How to Close a Dialog Box

You can close boxes without an "X" with a click or two.

If you're new to PC computing, working with active windows is straightforward. You can click within a window to perform basic operations, and click the red "X" to close the window. A dialog box, however, doesn't always have a red "X." These pop-up boxes provide you with information or collect information for use with the program. In many cases, the information gathered is as simple as determining your preferences or selecting a file save location. If you don't want to deal with dialog boxes, there are a few ways to close them.

Instructions

1. Read the screen carefully before choosing an option. To close a dialog box, you often need to interact with it using an OK or Cancel command. You should make sure you know what you are agreeing to or canceling before proceeding.

2. Click the red "X" in the corner when available. Some dialog boxes behave like windows, and you can shut them down with a single click.

3. Click "Cancel" or "Close" if this option is available and you want to terminate the dialog box's action. If your goal is to simply get rid of the box, a Cancel button often works.

4. Click on "Save" or "OK" when available. These options let you close the box while retaining a copy of your work.

5. Press "Ctrl," "Shift" and "Esc" at the same time to close an unresponsive dialog box. Click on the program with the unresponsive box, then select "End Task" to shut down the software and the troublesome dialog box.

Tips & Warnings

• Simple dialog boxes are closed with a single click, but some ask you to input data or choose from multiple options before you can click OK. To enter information into a box, click on the appropriate field and begin typing.

References

• Microsoft Developer Network: Dialog Boxes Overview
• Microsoft Developer Network: Dialog Boxes
• "New Perspectives on Microsoft Office 2007"; Patrick Carey, et al.; 2009
• Microsoft Support; Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows; Sept. 2010