Create A “Quit Everything” App [OS X Tips]

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quitallapp

Ever wanted to quit every single open application? Perhaps you want to free up memory for the launch of another app. Here’s one way of doing it quickly and cleanly.

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Here’s another tip from Mac Kung Fu, which contains over 300 tips, tricks, hints and hacks for OS X. It’s available from Amazon as well as other bookstores, and also as an eBook for all eReaders.

You can create an app using AppleScript Editor that you can place in the Dock and that will quit all open apps when clicked. Here are the steps:

  1. Start AppleScript Editor by double-clicking its entry in the Utilities folder of Applications in Finder.
  2. In the main code area, type the following:
    tell application "System Events" to set quitapps to name of every application process whose visible is true and name is not "Finder"
    repeat with closeall in quitapps
    quit application closeall
    end repeat
  3. Click the Compile button on the toolbar to check the code to ensure it’s correct. If it’s OK, the code will be colored and indented properly. If it’s incorrect, you’ll see an error message. Try typing the code again.
  4. Click File->Save and choose to save the new app in your Applications folder. Call it something memorable—I chose “Quit Everything!” In the File Format dropdown list, choose Application.
  5. Close AppleScript Editor and navigate to your Applications list within Finder. Then drag and drop your new app onto the Dock, ready for use.

Another trick I use sometimes to quickly quit all apps is to use the task switcher (hold down Command and tap Tab), then hit Q when the highlight is over any app I want to quit.

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