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How to force quit in macOS

Windows OS users are often more familiar with a state when a particular app or program becomes unresponsive; for instance, many times, the MS word application stops responding, and it seems like the screen is stuck, and the user can neither save the data nor close the app in such a case.
Likewise, the same situation might occur in macOS also, as we have gone through many reports of macOS users that highlight an issue that certain apps have stopped responding and are unable to close the app in a normal way.

Why it is required to force close mac applications?

Basically, it is a quite commonly encountered issue in the macOS users’ community, and it mainly occurs when a system gets overburdened. Generally, the relative app gets unfroze automatically after a specific time period, but in such a state, the users often tend to go for the mac force quit option to get out of the unresponsive, frozen screen of the respective application quickly.
Here the question may arise how do the users get to know that an app is actually locked up? Because sometimes, a few applications may take a few moments to load data or perform any function in a usual fashion. So, in this sort of situation, it seems pretty easy to identify a frozen app as you will be able to notice the wait cursor like a rainbow spinning wheel in the unresponsiveness of a program.

How do I force quit on a Mac?

Though it isn’t a big deal to force quit mac applications but some users may still find it challenging by relying on a single way. Actually, the option “force quit application” mac offers can be performed in various ways, so not a single way might be equally effective in all cases. Therefore, how do you force quit on a mac app is totally up to you.

Note: Make sure the application you intend to close forcefully doesn’t have any unsaved data because the mac force quit option won’t let you recover your unsaved data later on. So, if the unsaved data on an unresponsive app is somewhat essential, then it is recommended to wait for a few moments until the app automatically gets responsive again.

How to force quit an app on Mac?

Being a MacOS user, if you are still not familiar with how to force close on mac? Then don’t worry as it is merely a matter of a few seconds. Given this concern, here we have put forward the quickest strategies on how to force quit on Mac operating system. In this regard, you can most likely have 2 choices: either you force quit using a keyboard shortcut, or you go for the Apple force quit option.

How to force quit the mac app from Apple menu?

The first & foremost suggested way to force quit an app on Mac OS is by doing so via the Apple menu. On the home screen, you can quickly locate the Apple logo icon that offers various functions when accessed. So:

  • Navigate to the taskbar and simply click on the Apple logo located in the top left corner.
  • Select the option “Force Quit” from the displayed list.
  • Now choose the particular app you actually want to close. (As an indication, you can see the designation “Not Responding” next to such apps).
  • Then click on the “Force Quit” button to close the selected frozen app forcefully.

How to force quit mac app using a keyboard shortcut?

If you don’t find it convenient to access the Apple icon in order to perform the Force quit process, then you can go for the alternate way of using the keyboard shortcut. What you need to do is:

  • Simply press the Option + Command + Esc keys simultaneously to open up the “Force Quit Applications.” (Consequently, the Force Quit window will get launched instantly)
  • Now choose the targeted unresponsive application name.
  • Then click on the option “Force Quit.”
  • In the end, click the Force Quit option again from prompted window.

Although you would have resolved the encountered issue by following any of the above-stated fixing strategies still here, we are presenting an alternate way to force quit a Mac app using Activity Monitor.

How to force quit mac app using Activity Monitor?

Activity Monitor is basically a program that states the information regarding CPU power usage and indicates the apps that are using more power; so, by this way, you conveniently identify which application is troubling and needs to be closed forcefully because when an application becomes unresponsive, it begins to consume more CPU power also. Therefore:

  • Initially, open the Activity Monitor on your system by using the shortcut key Command + Space. (You can also launch the Activity Monitor via Finder, to do so, you need to follow this path “Finder> Applications> Activity Monitor”)
  • Once the Activity Monitor gets launched successfully, locate & select the application you intend to quit forcefully.
  • Then navigate to the icon (that resembles the x) located in the top menu and click on it.
  • You will get prompted to a popup window enquiring, “Are you sure you want to quit this process?”, here click on the button “Force Quit” available in the options list.

Conclusion

Sometimes specific applications on Mac operating system become unresponsive or locked up, and the users can’t find a way to quit the app somehow. Usually, such frozen apps get back to the responding state after a specific period, but it may take longer than we assume.
Therefore, many of us tend to close the app forcefully, so given this scenario, in this brief piece of the discussion, we have elaborated on a few quick ways that can be adopted to Force Quit mac applications readily. You can instantly fix this issue by using the keyboard shortcut, or you can access the Apple menu to do so.

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Categories: How-tos
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