If a Windows program stops responding, chances are you’ll probably close it with Task Manager. But that requires a few mouse clicks. Here’s a quicker way – with just two clicks.
Windows 11 offers another option that lets you close applications much more quickly. Once enabled, all you need to do is right-click the application’s icon in the Windows taskbar, then click End Task to close it immediately. That’s just two quick clicks in total.
What’s the difference between End Task and Close Window?
You might be wondering: isn’t the Close Window option–which is already available in the context menu– sufficient? The answer is that Close Window lets you exit an application normally, giving it the chance to save any open work. End Task, on the other hand, terminates the application immediately, without giving it the usual opportunity to save your data.
In File Explorer (also known as Windows Explorer), there’s no End Task option in the taskbar’s context menu. So, if you want to close a corrupted File Explorer, you’ll need to do so via Task Manager.
Using the new End Task function
This feature isn’t enabled by default. To turn it on, go to Settings > System and scroll down to the Advanced menu. Click on it.
At the top, you’ll find the option End Task. Enable End Task in the taskbar via right-click. Toggle the switch next to it to On. The End Task option will then appear in the taskbar’s right-click context menu, alongside the existing Close Window option.
Using the new End Task function
All running programs have an icon in the Windows taskbar. To close a program immediately, simply right-click its icon and select End Task from the context menu. That’s it. The program will be terminated.
The End Task option only appears in the context menu when the application is running.