microsoft / microsoft/PowerToys
"Confirm Close" or "Double-Click to Exit."
- Dominant language
- C
- Stars
- 139k
- Forks
- 8.6k
- PR merge metrics
- PR metrics pending
Description
### Description of the new feature / enhancement
I am proposing a "Safety Close" or "Double-Click to Close" feature for windows. This would add a toggleable setting where clicking the 'X' (close) button once does nothing, or requires a second click within a short timeframe (e.g., 500ms) to actually terminate the process. Alternatively, it could be implemented as a "Long Press to Close" or a modifier-click requirement (e.g., Ctrl + Click to close).
### Scenario when this would be used?
This is primarily a "mistake-proofing" feature (Poka-yoke) for high-stakes environments.
- Accidental Clicks: When a user intends to click "Maximize" or "Restore" but accidentally hits the "X" due to high mouse sensitivity or lack of precision.
- Loss of Progress: In applications that do not have an auto-save feature or a "Do you want to save?" prompt (like some terminal windows, notepad-style apps, or web-based dashboards).
- Multi-Monitor Setups: Users moving windows quickly between screens often overshoot their target and accidentally click the corner of the window.
### Supporting information
Supporting information
- Existing Precedent: This is similar to how "Long Press to Power Off" works on physical hardware to prevent accidental shutdowns.
- User Customization: Ideally, this could be applied globally or "per-app" for specific programs where the user is most concerned about accidental closure.
- Visual Feedback: When the first click happens, the 'X' button could flash red or show a brief animation to indicate that a second click is required, providing immediate feedback to the user that the action was intercepted.
Contributor guide
Research direction
The issue names no files, tests, or entry points. Start by determining which PowerToys utility and window-close behavior are in scope, then agree on one interaction model and its configuration scope; done should include the selected safety-close behavior, user feedback, and validation that normal closing still works.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- c
- Domain
- desktop, operating-systems
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Needs clarification
- Newbie friendliness
- 25/100