Mac Windows: Close, Minimize, Hide, or Quit

[@zchovan]

I don't know what version of macOS this was recorded on (looks like Ventura), but the System Settings > Desktop & Dock pane is very different in Sonoma. Instead of "Windows & Apps", it's just a section called "Windows". The option to toggle whether to ask to save changes when closing a document is there, though. However, under that, the Stage Manager section is gone and seems to have been moved, probably because of the new "Widget" section. And there is no more "Menu Bar" section. I'm surprised how much they changed this section in Sonoma! A lot of this stuff is now in the "Control Center" section of Settings.

[@razvanmihai4884]

Gary, thanks for another great tutorial. After watching it, I turned off the "Close window when quitting an app," and it did the trick for me, knowing that now I can quickly quit an app, and the temporary files are still saved. That said, to keep my working desktop as clutter-free as possible, I use the "Hide app" feature, especially "Hide all others," to hide apps, and "Minimize" to minimize windows within an app, especially in Safari. There is a "Minimize all windows" switch. Maximizing all windows back is a little bit tricky, as you would need to hold the Option key while clicking on any minimized window. I thought this might be useful to share. I wish there were a "Minimize all other windows" feature similar to "Hide all others."

[@justletmechangethehandleyt]

Thanks for this! I switched to Mac a month ago and I was still confused as many people says they keep all apps open but minimized. This was good information!

[@andydavies27]

Great video, I am fairly new to Mac and have been experimenting with these different window management methods - I think "hide" is the most windows like minimising function, particularly as it switches focus automatically to the next app behind rather than if you minimise the last window of an app it still leaves the menu bar for that app on top and you have click on the next app you want (not great if you are minimising multiple apps quickly. Would be good if they introduced a windows style "aero" view of the open windows from the doc.

[@macmost]

How about Mission Control? Control+Up?

[@JasonMcFadden]

Great overview. Glad to learn the difference between "close" and "quit" for an app or window. Thanks!

[@tizzi91able]

Thank you for this video. I was upset for the new sonoma update but i see there is a toogle to switch off the minimize in app and bring back the old minimize to dock. Great news.

[@macmost]

That setting has always been there.

[@carolinebarlow4795]

Thanks very much, Gary, for this most informative video! It is great to have an overview of the differences between these actions.

[@RyderCragie]

0:22 I know you didn't mean to do this but I actually quite like this overlay. 🤣 Great video.

[@loisskiathitis8926]

A very useful and informative video tutorial today! Thank you, Gary! 👏🏻❤️

[@johnwade7430]

Interesting video. One way that I like to use is separate desktops so I can slide between separate documents…

[@TM-uy4jg]

You’re channel is great Gary

[@ZoltanHanko]

Anyone using Stage Manager? It looks very strange to me. This video very useful, thanks Gary!

[@macmost]

See kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpPRlZl6d5t4e6M

[@kurosenpai]

As both of Windows and Mac user, Mac OS minimize and closing app is super confusing. I get the quitting app basically just kill the app and purge it from the memory but closing and minimizing app is basically almost the same. It is also not consistant. Some apps behave different when closing and minimizing. Anyway, from what i understand and been using mac since 2020, i think, closing the app freeze the app in the memory, basically creating a snapshot of it in the memory. Minimize on the other hand, keeps it running in the memory. However, different apps behave differently which I dont blame Apple because some developers just dont give much care. This is just my thoughts on this matter however I might be wrong.

[@macmost]

Minimizing does "keep it running" yes. Closing the document (you close documents, you QUIT apps), will, well, close the document. It isn't open anymore but the app is still running just without that document open anymore.

[@kurosenpai]

@@macmost you see what i mean right? This whole thing is super confusing for people who comes from Windows OS. Although minimizing is the same in both OSs, I also think I understand why Apple makes a distinction between quitting and closing the app. I think its because of the battery life and memory management. If you want to quick open the app but doesnt want it to keep running and deplete the battery just close it. If you need extra memory just quit it and purge it entirely from the memory.

[@macmost]

@@kurosenpai You close documents/files. You quit apps. For instance, you launch Pages. Then you open 3 Pages documents to work on them. You can close one or more of the documents. You can even close all 3 Pages documents, but Pages is still running even with no documents opened.

