To close all windows of an app on a Mac, press Option + Command + W. You can also hold Option and click the red close button on any window, or hold Option while opening the File menu and choose Close All. This closes every window of the app you’re using but leaves the app running. To close all windows and the app, press Command + Q to quit it.
Here are all the ways to close windows, quit several apps at once, and stop windows from reopening after a restart.
Close all windows in the current app
- Keyboard shortcut: Press Option + Command + W.
- Red button: Hold Option and click the red close button in the top-left corner of any window.
- Menu: Click File in the menu bar, then hold Option. Close Window changes to Close All.
This works in Finder, Safari, Preview, TextEdit, and most other apps. In web browsers, Command + Shift + W closes the current window with all its tabs.
Close windows and quit the app
- Press Command + Q, or choose the app’s name in the menu bar > Quit.
- Right-click (or Control-click) the app’s icon in the Dock and choose Quit.
Closing a window with the red button often leaves the app running, shown by a small dot under its Dock icon. Quitting frees up memory.
Quit several apps at once
- Press Command + Tab and keep holding Command.
- Press Tab to move to an app, then press Q to quit it without letting go of Command.
- Repeat for other apps, then release Command.
If an app is frozen, press Option + Command + Esc to open Force Quit Applications. You can Shift-click several apps and click Force Quit, but unsaved work in them will be lost.
Clear your screen without closing anything
- Hide the current app: Press Command + H.
- Hide all other apps: Press Option + Command + H.
- Show the desktop: Press F11 or Fn + F11, or spread your thumb and three fingers on the trackpad. In recent macOS versions, you can also click the wallpaper.
- Minimize all windows of an app: Press Option + Command + M.
Stop windows from reopening after a restart
- When you restart or shut down, uncheck Reopen windows when logging back in in the confirmation box.
- To stop apps from reopening their old windows when you open them, go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock and turn on Close windows when quitting an application.
To view them first, see how to see all windows on a Mac.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between closing and quitting on a Mac?
Closing removes a window, but the app may keep running in the background. Quitting ends the app completely.
Why didn’t Option + Command + W close everything?
It only affects the app that’s currently active. Some apps also ask you to save unsaved documents before their windows close.
How do I close all Finder windows?
Click the desktop or any Finder window to make Finder active, then press Option + Command + W.
Is there a way to quit all apps with one click?
Not built in. Logging out (Shift + Command + Q) or restarting quits every app. You can also create a Shortcuts automation to quit apps.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.