As a first time user of Windows 8 you have probably noticed that Windows Store apps, programs that you run from the start screen the operating system boots in to, behave different than traditional desktop applications. These apps run in fullscreen, and while you can drag and drop them to either side of the screen to make them only use 1/3 or 2/3 of the screen (whoever came up with this, why no 50/50?), you will notice that there are no window controls to close the windows.
On the desktop, all you need to do to close a program is click on its x icon at the top right of the window. On the start screen, there is no window border and therefore no option to close the application this way.
There are ways, some old, some new, that allow you to close apps. Note that Windows Store apps have been designed to go "inactive" when you switch to another application, the desktop or the start screen. In that stage, they do not use system resources, unless they are allowed to run background tasks. This is for instance the case with the majority of radio and music apps, which continue to play on the system even if they are not visually open.
To close Windows Store apps, you have the following options:
Is there another way not listed here? Which of the methods is your favorite to close Windows 8 store apps?
AdvertisementPlease click on the following link to open the newsletter signup page: Ghacks Newsletter Sign up
Ghacks is a technology news blog that was founded in 2005 by Martin Brinkmann. It has since then become one of the most popular tech news sites on the Internet with five authors and regular contributions from freelance writers.
I use drag n drop for closing apps. it is easy for me to do that way :)
You know – there’s something “broken” when you have to tell users how to close an application…..
There are so many little things that MS did to Windows 8 that makes no sense. In addition to completely changing the way users close applications, their backup also has changed. I used to have Windows 7 image backup and now it is gone from Windows 8.
Someone in MS should get their head examined for this!
THE ONLY ONE OF THESE I COULD GET TO WORK AFTER TRYING FOR A REAL LONG TIME WAS THE TASK
MANAGER, THE PEOPLE THAT CAME UP WTH THE FULL SCREEN METRO IDEA ARE COMPLETE TOTAL
MORONIC IDIOTS AND PROBABLY THE SAME BUNCH OF BONEHEADS THAT CAME UP WITH THE RIBBON ON
THE RIGHT THAT ALWAYS STICKS OUT AND GETS IN THE WAY BUT NEVER OPENS WHEN YOU NEED IT TO
UNLESS YOU MESS AROUND WITH IT FOR A LONG TIME , I’M GLAD I TOOK THE TIME TO LEARN LINUX UBUNTU AN SOON WONT NEED WINDOWS ANYMORE ”HOORAY YEEAAHH HALLELUJAH ” ! ! !