8 Mar 2013

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4 Ways to close an app in Windows 8

Windows 8 is here, bringing with it some impressive and powerful new features, as well as some changes that may take a bit of getting used to. As useful as the new features are, there is one potential downside—Windows 8 is a new operating system and some familiar options may work a little differently than they have in previous versions. One question many new Windows 8 users are asking is this: how do I close a Metro app in Windows 8?
Metro apps are applications that reside on your Windows 8 desktop. Similar to widgets on a smart phone, they update in real time, giving you useful information without having to look any further than your desktop screen. But what if you want to close one of these apps?
There is no obvious way to close a Metro app, in part because Windows 8 has been designed so that you don’t need to close these apps. When not in use, Windows 8 will ‘suspend’ a Metro app. In effect, this keeps the app in memory, but doesn’t use any of your computer resource. If you need the app again, you can go back to it, picking up where you left off without worry that it will pull from your computer’s memory when not in use.
Close app in Windows 8
But you may still want to close one of these apps, and while the process isn’t as obvious as it could be, there are four different ways to do that:

1. Close an app using touch gestures

With the app open, place your finger at the top edge of the screen and pull down. The app will minimize, displaying in a small window instead of taking up the full screen. Now simply pull the app down to the bottom of your screen and it will slid out of view and you will be returned to your desktop. The app is now closed.

2. Close an app using the mouse

If you do not have a touch screen, you can still use this option. Simply place your mouse at the top of the screen. Your cursor icon will change to a small hand. Then, as before, pull the cursor downward on the screen. The app will minimize and you can drag it off the bottom of the screen.
Close windows 8 metro app

3. Close an app using keyboard shortcut

You can use the keyboard shortcut : CTRL + F4 to close an app. This method will also work with traditional Windows programs. (Note, however, that some users have reported this method does not always work with Metro apps.)
If you love working with keyboard shortcuts, check out our Windows 8 keyboard shortcut cheat-sheet.
4. Using Task Manager to close an app

Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to launch the Windows Task Manager and kill the app by selecting it  and hitting End Task at the bottom of the window.
Using task manager to close an app windows 8
One more thing – these instructions are only for Metro apps. Traditional Windows apps, such as Microsoft Word, will still have minimize and close buttons, as they have in past versions of Windows.
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