how to force quit on mac

how to force quit on mac

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Ways to force quit applications on Mac

Force quitting is software on a Mac that refers to the technique of terminating or last software that is unresponsive or frozen. When an application turns unresponsive, it can no longer close usually while you try to quit it using ordinary techniques.

In such instances, pressure quitting allows you to forcefully terminate the application, stopping all its strategies and freeing up system resources. The force quit an app on Mac helps you get rid of all unresponsive apps, or it aids in jump-starting an unresponsive app.

how to force quit on mac

Force quitting is a manner to regain control over an application that isn’t always responding and can be causing device slowdowns or freezes. By force quitting the utility, you essentially pass any regular shutdown tactics and all at once forestall the utility from walking.

It’s crucial to observe that pressure quitting should be used as a closing hotel when a utility isn’t always responding, as it is able to result in the lack of unsaved statistics or the capability to report corruption. Before forced quitting, it is endorsed to strive to remain the utility of the usage of everyday strategies and saving any essential paintings.

Force Quit window

If you want to learn how to force quit on mac with different force quit apps and menu bar, this is the article for you. You can force shut any unresponsive apps, you can do this by force quit mac shortcut or power button:

Ways to force shut frozen app or unresponsive app

select Force Quit.

1) How to force quit on Mac using a shortcut

To pressure end an application on a Mac the usage of a keyboard shortcut, you could follow these steps:

Hold down the subsequent keys concurrently: Command (⌘) Option (⌥) Escape (⎋).

A Force Quit window will appear, showing a list of currently walking programs.

Select the application you need to force stop from the listing by means of clicking on it.

Select Force Quit option and click force quit button.

choose Force Quit

The application will be forcefully terminated, and its techniques may be stopped. This keyboard shortcut presents a quick manner to force quit an unresponsive software without having to undergo menus or other techniques. Remember to shop any unsaved work before being pressured to quit an application, as it could result in statistics loss.

2) Force Quit Using the Apple Menu

To force quit an application on a Mac using the Apple menu, you can follow these steps:

Click on the Apple icon menu located in the top-left corner of the screen.

From the dropdown menu, select “Force Quit.”

A window will appear displaying a list of currently running applications.

Select the application you want to force quit from the list by clicking on it.

Click the “Force Quit” button.

tech giants prefer Mac

The application will be forcefully terminated, closing all its processes. This method provides a straightforward way to force quit an unresponsive application directly from the Apple menu. Just ensure that you have saved any important work before being forced to quit to prevent data loss.

3) How to force close apps on Mac using Activity Monitor

To force close apps on Mac using the Activity Monitor, you can follow these steps:

Open Activity Monitor by searching for it in Spotlight (press Command (⌘) + Space and type Activity Monitor) or by navigating to Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.

In the Activity Monitor window, you will see a list of all the currently running processes and applications.

Force Quit Applications window

Locate the application you want to force close in the list. You can use the search bar at the top-right corner of the window to filter the list by name.

Once you have found the application, select it by clicking on it.

Click on the X button in the toolbar, which represents the Quit Process button.

A confirmation dialog will appear, asking if you want to quit the process. Click on the Force Quit button to confirm.

The application will be forcefully terminated, stopping all its processes. Using the Activity Monitor gives you more control over the processes running on your Mac and allows you to force close any unresponsive applications. Make sure to save any important work before forced quitting to avoid data loss.

 Commonly used operating system

4) Force Quit Mac Shortcut Using a Keyboard Shortcut

To clarify, there is no specific keyboard shortcut for force-quitting applications on a Mac. The keyboard shortcut I mentioned earlier (Command + Option + Shift + Escape) does not force quit applications but rather is used to force restart the Mac. But you can force quit an app with when click force quit for an unresponsive app.

