Dialog box

A dialog box (also spelled dialogue box) or dialog is a common type of window in the GUI (graphical user interface) of an operating system. Usually, a small window, the dialog box displays additional information and asks a user for input.

For example, when you use a program and want to open a file, you interact with the "File Open" dialog box. In Microsoft Windows, when you right-click a file and choose Properties, you are presented with the Properties dialog box.

Modal and modeless dialogs

A modal dialog temporarily locks you out of the rest of an application until it's closed. While a modal dialog box is open, it's always active and prevents other dialog boxes or windows from being opened until it is closed.

A modeless dialog lets you use the rest of the application while it is open. It can be hidden by other application windows.

A document-modal dialog is used in modern macOS versions and some applications such as Opera. Instead of appearing in its own window, the dialog is presented as a "sheet" attached to the window. While it is open, a document-modal dialog locks the user out of the parent document window, but other document windows in the application can still be used. An example of a document-modal dialog is the "Save As" dialog in the macOS TextEdit application, shown below.

Why is the dialog box not closing?

Dialog boxes frequently appear for various reasons and are usually closed by clicking a button labeled OK, Cancel, Yes, or No. Some dialog boxes also have an X icon in the top-left or top-right corner, and when clicked, the dialog box closes. However, sometimes, a dialog box does not go away when clicking one of those buttons. Below are several reasons why this may happen and how to fix the problem.

• A text field or drop-down list in the dialog box requires a value to be entered or selected. If there's a text field or list in the dialog box, enter or select a value and click a button to close it.
• The application encountered an error and was unable to close the dialog box. The error message may be suppressed because the dialog box prevents other dialogs or messages from displaying. Try terminating the application through Task Manager using the End task feature.
• The operating system encountered an error or failure that prevented the dialog box from closing. Try restarting your computer to see if that resolves the issue and allows the application and dialog box to function correctly.

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