Windows is an operating system that has been characterized in its latest versions for being quite reliable and stable, although this does not mean that it is free of errors. One of the most annoying is that, for no apparent reason, applications close by themselves. Beyond witchcraft, the truth is that we are facing a problem that we can find in both Windows 10 and Windows 11, so we are going to see how we can solve it.
That the applications close by themselves is something difficult to accept and assimilate, in addition to being something tremendously annoying. Beyond the damage that it can cause us if we are working with them and see how they suddenly close, without us being able to save what we are doing at that moment.
Reasons why Windows closes programs
Without a doubt, it is not common for Windows to decide that applications close by themselves, so we are dealing with a problem based on the operating system. If the applications close by themselves, it is not due to a specific error, but it can be due to different factors.
Mainly, this problem can be related to conflicts with third-party software that are negatively affecting system performance. In this way it could be due to a problem of permissions, storage or with its installation that has been defective. Many users have also reported that the issue is caused by the ASUS GPU Tweak app conflicting with other Windows apps, causing them to crash.
It can also be caused by a problem with a bad Windows update causing the system to malfunction which results in unexpected closing of applications. In addition, this fact may be caused by a corruption in the system files that prevents the programs from running correctly, causing them to close shortly after opening them. Also, even hybrid sleep mode can cause apps to quit on their own.
As a summary, the problems that cause programs and applications to close by themselves are:
- Operating system conflict caused by third party software.
- Issue caused by ASUS GPU Tweak.
- Faulty update of the operating system.
- Corruption of system files.
- Hybrid sleep related issues.
Since there are several possible causes, we will have to try different solutions until we find the one that can solve the problem.
Troubleshooting steps
Next, we are going to see actions that we can carry out in case the applications close by themselves. These methods can be used interchangeably, both in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Turn the computer off and on
Sometimes the problems that seem more complicated also have simpler solutions. That is why the first thing we should try is to close Windows and turn off the computer. It is possible that this happens because the operating system is at full capacity, with the CPU and RAM at maximum, which causes it to free itself by closing the applications without our consent.
Therefore, turning off the computer for a while causes all programs to close and the operating system to “breathe”. Later we turn it on again, we use it again by first starting the applications that close by themselves and check if the problem stops occurring.
Repair the affected program
Many programs have a built -in repair option with which you can solve any problem that ends up causing the application to close on its own. If the problem occurs with a particular application, we can try to see if it offers something similar.
To do this, press the key combination “Windows + I” and access the “Settings” menu. Then click on “Applications” and “Applications and features”. Here we click on the application and check if we have an integrated repair method.
Disable and uninstall Asus GPU Tweak
As we have mentioned, many users claim that the ASUS GPU Tweak program is the cause of applications closing by themselves due to various conflicts that it causes. That is why, in the event that we have it installed, we must try to disable it and then uninstall it from the system.
The first thing we are going to do is press the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + Alt + Delete” to access the Task Manager . Here we right-click on ASUS GPU Tweak and select “End task” .
Next, we start the programs again and check if the applications close after opening them. If yes, the problem may be due to ASUS GPU Tweak so we should try to uninstall it.
To do this, press the keyboard shortcut “Windows + R” and type Control Panel. This will take us to the Control Panel where we select “Uninstall a program”. We look for the application, click on it with the right button and select “Uninstall” . We follow the steps of the wizard until the uninstall is complete, we restart the system and check if the applications close by themselves.
Uninstall latest Windows updates
A buggy Windows update or internal conflict may be causing apps to close on their own. That is why, if the problem has started to occur after installing a Windows update, we can try uninstalling it to try to solve it.
To do this, open the Windows Control Panel and click on the “Uninstall a program” section. Later, in the upper left part we click on “View installed updates” to be able to see all those updates that we have installed in the system.
We go to the Microsoft Windows section, right-click on the most recent update, select “Uninstall” and follow the instructions that appear on the screen to complete the uninstall. Once finished, we restart to see if the applications stop closing by themselves.
Perform a clean boot of the system
Configuring a clean boot of the system can help us identify the guilty application that Windows closes without warning. To do this, press the key combination “Windows + R”, type msconfig.exe and press Enter.
Now in the “General” we must click on “Selective startup” to later uncheck the “Load startup items” box .
Next, we click on the “Services” tab to select the “Hide all Microsoft services” checkbox. Finally, we only have to click on the ” Disable all” box. Once this is done, click “OK” and restart.
The system will now take care of booting into a clean state, and only essential Microsoft services will be running. After the reboot, we need to check if the programs close immediately after the opening problem persists. If the apps stay open, you may have a third-party software conflict taking care of closing the apps on its own.
Boot into safe mode
Another possible solution is to try to enter the safe mode of Windows. This mode is a basic version of the operating system that is responsible for running only essential operations. Starting Windows 10 or Windows 11 in safe mode will help us eliminate all kinds of errors that can be conflicting and cause applications to close on their own.
To enter safe mode we must press the keyboard shortcut Windows + R, which will launch the Run command. Now we write msconfig and press Enter or the OK button. This will bring up the “System Configuration” app.
Subsequently, click on the “Boot” tab and click on ” Safe boot” , as well as in the “Minimum” section. Finally, we only have to click on Restart and Windows will start in safe mode from where we can check if the applications continue to close by themselves.
Perform a scan with SFC or DISM
If Windows 10 or Windows 11 causes apps to quit unexpectedly, it may be due to corrupted system files. To try to solve it we can perform an analysis with SFC or DISM and try to repair it.
To do this we must open the Command Prompt tool, typing cmd in the Start menu search box and running it with administrator rights. Then we type the following command and press Enter:
sfc /scannow
This tool will take care of trying to repair damaged system files automatically. In case it does not find damaged files, we can try to run the DISM tool, typing the following commands and pressing Enter.
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
Once this is done, we restart the system and check if the applications stop closing by themselves.
Run the troubleshooter
The Windows Troubleshooter is a tool built into the operating system that automatically scans, detects, and fixes the most common problems found related to applications. That is why running it can be of great help when it comes to finding out and preventing applications from closing on their own.
To access it we must press the keyboard shortcut “Windows + I”, which will open the Windows Configuration menu. Then click on “System” and then on “Troubleshoot”. In the new window, click on “Other troubleshooters”.
Later we scroll to the bottom and select “Windows Store Applications” and click on the Run button. The tool will then take care of analyzing the system and detecting any problems automatically. If it detects it, it will try to solve it.
Perform system restore
If the problem persists and the applications close by themselves, we can try to restore Windows to a previous version where everything worked correctly. This can be done without fear of losing our stored files, since the system will offer us the possibility of keeping them or deleting them before starting.
To perform the system restore we must go to the Control Panel and in the upper right part in the “View by” option, we select “small icons”. Now, we click on “System” and then on “Recovery”, located on the right side. This will open another window where we must click on “Open system restore” . This will open a new window where we must click on “Choose a new restore point” . We select it and Windows will start the process. Once finished, we verify that Windows is no longer in charge of closing the applications.