To force quit an application using a keyboard shortcut, you can follow these steps:

First, you need to open the Force Quit Applications window. There are a couple of ways to do this:

  1. Press Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Escape (⎋) simultaneously. This opens the Force Quit Applications window directly.
  2. Alternatively, you can press Command (⌘) + Space to open Spotlight, then type Force Quit and select the Force Quit Applications option from the search results.

    Force Quit window

The Force Quit window will appear, showing a list of currently running applications.

Select the application you want to force quit from the list by clicking on it.

Select Force Quit button.

5) How to force quit an app from the Dock panel

To pressure stop an application from the Dock panel on a Mac, you can comply with these steps:

Locate the application’s icon within the Dock panel at the lowest of the display. The Dock carries icons on your regularly used packages.

Right-click on (or Control-click on) the icon of the application you want to pressure stop. A contextual menu will seem.

force quits

While holding down the Option (⌥) key on your keyboard, the Quit option in the contextual menu will alternate to Force Quit. Click on Force Quit.

Alternatively, in case you decide upon the usage of the trackpad, you can carry out a two-finger click on the application’s icon within the Dock while conserving down the Option (⌥) key.

The application may be forcefully terminated, final all its tactics. This technique offers a short manner to pressure cease software without delay from the Dock panel.

Remember to save any crucial paintings earlier than being compelled to give up a utility to save your facts loss.

Click Force Quit

7) How To Force Quit on Mac with power button

On a Mac, the power button is not typically used to force quit applications. The power button’s primary function is to turn on or off the computer and initiate sleep mode. However, there is an alternative method you can use to force restart your Mac, which can help in situations where applications are unresponsive or the system freezes.

To force quit, restart your Mac using the power button, follow these steps:

Press and hold the power button located on your Mac’s keyboard.

Continue holding the power button for about 10 seconds or until you see the Mac screen go black and the computer shuts down completely.

Choose Force Quit from the Apple menu

Wait for a few seconds, then press the power button again to turn your Mac back on.

Please note that force restarting your Mac using the power button is a more drastic measure compared to force quitting an application. It forcibly shuts down the entire system and can potentially result in data loss or other issues. It is recommended to try force quitting specific unresponsive applications first before resorting to a force restart.

Force Quit command

What to do when the Force Quit command still not responding?

If the Force Quit command is not responding or if you’re unable to force quit an application using the regular methods, you can try the following steps:

Force Restart:

Press and hold the power button on your Mac until it shuts down completely. Wait for a few seconds, then press the power button again to turn it back on.

This will forcibly restart your Mac and may help resolve the unresponsive application.

Mac apps

Activity Monitor:

If you have access to the Dock or Spotlight search, try opening the Activity Monitor application (Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor) and force quitting the application from there.

In Activity Monitor, locate the unresponsive application in the list of processes, select it, and click on the X button in the toolbar to force quit.

Terminal:

If the application is still unresponsive, you can try force quitting it using the Terminal. Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and use the kill command to forcefully terminate the application’s process.

User accounts on your Mac

Find the PID of the application using the ps command, and then use the kill command with the PID to force quit the application.

Safe Mode:

Restart your Mac and hold down the Shift key immediately after you hear the startup sound.

This will boot your Mac into Safe Mode, which disables unnecessary extensions and performs a basic system check. Once in Safe Mode, try force quitting the application again using the regular methods or Activity Monitor.

Force Quit from Another User Account:

If you have multiple user accounts on your Mac, you can try logging into another user account and force quitting the application from there.

how to force quit on mac

Force Quit Applications Window:

If none of the above methods work, try opening the Force Quit Applications window again by pressing Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Escape (⎋).

This time, instead of selecting an application from the list, press and hold the Shift key while clicking the Force Quit button. This can force quit the application even if it’s not responding.

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Sehrish Ahmedani

Hi, I am Sehrish the admin of this blog. I am very passionate in blogging and enjoy educating my readers through practical and optimized articles. written expertise spans from lifestyle, to publishing, technology, marketing and business and more.

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