An app that stops responding can ruin your work, but you do not need to restart the whole computer. Learning how to force quit on Mac lets you close a frozen app in seconds, without touching the rest of your system. This guide shows five reliable ways to force quit an app, what to do if the entire Mac is frozen, and how to stop apps from freezing again.
Quick answer: the fastest way to force quit
Press Command + Option + Esc at the same time. A Force Quit Applications window opens. Select the frozen app from the list and click Force Quit, then confirm. Apps that are not responding are often labeled “not responding” in red.
Method 1: Use the keyboard shortcut
- Press Command + Option + Esc.
- In the window, select the app that is frozen.
- Click Force Quit, and confirm in the pop-up.
This works even when the app window is stuck and the menus will not respond, which is why it is the method most people remember.
Method 2: Use the Apple menu
- Click the Apple menu in the top left corner.
- Choose Force Quit.
- Select the app and click Force Quit.
This is the same window as the keyboard shortcut, just reached with the mouse. If the Apple menu itself responds slowly, wait a few seconds, or use the shortcut instead.
Method 3: Force quit from the Dock
- Find the frozen app’s icon in the Dock.
- Right-click it (or Control-click).
- Hold down the Option key. The menu item Quit changes to Force Quit.
- Click Force Quit.
This is quick when you can see the app in the Dock, and it avoids opening an extra window.
Method 4: Use Activity Monitor
Activity Monitor shows every process running on your Mac, which makes it the best tool for apps that keep freezing or use too much power.
- Press Command + Space, type Activity Monitor, and press Return.
- Click the CPU tab (or Memory) and look for the app. Names shown in red may be unresponsive.
- Select the process and click the X button in the toolbar.
- Choose Force Quit.
Activity Monitor also helps you spot the cause. If one app uses a huge amount of CPU or memory, it may be the reason your Mac feels slow. Our guide on a Mac running slow after an update shows how to read these numbers.
Method 5: Use Terminal (advanced)
If nothing else works, you can quit a process from Terminal. Open Terminal, type killall followed by the exact app name, for example killall Safari, and press Return. Be careful: this closes the app immediately without saving, and typing the wrong name can close something else. Use this only when you are comfortable with Terminal, and never paste commands you do not understand.
What if Finder is frozen?
Finder cannot be force quit in the usual way, but you can relaunch it. Hold Option, right-click the Finder icon in the Dock, and choose Relaunch. Your Desktop and Finder windows disappear for a moment and then return.
What if the whole Mac is frozen?
If the pointer will not move, nothing responds and Force Quit will not open, try these steps in order:
- Wait a minute. Heavy tasks sometimes make the Mac look frozen when it is just very busy.
- Try the spinning-wheel fix steps in our guide on the spinning beach ball on Mac.
- Press and hold the power button (or the Touch ID button) for about 10 seconds until the screen goes dark.
- Wait a few seconds, then press the button again to start your Mac.
A forced shutdown can lose unsaved work, so use it only as a last resort. If your Mac does not start normally afterward, see our article on how to fix a Mac startup problem.
Which method should you use?
| Situation | Best method |
|---|---|
| One app is frozen and menus still work | Apple menu > Force Quit |
| Keyboard works but mouse is slow | Command + Option + Esc |
| App icon is visible in the Dock | Dock with the Option key |
| App keeps freezing or hogging CPU | Activity Monitor |
| Finder is stuck | Option + right-click Finder > Relaunch |
| Entire Mac is frozen | Hold the power button for 10 seconds |
Will I lose my unsaved work?
Usually yes, for the app you force quit. Many apps, such as Pages, Numbers, TextEdit and most editors, use Auto Save and may offer to recover the document the next time you open them. Do not count on this, though. Save often, and wait a minute or two before you force quit, in case the app is only busy.
Why do apps freeze on a Mac?
- Low disk space. Macs need free space for temporary files. Follow our guide on how to free up storage on Mac if you are nearly full.
- Not enough memory. Too many apps or browser tabs open at once can exhaust RAM.
- Outdated apps or macOS. Bugs are fixed in updates, so check System Settings > General > Software Update and update your apps.
- Incompatible software. Old plug-ins and extensions can cause crashes, especially after a macOS update.
- Corrupted preferences or caches. Deleting an app’s preference file and reinstalling it sometimes helps.
- Failing hardware. If every app freezes and the Mac gets hot, run Apple Diagnostics or contact Apple Support.
How to prevent freezing
- Keep macOS and your apps up to date.
- Restart your Mac regularly, at least once a week.
- Close apps and browser tabs you are not using.
- Keep at least 10 to 15 percent of your storage free.
- Back up your Mac so a crash never costs you files. See our guide on backing up with Time Machine.
For more official help, visit Apple Support.
Force quit vs quit: what is the difference?
A normal Quit (Command + Q) asks the app to close itself, saving files and shutting down its processes in an orderly way. Force Quit ends the app immediately, whether or not it agrees. Always try a normal quit first. If the app is stuck for more than a minute or two, move to a force quit. Never use force quit as your everyday way of closing apps, because you can lose unsaved work.
Try Safe Mode if the problem keeps coming back
If many apps freeze, Safe Mode can help find the cause. It starts your Mac with only the essentials and runs some checks on your startup disk.
On a Mac with Apple silicon
- Shut down your Mac and wait for the screen to go dark.
- Press and hold the power button until the startup options appear.
- Select your startup disk, hold the Shift key, and click Continue in Safe Mode.
On an Intel Mac
- Shut down the Mac, then turn it on and immediately hold the Shift key.
- Release it when you see the login window.
If apps work normally in Safe Mode, the problem is likely a login item, extension or third-party software. Restart normally and remove anything you recently installed.
A checklist if the same app keeps freezing
- Update the app and macOS.
- Restart the Mac.
- Check that you have enough free storage.
- Disable extensions or plug-ins in that app.
- Delete and reinstall the app.
- Test with another user account on the Mac. If it works there, your own account’s settings are the problem.
Tips for working safely with unsaved documents
Many freezes happen while you are in the middle of a document, so build a few habits that protect your work. Save with Command + S every few minutes, turn on Auto Save in apps that offer it, and keep large projects in a folder that is covered by your backup. If an app freezes, wait at least a minute before you force quit, because heavy tasks such as exporting video or opening a huge file can make an app look frozen when it is still working. Check Activity Monitor: if the app still uses CPU, give it a little more time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the shortcut to force quit on Mac?
Press Command + Option + Esc to open the Force Quit Applications window, then select the frozen app and click Force Quit.
Is it safe to force quit an app?
It is generally safe for your Mac, but you may lose unsaved work in that app. Wait a minute first, in case the app is just busy.
How do I force quit when the Mac is completely frozen?
Hold the power button for about 10 seconds until the Mac turns off, then press it again to restart. Use this only as a last resort.
How do I force quit Finder?
Hold Option, right-click the Finder icon in the Dock, and choose Relaunch.
Why does the same app keep freezing?
Check for app and macOS updates, free up disk space, remove incompatible extensions, and try reinstalling the app. If it keeps happening with many apps, check for hardware problems.
Conclusion
To force quit on Mac, press Command + Option + Esc, select the app and click Force Quit. If that does not work, use the Apple menu, the Dock with Option, Activity Monitor, or Terminal as a last option. For a frozen Mac, hold the power button for about 10 seconds. Then find out why the freeze happened by checking updates, storage and memory, and make backups a habit so a crash never costs you anything important.
