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I am a software programmer and I almost never reset or shut down my Apple computer.

Over time, I open a lot of windows, and I don't close them, because I am focused on doing other things.

I was wondering if there is an application that will automatically close unused applications for me, but will keep the active applications running?

I'm not afraid to lose data – mostly all important applications ask whether I want to save before they are closed.

I need this because I end up with a severely cluttered desktop and with lots of windows and applications open, that also slow down my computer in addition to being an annoyance.

Hennes
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Andrey T
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3 Answers3

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Quitter for Mac

You could try Quitter for Mac.

Quitter is a Mac app that automatically hides or quits apps after periods of inactivity, inspired by my Automatic Social Discipline method. It’s great for minimizing distraction from social apps like Twitter and Slack, news readers, or even your email app.

Unfortunately, you'll need to add rules for each individual app, but that's probably not that big a deal for one-time setup.

If you don't want the program to be entirely quit, like in the case of Skype, you can tell Quitter to just hide that specific app instead of closing it.

Hocus Focus

Alternatively, you could try Hocus Focus.

Hocus Focus automatically hides application windows that have been inactive for a certain period of time, leaving only the applications you’re using visible. It’s a great way to keep your screens clutter free and your mind focused on the task at hand.

Nathan Arthur
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Not really a "User" answer, but as you described yourself as a programmer:

It seems like it should be straight forward to write a very simple AppleScript (or more generally OSAScript, which supports a variety of languages such as Python and JavaScript) that polls the active application and does a Tell Application X to Quit for any it hasn't seen in a while.

This has the benefit of being roughly equivalent to an interactive Cmd-Q so the application will attempt to exit cleanly in its normal manner.

Lake
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To disable Automatic Termination in Mac OS X launch Terminal and enter the following defaults write command:

defaults write -g NSDisableAutomaticTermination -bool yes

Relaunch apps that use auto-termination for changes to take effect.

kenorb
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pierre
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