To force quit an app on a Mac, you can use the following methods:
Keyboard Shortcut
- Press Option (Alt) + Command (⌘) + Esc keys together.
- A "Force Quit Applications" window will open.
- Select the app that is not responding.
- Click Force Quit to close the app
Apple Menu
- Click the Apple logo () in the upper-left corner of your screen.
- Choose Force Quit from the menu.
- Select the unresponsive app in the list.
- Click Force Quit
Dock Icon
- Right-click (or click and hold) the app icon in the Dock.
- If the app is unresponsive, an option saying Force Quit will appear.
- Click Force Quit to close the app
Activity Monitor
- Open Activity Monitor from Applications > Utilities or via Spotlight search.
- Find and select the app you want to quit.
- Click the Stop (X) button in the toolbar.
- Choose Force Quit
Terminal (Advanced)
- Open Terminal.
- Type
killall [application name](e.g.,killall Safari). - Press Return to force quit the app.
- Use quotation marks if the app name has spaces (e.g.,
killall "Google Chrome")
If All Else Fails
- Restart your Mac via the Apple menu.
- If the Mac is completely frozen, press and hold the power button for up to 10 seconds to force shutdown, then turn it back on
These methods will help you close frozen or unresponsive apps on your Mac efficiently. The keyboard shortcut Option + Command + Esc is the quickest and most commonly used way to force quit apps
