How to force quit on a Mac

How to force quit an app on your Mac? Which app-quitting solution is the safest? What do people on forums hate about force quitting, and how to fix these issues? Let's find out!  

Here is a quick solution table to save you time. For interesting stuff, scroll down.

You can force quit on Mac with/via	Best for
Press Command + Option + Esc	Quick keyboard shortcut to force close an app
Press Option + right-click the app icon in the Dock, then select Force Quit	Force close a separate app
Apple logo > Force Quit	Closing unresponsive apps
Activity Monitor	Force stopping an app
Terminal > type kilall Terminal > Return	Command-line method for troubleshooting
CleanMyMac (through menu bar)	Monitoring performance and force quitting tasks
QuitAll(My favorite method)	Quick force closing any or all apps

What is Force Quit on Mac?

In short, Mac Force Quit is a feature that allows you to forcefully shut down an unresponsive app.

How to force quit apps in one click

Certain apps or processes may consume excessive system resources, leading to sluggish performance of your Mac. So, first of all, I recommend you install CleanMyMac, the intelligent, multi-purpose app for your Mac.

With its user-friendly Menu app, you can effortlessly stop any program with just a few clicks. Simply locate and click on the small iMac icon in your menu bar to access its features. Inside the Menu app, you'll find a dedicated Memory tab, which enables you to identify apps that are consuming excessive system resources. By choosing the problematic app(s) and clicking on the quit button, you can swiftly force quit them, reclaiming valuable memory and optimizing the performance of your Mac. 

In addition, if you have multiple apps that need to be closed at once, QuitAll is a handy tool that lets you quit multiple apps with a single click. With these powerful tools at your disposal, you can quickly unfreeze your Mac and get back to being productive in no time.

How to force quit from the Apple Menu

Now, let's look at one of the most common ways to force quit to close unresponsive Mac apps.

Here's how to force close on Mac from the Apple menu:

1. Click the Apple icon in the upper-left corner of your screen.
2. Choose Force Quit.
3. Then choose the app that isn't responding. (If you have multiple apps open, the easiest way to tell which one is unresponsive is to look at the cursor. If the cursor looks normal, the app is still responsive. If the cursor looks like a spinning beach ball, the app is unresponsive).
4. Click the Force Quit button.

Force quit from Dock

If you're wondering how to force quit on Mac using the Dock, follow these simple steps:

1. To open the Dock menu, right-click the app icon you want to quit or click and hold the item.
2. Then hold down an Option (Alt) key so the Quit menu changes to Force Quit.
3. Click Force Quit.

   

Could you imagine it being that easy?

What is the shortcut key for force quit?

Another fast way to force quit an app from anywhere without taking your hands off the keyboard is to use the force quit Mac shortcut: Command + Option + Esc keys.

After pressing the above keys, you'll see the dialog box. Choose the app you want to force close and click Force Quit.

Force quit in Mission Control

Mission Control is a macOS feature that allows users to switch between apps and windows, create virtual desktops, manage full-screen apps, and organize their workflow efficiently. For those using Mission Control regularly, there is no direct option to force close a freezing app. However, you can try Mission Control Plus. It doesn't reinvent the wheel; it just gives the native macOS app some very helpful functions.

Mission Control Plus lets you view open windows and instantly close the ones you don't need. It adds the X button to Mission Control. You can also use quick shortcuts to close all windows, quit apps, or hide them.

This tool can be extremely useful if you need to force close a full-screen app.

How to force quit using the Terminal

If you prefer a command-line method of troubleshooting, you can quit an unresponsive app using the Terminal. Follow the instructions below:

1. Open Terminal (Go > Utilities > Terminal or use the Spotlight search – Command + Space).
2. Type the following command: killall [application name] (for example, if Slack isn't responding, type killall Slack in the window that opens). If the name of an app is two words and more (like "Google Chrome"), you should enclose its name in quotation marks.

   

3. Press Return. Your app will be shut down instantly.

Force quit application in Activity Monitor

To force quit a frozen Macbook app using Activity Monitor:

1. Open Activity Monitor (in the Utilities folder or via Spotlight search).
2. Find the unresponsive app in the list.

   

3. Choose it and click the X button in the toolbar.
4. Confirm the force quit.

What type of force-quitting apps is right for you?

