2 ways to switch between apps on iPhone with Face ID

You can enter the iOS app switcher at any time while using one app in order to easily switch to another one. Thankfully, iPhones with Face ID (without a front physical Home button) include a gesture allowing you to quickly switch between open apps without having to enter the app switcher at all.

Holding iPhone X

1. Swipe across the Home indicator

Swipe across the bottom Home indicator to quickly switch between open apps:

  • Swipe from left to right: this will take you back to the previous app
  • Swipe from right to left: this will take you to the adjacent app

The transition from one app to another is animated very smoothly.

iPhone X showing the bottom Home indicator
The Home indicator is a horizontal line at the bottom that appears white on a dark background or black if the color scheme in the app you’re using is lighter.

You can even cycle between open apps by swiping from one of the bottom corners to create an arch with your finger. As demonstrated by the video embedded below, you basically swipe up slightly before moving your finger horizontally, or vice versa.

Swiping along the Home indicator is a great shortcut for multitasking situations when you’re trying to, say, copy something from an email to a text message.

2. Use the app switcher

  1. Swipe up from the bottom edge of the display slightly, then pause to show the app switcher. Tip: You don’t have to swipe all the way to the middle of the screen: a slight upward swipe before stopping abruptly will do the trick.
  2. When app cards emerge from the left side of the screen, let go of the finger.
  3. Swipe left and right to see your open apps, then tap one to switch to it.
switch between apps iPhone X

To force-quit any app, swipe up on an app tile. You can even use multiple fingers to force-quit many apps at once.