Six Ways to Force Quit on Mac

1. Force Quit on Mac Using Apple Menu

Force Quit Applications on Mac Using Apple Menu provides an easy way to deal with unresponsive or frozen applications without having to remember Additional keyboard shortcuts. Here's how to force quit an app in macOS Sonoma:

• Click the Apple logo in the upper left corner of the Mac screen.
• Here, find and click the "Force Quit" option in the drop-down menu that appears.

• Once completed, a pop-up window will appear with all the applications currently running on your Mac.
• Select the App you want to quit, and then click the "Force Quit" button in the lower right corner of the window.

2. Use keyboard shortcuts to force quit apps on Mac

When you encounter unresponsive apps on Mac , using the keyboard shortcut Command Option Escape can quickly become your go-to solution. This method works as follows:

• Press Command (⌘) Option (⌥) Escape (⎋) on your Mac PC or MacBook keyboard to open the Force Quit Application window .

Image credit: Apple

• A pop-up window will appear with all the applications currently running on your Mac.
• Now, select the misbehaving application and click the Force Quit button in the lower right corner of the window.

3. Force Quit on Mac using the Applications Dock

Most Mac users believe that force quitting an application from the Dock is impossible. Because there isn't any Force Quit option available in the Dock menu; instead, the "Quit" option is available. But you can access the hidden force quit option by simply holding down a key. Here's how:

• Right-click the app icon that you want to force quit in the Dock to access the Dock menu.
• A pop-up menu will appear, with a "Quiet" tab at the bottom.

• Hold the Option key and you will see the "Exit" tab will change to "Force Quit" ".
• While still holding down the Option key, Click on the Force Quit tab to successfully force quit troublesome apps on your Mac.

4. Use Activity Monitor to Force Quit on Mac

Activity Monitor is a built-in macOS utility where you can Learn more about your Mac's processes, including applications and system tasks. All of this makes it easier for you to pinpoint resource-intensive or unresponsive applications. This method is most useful when you need to determine which application is causing performance issues and then force-quit it. Methods as below:

• Open Activity Monitor on your Mac PC or MacBook by searching in Spotlight
Now, in the Activity Monitor window, find and select the one that is behaving strangely application and click the
• "X" button in the upper left corner.

Now, in the pop-up window that appears,
• click on the "Force Quit" button .

#5. Use Terminal to Force Quit Applications on Mac

This method is suitable for advanced Mac users who are familiar with the command line interface. Using Terminal on your Mac to force quit an app gives you precise control over the entire process. Here's how:

Use Spotlight Search to launch the Terminal app on your Mac.
• Here, type
• Killall "Application Name" and press Enter, your Mac will force quit the application.

If the app contains more than two words, its name should be placed in quotes (e.g. "Google Chrome"). Additionally, app names are case-sensitive.

Additionally, it is important to err on the side of caution and ensure that you force quit the correct process, as the terminal command can have a direct and direct impact on your system.

Note: The killall command works at the system level, which means the "Autosave" option will not work. Therefore, make sure to save any unsaved work before force quitting the application as you may lose unsaved changes.

6. Force restart your Mac

If all else fails, a good old fashioned force restart can work wonders. It gives your Mac a fresh start and clears up any issues that are causing applications to behave erratically. Here's how to do it:

Hold down the
• Control Command power key until your Mac shuts down.
Now, wait 5 seconds and your Mac will restart normally.
• Alternatively, you can
• press and hold the power key to force your Mac to shut down, then press the power button again to start it.

That's it; mastering these techniques will allow you to keep your Mac running smoothly, even if apps go rogue. Remember, force quitting should be a last resort; always try closing the app via regular methods first.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. How to shut down an unresponsive Mac?

You can force shut down your Mac by holding down the power button until your Mac shuts down. Or, if your Mac is unresponsive, you can force restart it.

Q. How do I unfreeze my Mac without force quitting?

If you want to unfreeze an application without force quitting it, restarting your Mac is the only option.

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