finding app switcher on 9.3.6

[well43]

Hello, I've just joined gthe forum and look forward to perusing some of the entries. I have just taken over my wife's old iPad mini 9.3.6 which I intend using for limited functions like viewing photos, reading Kindle books and checking my email on wifi, not too much else, and in any case many functions are no longer supported.

I can't figure out how to switch between apps or how to close an app when finished with it in order to save battery. The information I got online about switching between apps says to swipe up from the bottom and the open apps will appear (and can presumably be flicked away like on the new iPhones); but when I do swipe up from the bottom I get the Control Centre without any access to an app switcher. So that is one question.

The other is how to close an app when finished with it, because my assumption is that keeping it open will consume battery. Is that assumption correct, or doesn't it matter if the app remains open? (I've already turned off the Background App Refresh function for most but not all of the apps where it's possible to do this by going to Settings > General >). Right now I'm going through all the apps my wife has installed over the years to learn what still works and what doesn't, so I must have opened a lot, and I worry that my inability to close those apps is chewing up a load of battery. I have a iPhone and MacBook so am familiar with other Apple products, but I'm not a techie and am retired. Hope you can help me. Many thanks for reading this!

 

[J. A.]

Welcome to iPad Forums!

Leaving an app open in the background will not consume battery. On the contrary: When you force close an app and then open it again, it has to start all-new, and consume more battery than an app that hasn‘t been closed. When you leave an app, it’s “pausing”, and will start from where you left it when you open it again. Apple doesn’t recommend force closing apps on a regular basis. You should only do that when an app “misbehaves”.

To open the App Switcher, double tap the Home button.

It’s also possible to just leave an app by tapping the home button once, so that you get to the Home screen. From there, you can access the other apps.

Hope that helps.

 

[well43]

I followed your advice, double tapped the home button, and indeed the switcher did appear, revealing a very large number of open apps. Following your recommendation again, I am letting them sit there.

I understand your logic about not closing apps unnecessarily. I have heard both sides on this in relation to apps on my iPhone, whether to keep them open or swipe them away. One person was convinced that keeping them open would weaken the phone's functionality, so I didn't know where to come down on the question. I will follow your advice.

The device has lost a lot of charge since I opened all these apps last night — down from 70+% this morning to 20% now. It's been plugged into a hub attached to my iMac for the past three hours and the charge has dropped rather than risen. I will now plug it into a USB port on the wall socket to see if that makes lot of difference. My wife tells me she usually needs to leave it plugged in overnight for it to become fully charged.

Thank you for your quick response. A great beginning experience on the forum!

 

[twerppoet]

Most of the instructions you’ll find online for how to use your iPad will be for the newest iOS/iPadOS versions. You can get the iPad User Guide for iOS 9.3 in the Book Store, which should be in the Books app. Or maybe in the iTunes app. I don’t remember where it was that far back. There are lots of versions of this book, so be sure to get the one you need. Hopefully the link below will take you straight there.

It’s free.

‎iPad User Guide for iOS 9.3

‎Computers & Internet · 2015

books.apple.com

 

[twerppoet]

You should also expect that many of the apps you see mentioned online, or even here, will not be available on iOS 9. The first 10 years of improvements on iPad and iOS were rapid, and app developers had to keep up or be irrelevant. There should still be some decent games and apps avialable, and the built in apps will do what they always did (with a very few exceptions).

 

[well43]

Thanks, appreciate this extremely helpful info. As you suggested I immediately downloaded the guide for iOS 9 on my Mac and it's now appearing in Books on the iPad as well. Lots of exploration ahead! As you say, there do appear to be some decent apps still accessible.

 

[twerppoet]

You're welcome.