What it means to keep an app open but hidden from your desktop
When you close an process window on Mac, the app itself usually closes too. But some apps — like Slack, Discord, or Spotify — can stay running in the background even after you close their window. They sit in your menu bar (the strip at the top of your screen) or in the Dock (the row of icons at the bottom), ready to work without taking up desktop space.
This is different from minimizing, which just shrinks the window. A hidden app keeps running, can send you notifications, and opens when ready when you click it again. You are not shutting it down; you are just removing it from view.
Key Takeaways
- Closing an app window does not always close the app — many modern applications keep running in the background by default.
- Apps that stay open in the background appear in your menu bar at the top of the screen or in the Dock at the bottom, not on your desktop.
- You can force an app to fully close by using Command+Q or by right-clicking its Dock icon and selecting Quit.
- If an app keeps reopening when you restart your Mac, check System Settings under General > Login Items to remove it from startup.
How to close an app window without closing the app itself
On Mac, closing a window and closing an app are two separate actions. When you click the red close button in the top-left corner of any window, you close that window only. The app keeps running behind the scenes.
You will know the app is still open because its name appears in the menu bar at the top of your screen, or its icon stays highlighted in the Dock. If you want to use the app again, click its menu bar icon or Dock icon and the window reappears when ready.
This behavior is intentional in many apps. Slack, for example, is designed to stay open so it can show you notifications even when you are not looking at the window. Closing the window does not interrupt that function.
How to fully close an app so it stops running
If you want an app to stop running completely, you have to quit it. The simplest way is to use the keyboard shortcut Command+Q while the app is active (click its window first if you are not sure). This closes the app entirely.
You can also right-click the app's icon in the Dock, and a menu appears. Select "Quit" from that menu. If the app is not in the Dock, open Spotlight by pressing Command+Space, type the app name, press Enter to open it, then use Command+Q to quit it.
If an app is frozen or will not quit normally, you can force it to close. Press Command+Option+Escape to open the Force Quit window, select the app, and click "Force Quit". This stops the app when ready, though you may lose unsaved work.
Why apps stay open after you close their window
Modern Mac apps are built to stay running in the background because it is faster and more convenient. When you close Spotify's window, the app keeps playing music. When you close Messages, the app keeps receiving texts. Reopening the window takes a fraction of a second because the app never actually stopped.
This also allows apps to send you notifications. If Slack closed completely every time you closed its window, you would miss messages while you were working in other apps. By staying open in the background, Slack can alert you to new activity.
Some apps let you control this behavior. Open the app's preferences or settings (usually under the app name in the menu bar) and look for options like "Keep in background" or "Run in background". You can often turn this on or off depending on what you prefer.
How to stop apps from opening automatically when you restart your Mac
If certain apps always open when you turn on your Mac, they are probably set to launch at startup. To remove them, open System Settings (the gear icon in the Dock or the Apple menu). Click "General" in the sidebar, then scroll down and click "Login Items".
You will see two sections: "Allow in the Login Items" and "Allow in the Login Items - Continued". Look for the app you want to stop. Click the minus sign next to its name to remove it from the startup list. The next time you restart your Mac, that app will not open automatically.
Some apps add themselves to this list without asking. If you see an app you did not put there, removing it is safe and will not harm the app or your Mac.
The difference between the menu bar and the Dock
The menu bar is the thin strip at the very top of your screen, next to the clock. Apps that stay open in the background often show a small icon there. Click that icon to open the app's window or access its menu. This is where you will see icons for Spotify, Slack, or your battery status.
The Dock is the row of icons at the bottom of your screen (or the side, if you moved it). Apps in the Dock are usually ones you use often. A small dot under a Dock icon means that app is currently running. You can right-click any Dock icon to see options like "Quit" or "Options".
An app can appear in both places at once. Slack, for example, might have an icon in the menu bar and also live in your Dock. You can remove an app from the Dock by right-clicking it and selecting "Options" > "Remove from Dock", but this does not close the app or remove its menu bar icon.
How to tell which apps are actually running right now
To see every app currently running on your Mac, press Command+Tab. A window appears showing all open apps. Keep holding Command and press Tab repeatedly to cycle through them, or click any app to switch to it. When you release the keys, the selected app comes to the front.
You can also open Activity Monitor to see a detailed list of every running process. Press Command+Space to open Spotlight, type "Activity Monitor", and press Enter. The window shows every app and background process currently using your Mac's resources. This is useful if an app seems to be slowing down your computer.
If you see an app in Activity Monitor that you do not recognize, do not close it without looking it up first. Some background processes have names that do not match the app you know. A quick search for the process name usually explains what it does.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I close an app window, is my work saved?
It depends on the app. Most modern apps save your work automatically as you type or make changes, so closing the window does not lose anything. But some older apps or specialized software may not auto-save. If you are unsure, use Command+S to save before closing the window, or check the app's preferences to turn on auto-save.
Does keeping apps open in the background slow down my Mac?
A little, but usually not noticeably. Each running app uses some memory and processor power. If your Mac feels slow, open Activity Monitor and look at the Memory and CPU columns to see which apps are using the most resources. You can quit heavy apps you are not using to free up space.
Why does an app keep opening even after I quit it?
It is probably set to launch at startup. Check System Settings > General > Login Items and remove it from the list. If it still opens, the app might be launching another app or service. Restart your Mac after removing it from Login Items to make sure the change takes effect.
Can I hide an app from the menu bar without closing it?
Some apps let you hide their menu bar icon in their preferences or settings. Open the app, look for Preferences or Settings (usually under the app name in the menu bar), and search for options like "Show in menu bar" or "Hide icon". Turning this off removes the icon from the menu bar but keeps the app running.
What is the difference between closing and minimizing?
Minimizing shrinks the window and moves it out of sight, but the app stays fully open and running. Closing the window closes that window only, but the app may keep running in the background. Quitting stops the app completely. If you want to temporarily hide a window, minimize it. If you want to stop the app from using resources, quit it.