[@TiliaCitrus]

Thanks for sharing 🙏

[@cyb3r1]

Close, minimise, hide, quit, zoom, full screen and windows management in general are an utter mess on mac

[@macmost]

Why?

[@mandyharrison3799]

My boss just upgraded me from Mac book air to Mac book pro...I feel like crying....no visible minimise windows... couldn't even see how these dots work. I feel like a dinosaur working with this laptop...what a horrible piece of equipment this is and my Mac book air seemed so much faster yet this Mac book pro is supposed to be faster. I'm hoping things improve but I'm wondering how I will ever get to grips😢

[@desertpatient]

Thanks bunched

[@davir.andrade908]

Macos still in 2000. Some basic features still missing in this OS.

[@macmost]

Like... what? Specifically?

[@romanmesina]

Gary, did you make a video or video short on how to blur or hide information in a picture using an iPhone? If I want to send a picture of my credit card but want to hide the digits, what is the best way? Thank you, and I love your work.

[@macmost]

If you have a graphics editing app (Photoshop, Pixelmator, etc) you can do it pretty easily with the tools in that app. If not, then just open it in Preview and draw a solid box over what you want to blank out, then export a new copy of the image.

[@romanmesina]

Awesome 🎉 Gratitude 🙏

[@romanmesina]

@@macmost I found a great way to use iPhone Photos. May I email it to you?

[@macmost]

@@romanmesina You mean to use Edit, then select the markup tools? Yes, that's what I was basically suggesting. Preview has those same Markup toolss. Sorry, I missed 'iPhone' in your original question because this is a video about windows on the Mac, so I was only thinking Mac. It helps to ask the question on a video that is related to the subject (or I have a Q&A form on my site where you can ask new questions).

[@romanmesina]

@@macmost using the markup tool, you can put a transparent box over the numbers of the credit card and then later on select the background of the box to be the same as a blank space on the picture and then you can barely tell numbers were covered. Works perfect! Thank you 🙏

[@thomasschildkrote7338]

Hi Gary, thanks a lot for this and all other videos. Is there a way how macOS remembers the size and position of windows after closing the app and/or shutting down the mac?

[@macmost]

Windows in what app, exactly? It should remember this, but how it works depends on the app. For instance if you have a Pages document set to a size and position, then when you open that document again it will open at the size and position.

[@thomasschildkrote7338]

Hi Gary, Thanks for replying. I withdraw my comment. I have upgraded my Mac to Sonoma and have no more problems with the window sizes. Before it was with every app, that macOS couldn`t remember the last position/size of any window from any app.

[@davidpatrick1813]

Cool, I am first to check in today .. first time 🙂

[@Joel4JC]

Hey Gary, is there a way to switch the behavior of close and quit? When I close (red X) Chrome, it closes all the tabs and when I restart Chrome they are all gone, even though I have star where I left off set in Chrome. I'm use to pressing the red x, instead of quitting Chrome. If I ⌘-Q in Chrome and then reopen chrome, all my tabs are restored. Can I swap this behavior between Close and Quit?

[@macmost]

When you close the window you are removing all of the tabs from that window. You are saying to the app: "I don't want these anymore." Quitting is the best way. Just do that. Or, hide instead of quitting. If you were using Safari, you could use the Tab Groups too, but I'm not sure what is like that in Chrome as I don't use it enough.

[@hallchristian1]

Impressing!

[@ElectroLuis-nr8ne]

Hello Mac, I am seeing that not only me but a large part of the community is also experiencing this, in addition to not finding an answer either on Apple or on KZbin specifically. Where is the Safari Download button?

[@macmost]

You asked this in multiple places (extra busy work for me). Here is what I said elsewhere: What is it you are looking for, exactly? To download something, usually the website you are downloading from has a link or graphic button to initiate the download for that file.

[@razorbackroar]

Hey Gary there is a bug on Sonoma lots of people are having iCloud is not syncing from MacBook to the iCloud Photos. Even with everything turned on. There is no connect to iCloud do you know of a fix for this?

[@macmost]

If you are having an issue like that, and have tried the basics like a restart, then call Apple Support so they can walk you through some things and look on their end.

[@gentlemanhk]

What does not make sense at all the I must minimize a window before a I could hide it!!!

[@macmost]

Not sure what you mean. You hide an app, you minimize a window. You certainly don't need to minimize a window before hiding though.