i3 FAQ - Individual question feed

How to deal with the window that can not be closed by mod+shift+q

Wed, 09 Oct 2013 23:34:03 +0000

I found there is a small window floating at the corner of the screen. this window is not working properly as it always displays part of contents in other windows. I don't remember which app opens this up as the computer has been on for weeks. This window can not be closed by mod+shift +q. of course we can just leave it there but do you know if there is any way to close such stubborn window? Thanks in advance!

Comment by lkraav for
I found there is a small window floating at the corner of the screen. this window is not working properly as it always displays part of contents in other windows. I don't remember which app opens this up as the computer has been on for weeks. This window can not be closed by mod+shift +q. of course we can just leave it there but do you know if there is any way to close such stubborn window?

Thanks in advance!

Thu, 10 Oct 2013 21:54:11 +0000

I frequently get this for Wine system tray icons. KeePass for example creates such windows, when I change monitor configuration with xrandr

Comment by diablo465 for
I found there is a small window floating at the corner of the screen. this window is not working properly as it always displays part of contents in other windows. I don't remember which app opens this up as the computer has been on for weeks. This window can not be closed by mod+shift +q. of course we can just leave it there but do you know if there is any way to close such stubborn window?

Thanks in advance!

Sun, 13 Oct 2013 02:07:43 +0000

@BatmanAoD Yes it is a window, as you can resize it when it is in floating mode, or you can put it back as tiling mode, then you can stack the window with other windows.

Comment by BatmanAoD for
I found there is a small window floating at the corner of the screen. this window is not working properly as it always displays part of contents in other windows. I don't remember which app opens this up as the computer has been on for weeks. This window can not be closed by mod+shift +q. of course we can just leave it there but do you know if there is any way to close such stubborn window?

Thanks in advance!

Fri, 11 Oct 2013 16:17:59 +0000

My point in asking was that it might not be a window at all, in which case the wm (be it i3 or anything else) might not even be aware of it. Does it remain in place when you switch to a new workspace on the same screen?

Comment by BatmanAoD for
I found there is a small window floating at the corner of the screen. this window is not working properly as it always displays part of contents in other windows. I don't remember which app opens this up as the computer has been on for weeks. This window can not be closed by mod+shift +q. of course we can just leave it there but do you know if there is any way to close such stubborn window?

Thanks in advance!

Thu, 10 Oct 2013 16:19:11 +0000

Are you sure it's actually a window and not just an artifact left by some kind of bug?

Comment by diablo465 for
I found there is a small window floating at the corner of the screen. this window is not working properly as it always displays part of contents in other windows. I don't remember which app opens this up as the computer has been on for weeks. This window can not be closed by mod+shift +q. of course we can just leave it there but do you know if there is any way to close such stubborn window?

Thanks in advance!

Thu, 10 Oct 2013 22:39:04 +0000

@BatmanAoD It could be left by some kind of bug, as it doesn't function properly. but I wonder if there are ways to deal with these bug windows.

Comment by BatmanAoD for
I found there is a small window floating at the corner of the screen. this window is not working properly as it always displays part of contents in other windows. I don't remember which app opens this up as the computer has been on for weeks. This window can not be closed by mod+shift +q. of course we can just leave it there but do you know if there is any way to close such stubborn window?

Thanks in advance!

Fri, 11 Oct 2013 17:55:58 +0000

Actually, since it's a "floating" window, can you move it with click&drag? If not, my guess is that it's **definitely** not a real window.

Answer by Cyannide for
I found there is a small window floating at the corner of the screen. this window is not working properly as it always displays part of contents in other windows. I don't remember which app opens this up as the computer has been on for weeks. This window can not be closed by mod+shift +q. of course we can just leave it there but do you know if there is any way to close such stubborn window?

Thanks in advance!

Wed, 10 Jun 2015 22:35:30 +0000

From the above post: Use **xwininfo** (and click on the offending window) or use **-all** and find it Then use **xkill -id** [*window id from xwininfo*] That will do away with even the most persistent pests....

Answer by Michael for
I found there is a small window floating at the corner of the screen. this window is not working properly as it always displays part of contents in other windows. I don't remember which app opens this up as the computer has been on for weeks. This window can not be closed by mod+shift +q. of course we can just leave it there but do you know if there is any way to close such stubborn window?

Thanks in advance!

Thu, 10 Oct 2013 16:19:46 +0000

Try restarting i3 (`i3 restart` or Mod+Shift+R I think), then killing the window using Mod+Shift+Q or `xkill`.

Comment by diablo465 for
Try restarting i3 (`i3 restart` or Mod+Shift+R I think), then killing the window using Mod+Shift+Q or `xkill`.

Thu, 10 Oct 2013 22:36:00 +0000

Thanks for reply, I tried according but no luck.

Answer by vandannen for
I found there is a small window floating at the corner of the screen. this window is not working properly as it always displays part of contents in other windows. I don't remember which app opens this up as the computer has been on for weeks. This window can not be closed by mod+shift +q. of course we can just leave it there but do you know if there is any way to close such stubborn window?

Thanks in advance!

Wed, 09 Oct 2013 23:41:13 +0000

try `xkill`, it allows to force close an x window.

Comment by diablo465 for
try `xkill`, it allows to force close an x window.

Thu, 10 Oct 2013 00:53:15 +0000

Thanks for reply, I tried to use **xkill** but the window can not be selected after activating the xkill command, no matter the stubborn window is in tiling form or floating form. but xkill can close other normal windows in my system.

Comment by diablo465 for
try `xkill`, it allows to force close an x window.

Mon, 14 Oct 2013 22:53:25 +0000

@BatmanAoD here is result after using xprop to that window: WM_NAME(STRING) = "[i3 con] floatingcon around 0x19cd330". the result is completely different from other windows. I can not find the pid of the window that is why it is not possible to use xkill or kill to close it.

Comment by BatmanAoD for
try `xkill`, it allows to force close an x window.

Mon, 14 Oct 2013 15:58:51 +0000

@diablo465 can you use `xprop` on the window? If so, maybe you can use `xkill -id ` to kill it?

Answer by kernc for
I found there is a small window floating at the corner of the screen. this window is not working properly as it always displays part of contents in other windows. I don't remember which app opens this up as the computer has been on for weeks. This window can not be closed by mod+shift +q. of course we can just leave it there but do you know if there is any way to close such stubborn window?

Thanks in advance!

Sun, 09 Mar 2014 06:20:44 +0000

I was able to kill such a window (remnant of something wine) with `xwininfo -all` to determine the process id, then `kill`ing that process and associated processes with command line `C:\windows\...`.

i3 FAQ - Individual question feed

How to deal with the window that can not be closed by mod+shift+q

Comment by diablo465 for Try restarting i3 (i3 restart or Mod+Shift+R I think), then killing the window using Mod+Shift+Q or xkill.

Comment by diablo465 for try xkill, it allows to force close an x window.

Comment by diablo465 for try xkill, it allows to force close an x window.

Comment by BatmanAoD for try xkill, it allows to force close an x window.

Comment by diablo465 for
Try restarting i3 (`i3 restart` or Mod+Shift+R I think), then killing the window using Mod+Shift+Q or `xkill`.

Comment by diablo465 for
try `xkill`, it allows to force close an x window.

Comment by diablo465 for
try `xkill`, it allows to force close an x window.

Comment by BatmanAoD for
try `xkill`, it allows to force close an x window.