Friendly Computers Windows 7 Blog: Closing Open Windows’ Applications the Easy Way!

Want to save time and close all your application with one click? Friendly Computers would like to share this article with you.

Now here’s a useful little tool I found on the Internet. It is simple to use and closes all running windows with a simple click.

It is available from this website http:www.ntwind.com

To get this useful application you need to download it using this hyperlink:

Download – CloseAll.zip (36 KB)

CloseAll is not a “memory hungry” program. It only sends a “close” message to any open applications telling them to shut down. When it achieves this, it shuts down itself waiting in the wings for you to set it to work again.

Installing Close All

The beauty of this application is that it doesn’t require installation. There are no settings stored neither in Windows Registry nor in the file system.

Follow the steps to set it up on your computer.

As you’ll see I’m downloading CloseAll.zip into my Downloads folder. I prefer to do this initially as I can them keep track on downloaded files easier. Later I move them to named folders within the Downloads folder.

Right-click on this hyperlink: Download – CloseAll.zip (36 KB).

Select Open Hyperlink.

Opening the Hyperlink

When the File download dialog box appears, select Save.

Downloaded file available

The Save As dialog box opens.

Saving to the Downloads Folder

Click the Save button.

The Download complete dialog box opens, informing you that the download is complete.

Download complete

Click Open Folder.

The Downloads folder opens. In it you’ll see the zip files, CloseAll.zip.

Zip file ready to go!

Right-click on CloseAll.zip and, in the side menu, select Extract All.

Ready to extract files

In the Extract Compressed (Zipped) Folders dialog box, click the Extract button.

Extraction begins

Windows 7 extracts the files creating a new folder in the Downloads folder calledCloseAll.

The Extracted files now available

Where can I add CloseAll’s Icon for quick access?

There are several places you can place this handy program’s icon. The first, and perhaps the best, is on Windows 7’s Taskbar. If you don’t have Windows 7, you’re out of luck with this option!

This leaves you with three other locations.

You can add CloseAll’s icon:

To the Start menu

As a Desktop Shortcut

On Quick Launch toolbar

The Start Menu (Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7)

Pinning CloseAll icon to Start Menu

Desktop Shortcut (Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7)

Creating a Desktop shortcut for CloseAll

Note: Don’t forget you can rename this shortcut calling it CloseAll.

Renaming CloseAll's shortcut icon

Add to Quick Launch Toolbar (Windows XP)

Adding CloseAll icon to Quick Launch (Windows XP)

My favourite place for shortcut icons is on Windows 7’s Taskbar.

Now, it’s time to add the CloseAll button to the Taskbar.

Right-click on CloseAll.exe.

In the pop-up menu, select Pin to the Taskbar.

Pinning to Taskbar

CloseAll’s icon appears on the Taskbar.

CloseAll icon on Taskbar

Now, when you have several applications open, you can quickly close them by clicking the CloseAll button.

Note: As a safeguard, CloseAll doesn’t shut the open applications you’ve been working on before allowing the applications the opportunity to ask whether you want to save your work or not. Once you make this decision, CloseAll completely closes the application.

CloseAll icon