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Apps, also known as programs, make up the core of the Windows 10 user experience. If an app gets corrupted or freezes, you may have trouble closing it. If the ordinary method won't work, there are plenty of ways to force an app closed so you can use it again. Here's how to close apps in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Force Close an App on Windows
To close an app in Windows 10, right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager. Select the app you want to close, and then select End task. Alternatively, press Alt + F4.
Steps
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Click the X button. This is in the top-right corner and is how you typically close apps in Windows. If it doesn't close, continue to the next step. -
Right-click the icon in the taskbar and select Close window. This is another way to close the app if the app is frozen and you can't click the usual X.- If you have multiple windows open, you may see Close all windows instead.
Advertisement -
Force-close the app with Task Manager. Ending tasks in Task Manager has been commonly used to close frozen apps since Windows 9x.- Right-click the taskbar and click Task Manager.
- Make sure you're on the Processes tab.
- Select the app you want to close.
- Click End task at the top.
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4Use the Task View window. Task View lets you see all open windows and desktops (if you have more than one set up).
- Click the taskbar task view icon. It's to the right of the search bar/icon. Alternatively, press ⊞ Win+Tab ↹ together.
- Click the X button on the top-right corner of the app you want to close.
- Click the taskbar task view
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Use the title bar context menu. This is the bar that goes across the top of your app's window.- Right-click the title bar of the app.
- Select Close at the bottom of the drop-down menu.
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Use the Alt+F4 keys. Pressing these two keys will close the currently selected app window. Unselected windows won't be affected.
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Use the ✕ button window control. Keep in mind the window control for Windows Store apps is hidden until provoked (only by a mouse).- Tap the red ✕ button at the top-right of your screen. The app will close and the full screen Start menu will open.
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Pull the app's title bar to the bottom of the screen. This was introduced as the way to close Windows 8 Metro apps.[1] It's slightly different in Windows 10—there is no flip animation. Just pull the title bar to the bottom of the screen and release. -
Use the Task View window.- Click the taskbar task view icon. It's to the right of the search bar/icon. Alternatively, press ⊞ Win+Tab ↹ together.
- Locate the app you wish to close. From here, you can drag it to the bottom or continue reading.
- Press and hold on the app preview.
- Choose Close.
- Click the taskbar task view
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Use Task Manager. Ending tasks in Task Manager has been commonly used to close frozen apps since Windows 9x.[2]- Press the Cortana/search icon on the taskbar.
- Search for task manager.
- Choose the matching result.
- Task Manager: Alternatively, right-click the listing and click End task from the context menu.
- Tap End task from the bottom-right. The app should close within a few seconds.
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Use the title bar context menu.- Hold down and release the title bar of the app.
- Choose × Close. It's at the bottom of the menu.
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Use the taskbar app icon context menu.- Press and hold the taskbar.
- Ensure there is a check mark next to Show app icons. If not, tap it.
- Locate the icon of the app you wish to close.
- Hold down and release the app icon.
- Tap ✕ Close window. It's the option closest to the icon.
- Note: The option will be listed as ✕ Close all windows if the app has multiple windows open and you've configured the icons to combine. You can configure this setting in Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > "Combine taskbar buttons" dropdown.
Community Q&A
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QuestionWhy won't an application close on Windows 10?
Community AnswerThe application may be frozen. It can be removed by pressing CTRL+ALT+delete. Press 'task manager' and find the application not responding, then select the application and press 'end task'. -
QuestionAlt + F4 is not working on my Windows 10 laptop, why?
R2_d2000Top AnswererYou may need to press the "Fn" key in addition to Alt + F4 on your laptop. Especially if the Function keys on your laptops serve as extra buttons for other things. -
QuestionEvery time I close my browser on my Lenovo Ultrabook, the next time I open it I get a message that I didn't close it correctly. Why? I just click on the X as I do with all other apps.
R2_d2000Top AnswererIt could be that your browser is corrupted. Try to reinstall your browser and see if that helps.
Video
Tips
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Windows Explorer will have a Restart option, which will fix any problems with the Windows Shell/UI[3] —such as a frozen taskbar.Thanks
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If using the Task View method in Tablet mode, you can also drag the window preview to the bottom to close the app.Thanks
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If you know the app's .exe name, you can quickly force it to close through the Command Prompt. Open the Command Prompt and type taskkill /im filename.exe. The .exe name can be found by right-clicking the app in Task Manager and choosing Go to details.Thanks
* You may be required to add /f right before /im This will force the chosen process to close. Ensure that you leave a space after /f
* You can open the Command Prompt by right-clicking the Start
button and choosing Command Prompt.
References
About This Article
1. Look to the upper-right corner of the app window.
2. Click the ✕ button.
