If you're a Mac user, you may have experienced the following; you relaunch an app only to find all its windows intact. Why? Because by default, macOS doesn't close windows when you quit an app.

Does this mean you have to manually close app windows to prevent them from reopening when you relaunch an app? Not necessarily, because we'll show you how to close windows automatically when quitting an app on your Mac.

Closing Windows vs. Quitting Apps

Before diving into the solution, it's important to understand the difference between closing windows and quitting apps on a Mac. When you close an app window, you're getting rid of the window but keeping the app running in the background, which you'll see if you check your Mac's Activity Monitor.

On the other hand, quitting an app means temporarily closing its windows and terminating it completely. To check if you've quit an app, look for a dot underneath it in the Dock. If it's there, the app is still running. If it isn't, you've quit the app successfully.

Speaking of quitting apps, did you know you can quit multiple apps quickly on your Mac? With the help of a simple keyboard shortcut, you can quit all your apps in a matter of seconds. This will come in handy if you're working with lots of apps and don't want to go through the hassle of quitting them manually one after the other.

How to Close Windows When Quitting Mac Apps

Configuring your Mac to automatically close an app's windows when you quit the app is straightforward. Here's what you need to do.

  1. Click on the Apple menu in the menu bar and select System Settings.
  2. Select Desktop & Dock in the sidebar.
  3. Under the option labeled Windows & Apps, toggle on Close windows when quitting an application.
Desktop and Dock settings in macOS

After doing this, when you quit an app, all its windows will automatically close, so you'll get a fresh start each time you launch it. This is particularly handy when you end up with multiple windows while using an app.

Launch Your Mac Apps With a Clean Slate

Closing windows when quitting apps on a Mac is a handy feature that keeps your desktop clutter-free and avoids the hassle of manually closing app windows.

By following the steps outlined above, you can configure your Mac to close all the windows associated with an app when you quit it. The next time you launch the same app, it will start with a clean slate, allowing you to work more efficiently on your Mac.