---
name: "xkill"
section: "1x"
platform: "linux"
package: "xbase-clients"
version: "4.3.0.dfsg.1-14sarge7"
release: "Debian 3.1 (Sarge)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xkill/1x"
---

# xkill(1x)

kill a client by its X resource

## NAME

xkill - kill a client by its X resource

## SYNOPSIS

**xkill** \[-display *displayname*\] \[-id *resource*\] \[-button number\] \[-frame\] \[-all\]

## DESCRIPTION

*Xkill* is a utility for forcing the X server to close connections to clients.  This program is very dangerous, but is useful for aborting programs that have  displayed undesired windows on a user's screen.  If no resource identifier is given with *-id*, *xkill* will display a special cursor as a prompt for the user to select a window to be killed.  If a pointer button is pressed over a non-root window, the server will close its connection to the client that created the window.

## OPTIONS

- **-display *displayname***

  This option specifies the name of the X server to contact.

- **-id *resource***

  This option specifies the X identifier for the resource whose creator is to be aborted.  If no resource is specified, *xkill* will display a  special cursor with which you should select a window to be kill.

- **-button *number***

  This option specifies the number of pointer button that should be used in selecting a window to kill.   If the word "any" is specified, any button on the pointer may be used.  By default, the first button in the pointer map (which is usually the leftmost button) is used.

- **-all**

  This option indicates that all clients with top-level windows on the screen should be killed.  *Xkill* will ask you to select the root window with  each of the currently defined buttons to give you several chances to abort. Use of this option is highly discouraged.

- **-frame**

  This option indicates that xkill should ignore the standard conventions for finding top-level client windows (which are typically nested inside a window manager window), and simply believe that you want to kill direct children of the root.

## XDEFAULTS

- **Button**

  Specifies a specific pointer button number or the word "any" to use when  selecting windows.

## SEE ALSO

[X(7x)](/X/7x.md), [xwininfo(1)](/xwininfo/1.md), XKillClient and XGetPointerMapping in the Xlib Programmers  Manual, KillClient in the X Protocol Specification

## AUTHOR

Jim Fulton, MIT X Consortium\
 Dana Chee, Bellcore