How to Close All Open Apps at Once in Windows 11

[Sneakyone]

How to Close All Open Apps at Once in Windows 11

Sometimes, you may want to quickly close all open apps in Windows 11 to free up system resources or prepare your computer for shutdown. While Windows doesn’t provide a direct "close all" button, there are several methods you can use to close multiple apps at once. This guide will walk you through various ways to accomplish this.

Method 1: Using Task Manager

Step 1: Open Task Manager

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, or right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager.
2. If Task Manager opens in the simplified mode, click on More details at the bottom of the window to expand it.

Step 2: Close All Apps

1. In the Processes tab, you will see a list of all running apps and background processes.
2. Scroll through the list and locate the apps you want to close under the Apps section.
3. Press Ctrl on your keyboard and click on each app to select multiple apps at once.
4. Once you've selected all the apps, click on End task at the bottom-right corner to close them simultaneously.

Method 2: Create a Batch File to Close All Apps

You can create a batch file to close multiple apps at once by automating the task.

Step 1: Open Notepad

1. Press Windows + S to open the search bar, then type Notepad and press Enter to open it.

Step 2: Write the Batch Script

1. In Notepad, type the following script:

 

Code:

taskkill /F /IM appname.exe

  Replace appname.exe with the exact name of the executable file for each app you want to close. For example:

 

Code:

taskkill /F /IM notepad.exe
taskkill /F /IM chrome.exe
taskkill /F /IM explorer.exe

  You can add as many apps as you want to the list.

Step 3: Save the Batch File

1. Click File in the Notepad menu and select Save As.
2. Name the file something like CloseAllApps.bat and make sure to select All Files in the "Save as type" dropdown.
3. Save the batch file in a location you can easily access.

Step 4: Run the Batch File

1. Double-click on the batch file you created, and it will automatically close all the specified apps.

Method 3: Using PowerShell

PowerShell provides another powerful way to close multiple apps at once.

Step 1: Open PowerShell

1. Press Windows + X and select Windows Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).

Step 2: Close All Apps

1. In the PowerShell window, type the following command to close all running apps:

 

Code:

Stop-Process -Name "appname" -Force

  Replace "appname" with the actual name of the app (without the `.exe` extension). For example:

 

Code:

Stop-Process -Name "chrome" -Force
Stop-Process -Name "notepad" -Force

2. Press Enter, and PowerShell will forcefully close the listed apps.

Method 4: Using ALT + F4 to Close Apps

You can also use a quick shortcut to close open apps manually:

1. Make sure the desktop is in focus by pressing Windows + D to minimize all windows.
2. Press Alt + Tab to bring each app window into focus.
3. Once an app is focused, press Alt + F4 to close it.
4. Repeat the process for each app until all windows are closed.

Method 5: Close All Apps at Shutdown

If you are shutting down your PC and want all apps to close automatically:

1. Press Alt + F4 while on the desktop.
2. Select Shut down from the dropdown menu and click OK.
3. Windows will close all open apps as part of the shutdown process.

Conclusion

Although Windows 11 does not have a single "close all apps" button, you can easily close multiple apps at once using Task Manager, batch files, PowerShell, or keyboard shortcuts. Each method allows you to free up system resources and simplify the process of closing open programs.