Using Command Prompt to Shut Down All Running Applications on Windows
If you’re anything like me, sometimes your Windows PC ends up running a bunch of apps in the background, and trying to close them all manually can feel like herding cats. Maybe your system’s running a bit sluggish, or you’re troubleshooting a problem, and it’s easier to just close everything at once. I looked into a way to do this using Command Prompt. It’s not perfect, but it gets the job done — at least in a pinch.
Just a quick heads-up — playing around with command lines can be risky. I’ve learned this the hard way, especially if you accidentally kill the wrong processes. This method is mainly for folks who are comfortable with typing commands and understand that some background system processes might get closed if you’re not careful. Also, some apps might be stubborn or require admin rights, so don’t expect miracles every time.
How to Open Command Prompt as Administrator
First off, you need to open Command Prompt with admin privileges. On my Windows 10/11, I press Windows key + X to bring up a quick menu. From there, select Windows Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin). If you only see Terminal, just click on it, then choose Run as administrator from the dropdown menu. Alternatively, type cmd in the Start menu search, right-click on the Command Prompt app, and select Run as administrator. When the User Account Control prompt appears, click “Yes.” A quick warning — it’s a bit risky, so proceed with caution.
Commands to Close All Applications
Once you’re in an elevated Command Prompt, you can run a command to kill all processes associated with your user account. Like this:
taskkill /F /FI "USERNAME eq %USERNAME%"This forcefully closes EVERYTHING linked to your profile — browsers like Chrome or Edge, Office apps, and even some background services. It’s pretty drastic — I’ve had my browser close and some background services I was using disappear. If you prefer a more targeted approach, you can specify particular apps or processes, but honestly, that’s more complicated and carries the risk of shutting down something important.
Be mindful: doing this can cause data loss if you haven’t saved everything, and it might also terminate critical system processes; this could crash Windows or cause strange behaviour until you reboot. I once killed Spotify and lost my Wi-Fi connection for a little while — so use it carefully.
Other Options: Using Third-Party Tools
If entering commands sounds a bit daunting, there are third-party apps that can do the same thing in a safer, more visual way. For example, programs like “Close All” (not flashy, but effective). You can find it on sites like SourceForge. Just remember to scan any downloads before opening — some apps may contain adware or get flagged by your antivirus. Once installed, it displays a list of running apps, and you can select what to close with a tick, then hit a button. Easier than dabbling in command lines, especially if you’re not comfortable with terminal commands.
Always download from trusted sources and consider backing up your work first — mass closing apps isn’t something to do on a whim. Windows doesn’t have a built-in “close everything” button, unless you script it yourself, which I’ve tried and failed more than once.
Why Bother Closing All Apps Anyway?
This can be pretty handy after major Windows updates, troubleshooting, or if your PC’s running painfully slow and you want a quick refresh. Sometimes I do it before launching a resource-heavy project or game to free up RAM. It’s a bit like resetting your desktop layout with one go. Just a heads-up — some apps don’t like being force-closed and might crash or cause issues. I’ve learned that some background services or important apps can be quite resilient or, worse, cause Windows to go haywire if stopped unexpectedly.
Sometimes, if I want a fresh start without rebooting, I’ll run that command and see what happens. Usually, stuff closes quickly, but you need to keep an eye on which processes are running. I once tried killing a QuickBooks process and accidentally lost my internet connection — lesson learned: always check what you’re closing before doing it!
All in all, whether you’re comfy with command prompts or prefer a graphical interface, there are ways to shut down all running apps swiftly. Just be careful and double-check what you’re killing — using taskkill /F /FI "USERNAME eq %USERNAME%" can be risky if you don’t know what’s what. You might end up closing a critical process or causing your system to restart unexpectedly. It’s a bit of a gamble, but sometimes it’s the quickest way to clear the clutter.
Hopefully, this helps — it took me ages to figure out, and I wasted an evening trying different commands. Hopefully, this saves someone else a weekend of frustration. Good luck, and stay alert out there!