I'm looking for a way to mimic the MacOS functionality where you can either close an app (Cmd+W) or quit it entirely (Cmd+Q). On MacOS, when you just close an app, it stays in RAM for quick access later. Is there any app or workaround on Windows that offers this? The closest I've found is minimizing to the system tray, but not all apps support that, and it doesn't really keep my Alt-Tab clean either.
2 Answers
Unfortunately, Windows doesn't have a direct equivalent to the MacOS system for keeping apps in memory all the time. The minimize function works, but sometimes people use tools like 'TrayIt!' or 'RBTray' that help send applications to the system tray, so they're out of the way but still running. It's not perfect, but it might help you achieve a similar experience.
That's an interesting question! Honestly, Windows does have a minimize option next to the close button, but it doesn't quite replicate what you get on Mac. When you close an app using Alt+F4, it actually keeps some data in memory, so reopening it isn't as slow. But I get it—if you're shifting from Mac and love that seamless experience, it can be frustrating.
I totally understand! The clutter in Alt-Tab can be annoying. There are some third-party tools out there that can minimize apps to the tray without them showing up in Alt-Tab, but they’re hit or miss depending on the app.