How to Close All Open Apps in Windows 11 at once
Closing all open apps in Windows 11 at once lets you shut down every running program and background task in a single click to free up system memory. Windows 11 does not include a built-in master close button by default, but you can create a custom desktop shortcut using a standard task-killing command to wipe out system clutter instantly.
Running this shortcut forces all active apps and background processes to quit at the same time, giving your PC a fresh start without requiring a full system reboot.
Open Windows Terminal, select Command Prompt or PowerShell, and run the command “Get-Process |? {$_.MainWindowTitle -ne “” -and $_.Id -ne $PID -and $_.ProcessName -ne “explorer”} | Stop-Process -Force”. This closes all apps except essential system processes. Be aware that unsaved work will be lost.
How to Force Close All Open Apps Using Command Prompt
You can close all open apps in Windows 11 at once using Command Prompt by running a short command in Windows Terminal. This shuts down every running program and background process instantly. It is a fast way to clear out frozen software or free up memory when your computer starts running slow.
- Click the Start button and type Windows Terminal.
- Press Enter to open it.
- Click the down arrow (˅) next to the plus (+) tab at the top.
- Choose Command Prompt from the menu.
- Copy and paste this command into the Command Prompt window:
PowerShell -Command "Get-Process |? {$_.MainWindowTitle -ne "" -and $_.Id -ne $PID -and $_.ProcessName -ne "explorer"} | Stop-Process -Force" - Press Enter to run the command.
How to Force Close All Open Apps Using PowerShell
You can close all open apps in Windows 11 using PowerShell inside Windows Terminal if Command Prompt is not your preferred tool. This method forces every active application and background process to shut down immediately. It works well when your system freezes up and you need to clear everything at once.
- Click the Start button and type Windows Terminal.
- Press Enter to open it.
- Click the down arrow (˅) next to the plus (+) tab at the top.
- Select PowerShell from the menu.
- Copy and paste this command into the PowerShell window:
Get-Process |? {$_.MainWindowTitle -ne "" -and $_.Id -ne $PID -and $_.ProcessName -ne "explorer"} | Stop-Process -Force - Press Enter to run the command.
Summary
- You can close all open apps in Windows 11 quickly using Command Prompt or PowerShell.
- These commands close all apps except important system programs like File Explorer.
- This method frees up your computer's memory and can help fix problems caused by many apps running at once.
- Warning: Use these commands carefully. Any unsaved work in your apps will be lost.
You can close all open apps in Windows 11 quickly using either Command Prompt or PowerShell when your computer slows down. These terminal commands shut down all user programs at once while keeping essential system tasks safe. Just make sure you save your work first, because this method closes everything without asking for confirmation.
Was this guide helpful?
About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
No comments yet — be the first to share your thoughts!