xkill
Force-close X11 windows by clicking
TLDR
Kill window by clicking
SYNOPSIS
xkill [-id windowid] [-button button] [-frame] [options_]
DESCRIPTION
xkill forcibly closes X11 windows. After running, the cursor changes and the next clicked window is killed.
The tool sends a kill request to the X server. This is more forceful than asking the window to close normally.
Window manager frames can be targeted. Using -frame kills the window even if clicking the decoration rather than content.
Any mouse button can trigger the kill. By default, only button 1 (left click) works. The -button option changes this.
Pressing any key cancels xkill without killing a window. This provides an escape if started accidentally.
The tool is useful when applications become unresponsive and normal close methods fail.
PARAMETERS
-id WINDOWID
Kill specific window by ID.-button BUTTON
Button to use (any, 1, 2, 3).-frame
Include window frame.-all
Kill all matching clients.-display DISPLAY
X server display.
CAVEATS
X11 only - doesn't work on Wayland. May lose unsaved data. Doesn't gracefully close applications. Some windows may resist.
HISTORY
xkill has been part of the X.Org utilities since the early days of X11. It provides a simple way to deal with misbehaving X applications.
