but Waze may still track your location and run in the background, consuming battery and data. This is a common point of confusion for iPhone 11 owners who think they've quit the app when they've only ended navigation. The only way to ensure Waze is not running at all is to force-quit it using the App Switcher method described above. If you're navigating home screen and apps frequently, you'll notice that Waze can reappear in the App Switcher even after you've stopped a route, which is why the swipe-up gesture is essential. Waze may still run in the background if it's actively providing navigation or location-based services, even after force-quitting.
How to prevent Waze from running in the background
If you find Waze still running in the background even after force-quitting, you can adjust its settings in the iPhone's Settings app. Go to Settings > Waze > Background App Refresh and toggle this option off. This prevents Waze from refreshing content when it's not actively open. Additionally, you can manage Waze's location access by going to Settings > Waze > Location and selecting "While Using the App" or "Never" instead of "Always." This reduces background tracking and helps preserve battery life without needing to force-quit the app every time. These settings are particularly useful if you use Waze regularly but don't want it running constantly in the background between trips.
When you should actually force-close an app
Apple's guidance is clear: force-quitting apps is primarily useful if an app is unresponsive, frozen, or crashing. Routinely swiping away apps does not generally improve your iPhone 11's performance or battery life, because iOS efficiently manages suspended apps. When you leave Waze open, iOS freezes it in the background, using minimal resources until you open it again. Forcing the app closed can actually make it take longer to relaunch and may use more battery during the next cold start. Frequent force-quitting of apps may lead to increased battery usage and slower app launch times. So, while you now know how to close Waze on iPhone 11, reserve this action for when the app misbehaves rather than as a routine habit. If battery life is your primary concern, adjusting Waze's location and background refresh settings is the more effective approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does closing Waze on iPhone 11 save battery life?
Yes, but only if Waze is actively using location services in the background. If you've stopped navigation and the app is suspended by iOS, force-quitting it won't add meaningful battery savings. The bigger battery drain comes from background location tracking, which you can reduce by changing Waze's location access to "While Using the App."
Will Waze still track my location after I force-quit it?
No, force-quitting Waze completely stops the app process, so it cannot track your location. However, if you only stopped navigation without force-quitting, Waze may continue to access your location in the background. To be certain, use the App Switcher to swipe Waze away.
Can I use the Home button to close Waze on iPhone 11?
The iPhone 11 does not have a physical Home button. Instead, you use the swipe-up gesture from the bottom of the screen to access the App Switcher. If you're using an older iPhone model with a Home button, double-clicking it will open the App Switcher, then you can swipe Waze upward to close it.
Why does Waze keep reopening after I close it?
Waze may reopen if you have Background App Refresh enabled or if you've granted it "Always" location access. iOS may relaunch the app to deliver location-based alerts. To prevent this, turn off Background App Refresh for Waze and change its location permission to "While Using the App" in Settings.
Is it bad to force-quit Waze every day?
Not harmful, but it's unnecessary. iOS is designed to manage suspended apps efficiently. Forcing Waze closed daily can slightly increase launch times and may use more battery during a cold start. Only force-quit when Waze is unresponsive or misbehaving.
