How to Close All Open Apps in Windows 11 at Once

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.

On current Windows 11 (version 22H2 and later), Windows Terminal is the default terminal app, so it should already be installed. If you can’t find it, install Windows Terminal from the Microsoft Store.

1. Click the Start button ⊞ and type Windows Terminal. The app should appear at the top of the search 🔍 results.
2. Press Enter to open it. A Windows Terminal window opens, usually with a PowerShell tab by default.
3. Click the down arrow (˅) next to the plus (+) tab at the top. A menu listing your available shells opens.
4. Choose Command Prompt from the menu. A new tab opens with a Command Prompt ready for input.
5. Copy and paste this command into the Command Prompt window. Ctrl+V works in Terminal, or you can right-click to paste. Check that the whole command landed on one line before you go on.
   
   PowerShell -Command "Get-Process |? {$_.MainWindowTitle -ne '' -and $_.Id -ne $PID -and $_.ProcessName -ne 'explorer'} | Stop-Process -Force"
6. Press Enter to run the command. Your open apps close right away, with no confirmation prompt, and the terminal prints its results as it goes.

This command closes all apps except File Explorer 📁 and Windows Registry Editor.

If an app is still open afterwards, it may be running with higher permissions than your terminal. In that case, close Terminal, reopen it with Run as administrator (right-click it in Start), and run the command again.

Some apps will offer to restore your last session when you reopen them, but unsaved changes are gone.

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.

The only difference is the shell you pick and the command you paste. Save your work first, because nothing asks for confirmation.

1. Click the Start button and type Windows Terminal. The app should appear at the top of the search results.
2. Press Enter to open it. A Windows Terminal window opens, usually with a PowerShell tab by default.
3. Click the down arrow (˅) next to the plus (+) tab at the top. A menu listing your available shells opens.
4. Select PowerShell from the menu. A new tab opens with a PowerShell prompt. If your first tab was already PowerShell, you can use that one instead.
5. Copy and paste this command into the PowerShell window. Ctrl+V works in Terminal, or you can right-click to paste.
   
   Get-Process |? {$_.MainWindowTitle -ne "" -and $_.Id -ne $PID -and $_.ProcessName -ne "explorer"} | Stop-Process -Force
6. Press Enter to run the command. Your open apps close right away, with no confirmation prompt.

This also closes all running apps except File Explorer and Windows Registry Editor.

If something stays open, try again from a terminal opened with Run as administrator, since apps running with higher permissions can resist a normal-user command.

As with the Command Prompt method, you can't undo it. Reopen any apps you need from Start, and expect to lose unsaved changes.

Summary

• You can close all open apps in Windows 11 quickly using Command Prompt or PowerShell, both run from Windows Terminal.
• These commands close all apps except important system programs like File Explorer and Windows Registry Editor.
• This method frees up your computer's memory and can help fix problems caused by many apps running at once. No restart is needed.
• Warning: Use these commands carefully. Any unsaved work in your apps will be lost, and there is no undo.

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.

If you plan to do this often, keep the command somewhere handy, such as in a desktop shortcut, so you don't have to open Terminal each time. If the PC is still slow after you clear everything out, a normal restart is the next thing to try.