How To on Mac

How to force quit on Mac

Jul 11, 2023

A Lifesaver Guide: How to Force Quit an Application on Your Mac

Experiencing unresponsive applications is a common occurrence across all computer systems, including Macs. When an app on your Mac stops responding and you can't quit it the normal way, the "Force Quit" option comes to the rescue. In this blog post, we will explore various methods to force quit applications on a Mac.

Method 1: Using the Apple Menu

The Apple Menu provides a simple method to force quit unresponsive applications:

  1. Click on the Apple icon located at the top-left corner of your screen.

  2. In the drop-down menu, select "Force Quit...".

  3. A window titled "Force Quit Applications" will open, listing all currently active applications.

  4. Select the unresponsive app from the list and then click "Force Quit".

  5. A warning will appear asking if you are sure you want to force quit the app, as unsaved changes may be lost. Confirm by clicking "Force Quit" again.

Method 2: Using a Keyboard Shortcut

Keyboard shortcuts offer a quick way to force quit applications:

  1. Press the following keys simultaneously: Command + Option + Esc.

  2. This will directly open the "Force Quit Applications" window.

  3. From here, the process is the same as Method 1: select the unresponsive app and click "Force Quit" twice.

Method 3: Using the Dock

The Dock at the bottom of your screen also provides a method to force quit applications:

  1. Locate the unresponsive app's icon on the Dock.

  2. Right-click on the app's icon (or hold Control and click the icon, or use a two-finger click on the trackpad).

  3. In the context menu that appears, press the Option key. "Quit" will change to "Force Quit".

  4. Click "Force Quit".

Method 4: Using the Activity Monitor

The Activity Monitor on your Mac is a more advanced method and lets you see how apps and other processes are affecting your CPU, memory, energy, disk, and network usage:

  1. Open Activity Monitor from Applications > Utilities or by searching "Activity Monitor" in Spotlight (Command + Space).

  2. In the list of processes, find the unresponsive app.

  3. Select it and click on the "X" icon in the toolbar.

  4. A dialog box will appear asking you to confirm that you want to quit this process. Click "Force Quit".

Remember, force quitting should be used as a last resort when an application is not responding, as any unsaved data in the app will be lost. Regularly saving your work is a good practice to avoid losing important data.

In this post, we've shown you how to force quit an application on your Mac. This skill can be a real lifesaver when you encounter an application that's frozen or unresponsive. With these tips, you can keep your workflow smooth and productive.