On Mac, when you click the red button in the top-left corner of an app window to close the app, it doesn’t shut completely. Instead, it just closes that specific window and the app continues to run in the background. Take a look at the bottom of the screen and you’ll notice a black dot under the icons indicating that those apps are still active in the background. That interface behavior of not completely closing the app is quite confusing, especially for those who transition from Windows.
Also, some apps like Prime Video or the App Store quit instantly when you click the red close button on the top-right of the respective windows. Luckily, you can command the x button to close every app completely whenever you click on it. While Apple doesn’t offer any native option or setting to apply close behavior to all apps or browser windows, you’ll have to resort to using third-party apps. We found a couple of amazing apps that ensure clicking the red x button closes the relevant app entirely.
1. Red Quits
The Red Quits app stands true to its name but only quits the app if it is the last window open. For example, if you have multiple Chrome windows open and close one, Chrome will not quit unless it is the last Chrome window. Note that the Red Quits app can’t overpower select macOS native apps like Finder because they are essential for your Mac to function properly. After you install the app, it loads every time you boot your Mac, and helps you change the red x button’s behavior.
While not optimized for M-series chips, it worked fine on our M1-series MacBook Air. However, the app may stop when Apple ceases Rosetta’s support. With that in mind, here’s how to make the red button close apps with Red Quits.
1. Grab the Red Quits file on your Mac, open the downloaded file, and continue the Installation process.
2. Once installed, open the app and enable all three checkboxes:
- Automatically start after login
- Work only when 1 window is open
- Activate the app
3. Open System Settings > Privacy and Security > Accessibility and turn on the toggle beside the Red Quits app.
The app will start working. You won’t see the Red Quits app icon in the dock as it works in the background. To change any settings later, you can open the app from the Applications folder in Finder or using Spotlight.
2. Swift Quit
If you prefer an app that you can be sure will work in the future, Swift Quit is a great alternative. On the plus side, Swift Quit supports all the features of Red Quits and allows you to create a custom list of apps that you want to quit when you click on the red x button. Additionally, it is optimized for M-series chips and works without Rosetta support. However, the app can be inconsistent at times. There can also be a delay of 5-10 seconds between closing the window and actually quitting the app. The developers are currently active, so these issues may be fixed in future updates.
1. Get the Swift Quit app from the app’s official site.
2. Open the downloaded zip file and move the app icon to the Applications folder to install it.
3. Next, open System Settings > Privacy and Security > Accessibility.
4. Click on the plus icon and select the Swift Quit app from the Applications folder.
5. To open the app, click on the bird icon in the menu bar in the top-right corner and select Settings.
6. Enable the toggles beside the Start Swift Quit Automatically option and customize which apps the feature should work on if you have any preferences.
After that, the app will start working. Again, you will not see the app’s icon in the dock for it starts automatically when you boot your Mac and works in the background.
Choose A Suitable Option
It’s entirely up to you to choose an app that closes all windows or one that lets you customize the apps you wish to close completely whenever you hit the red X button. We found the Swift Quit app quite helpful in closing our frequently used apps entirely.
