MyLeoNes™

Opening and closing an app — Computing, 4–6

An app is a tool on a device. You can start it when you need it and close it when you are finished.

Start it, finish it

An app is a tool made for one kind of job, such as drawing or listening to music. Opening it starts that tool, and closing it tells the device that you have finished using it. You can then choose something else.

Why apps open and close

A device may have many tools, but showing them all at once would be confusing and would use its working memory. Opening one app gives you the tools for one job. Closing it clears space for the next job and helps the device stay tidy.

Opening a drawing app

First, find the drawing picture on the home screen. Next, tap it once and wait for the drawing tools to appear. Draw a short line. When you finish, use the close button or return to the home screen; the drawing app is no longer the tool in front of you.

Closing the picture is not always closing the app

You may tap a picture’s close button and think the whole app has closed. That is a reasonable idea because the picture disappears. Sometimes only that picture closes while the app remains open, ready for another picture. Check whether you are back at the home screen.

Tools for different jobs

You use this idea whenever you move from a camera to music, a game, or a story. Each app brings the controls for its own job. Knowing how to open and close apps helps you choose the right tool instead of pressing buttons at random.

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