How to close metro apps in Windows 8 consumer preview

23 Replies

We have been getting mails from our various readers and also on our Facebook page asking as how to close the opened up metro apps in Windows 8 consumer preview. There are couple of ways you can close Metro apps. Here we would explain both the methods. The first method is-

Take your cursor to the top left corner of your screen, you would see the most recent app which you have opened, if you want to close that app then just right click on it and click on close, if you want to close some other app then just move your cursor down and you would see other apps. Now just right click on the app and click on close.

Another way to close metro app is to take your cursor to the top left corner, select the app and then just drag the app to the bottom left and your app would be closed (As simple as that and would be useful for touch based PC’s )

  • Thomas

    Or just use Alt + F4 ;-)

    • ankurmittal

      Alt + F4 can definitely be used to close apps which are in use :)

  • nick

    pull the app down (i.e., at the bottom of the screen) to close .

    • ankurmittal

       Nick I have already mentioned this point :)

  • Pdw98

    Dear Sir,
    Thank you for your excellent article.
    However, I would very much appreciate (more than you know), if it could be found out how to bypass the Metro UI completely, so as to go directly to the Start Screen. Being a power user, I have no use for the MUI. A tablet user will find it useful, I am sure, bot not I.
    During my use of the Windows 8 DP, I was able to utilize a tool called Metro UI Tweaker, that was offered here: thewindowsclub dot com/metro-ui-tweaker-windows-8-released. It allowed me to completely bypass the MUI and go directly to the start screen. Unfortunately, Metro UI Tweaker does not disable the MUI that is now in Windows 8 CP.
    I realize that my post is outside the bounds of the topic, but if you have any insights I would like to hear them.
    Paul

    • yarska

      there is no way at all to disable the metro ui. it’s stuck there. sorry :(

  • Pcnanny

    MetroUI is no good for laptops and there should be a way to disable it. It takes too long for the “Search bar” to appear. I have located all the different ways to browse apps and close windows…but they are too time consuming. Time is money. MetroUI needs a disable/enable function.

    • yarska

      i heard that if you just start typing in your start page that it’ll start searching.

  • jake sully

    How to put Computer icon on Desktop.I am not talking about shortcut. Just like windows 7 where it gives option for computer icon to be shown on desktop.

    • Phoughton01

      this is a difficult one as i had problem but there is a way. Right click on the desktop and select ‘Personalize’ from the menu and then on the left as in windows 7 you will see ‘Change Desktop Icons’. Then you can select which icons to be displayed on the desktop.

  • Brandon

    Inaccurate. Just drag from the top!

  • Raikkonen1234

    have any idea why I can’t snap apps ?

    • Emil_W

      U probably got a 4:3 screen :)

  • http://twitter.com/JoeyJohansen Joey Johansen

    Middle clicking the app when you have the WinKey+Tab menu open works well also, or right click and hit close. Just as usual with most version of Windows there are like a hundred ways to do anything. :)

  • Nyx1961

    Does Microsoft really think this is going to appeal to government agencies and private industry who largely use Windows to conduct business? Really? Microsoft seriously missed the boat on this Windows version. :

  • RobS40

    I use a Dell Duo for testing with Windows 8 so I have a touch screen… How do you close apps using just the touch screen?

  • Teo

    Alt-F4 also works fine to me

  • Ratz

    Given that the metro UI appears to have been made for tablets and the functionally retarded, how on earth do you disable it?  The previous betas had the option (albeit via a registry edit) but in the current consumer preview it doesn’t seem to work.

  • Martin Farmilo

    Sorry this doesn’t work for me. I open a metro app (music in this case, but I get the same with Internet Explorer for example), and there’s no visible clue how to close it. If I move the mouse to the top-left corner, like your article says, nothing happens. I’m guessing from the article some kind of menu is supposed to appear – it doesn’t. I’ve tried hovering and clicking in that corner, and the other 3 corners too. The only corner where anything happens is top-right, where the bar thing appears with the Start button on it. I’ve tried the same thing on 2 Windows 8 machines now. This app must be one of the most poorly designed apps I’ve ever seen – it gives the user no visual clues whatsoever how to do anything (certainly not how to close the thing). Fortunately I’ve had enough years experience to know the Alt-F4 shortcut. Apparently the user is expected to know all the gestures and other tricks already, and if he doesn’t he (apparently) shouldn’t be turning the computer on in the first place.

  • Kirui C

    You can also close an app by pointing on the app preview like in the first method but instead of right clicking, you just click the wheel on your mouse……

  • http://www.facebook.com/luisotoni Luis Felipe

    the easiest way to close a app in metro is drag the top of the app 
    (the pointer get a hand)  to the bottom…

  • Darshanamaplpathak

    hi,
    Can you please let me know how can i get connected to my gtalk n Facebook account in Messaging…. Facebook is working for me but i am unable to get my gtalk account up on the messseging

  • Deshpande110

    Thanks for the post very useful. Simple when I came to know but very annoying when it was not known to me. Thanks for the post once again