Now, let's compare the primary ways of force-quitting apps based on how easy they are to use, how safe they are, and when you should use them.

If you're wondering about the impact these methods have on your operating system — don't worry. They all have minimal or low impact. More than that, CleanMyMac, may even improve your Mac's performance as it alerts you when the system is overloaded, suggesting you quit unnecessary apps. This prevents system freezes and the need to force quit later.

Let’s compare!	Ease	Data safety	When to use
Force quit menu	High: press Option + Command + Esc	High: quits specific app, preserves autosaved data	When one app is frozen but others work well
Activity Monitor	Moderate: requires some experience with System apps	High: quits specific app, allows inspection before quitting	When you suspect high CPU usage
Terminal	Low: requires command-line knowledge	Moderate: risk of killing wrong process	When other methods fail
QuitAll	High: accessible from menu bar, simple UI	High: quits specific app, preserves autosaved data	When you need to close multiple apps in bulk quickly
CleanMyMac	High: accessible from menu bar, great UI	High: integrated with optimization tools, quits specific app, preserves autosaved data	When you need to quit multiple apps and clean your system

Force quit issues that people discuss on forums

When I was looking for issues that people run into when trying to force quit, I came across a few. They aren't very common, but you might run across them someday, so it's good to be aware.

• Slow Force Quit menu. Intel and M1 Mac users usually complain about this issue. Besides the overall system improvement that I described above, try this: Go to System Settings > Accessibility > Display and toggle on Reduce motion. For some people, it works like a charm.
• App doesn't appear in Force Quit menu. This can happen if you're dealing with hidden processes, like the AdobeCrashDaemon. To find them, you should go to Activity Monitor and look for them there.
• Dock is freezing. Sometimes the Dock can become unresponsive. If that happens, try to restart Finder via Terminal; enter the command killall Finder and press Return.This will refresh your dock and desktop but won't close the windows that are running at the moment.
• Intel apps on M-series MacBooks. If you're using Intel-based apps running via Rosetta 2 on your M1 or M2 Mac, they can sometimes slow down or freeze. Some users have reported that this is especially likely to happen on macOS Sequoia. If you suspect this is the issue, go to Activity Monitor and sort the processes by kind to spot Intel processes. If these are apps you need to use frequently, check their websites or the App Store for updates to a native Apple Silicon version. If there's an Apple Silicon version available, it's best to install it.

Ways to fix force quit not working on Mac

Most of the time, one of the tips I give in this article or here will make it easy for you to force close an app. But every once in a while, it won't work. To fix the problem, you need to turn off and then turn on your computer again. All you need to do is to go to the Apple menu and choose Restart. 

Check for more methods to restart a MacBook. 

Are there any ways to prevent Mac apps from freezing?

Yes, you absolutely can prevent your apps from freezing. Think of it this way: freezing usually occurs when the processes running on your MacBook are too much for it to handle or if the app itself malfunctions.

This means you can't prevent app freezes 100% of the time, as some apps will inevitably fail due to bugs or errors, but you can at least optimize your system to minimize the risk. Here are some ideas to prevent app freezes:

• Update your apps and macOS. App updates typically include fixes for bugs, crashes, and errors, and they ensure compatibility with the current macOS.
• Monitor resource hogs. You can do this using Activity Monitor's Energy and CPU tabs. If you'd like live alerts when your system is overheating, try CleanMyMac — it'll send pop-ups when something goes wrong.
• Manage startup items. These are the processes that launch the moment you turn on your Mac. Too many can overload your system. Check System Settings > General > Login Items to see if you really need all of them running at startup.
• Clear cache files. You can clear temporary files that apps create in ~Library/Caches. However, I recommend doing this manually only if you're confident in what you're doing. Otherwise, run cleanup and maintenance tasks with CleanMyMac.
• Pause cloud-syncing apps. Some intensive cloud background processes, like syncing with Dropbox, can consume a significant portion of your Mac's memory. If you're planning to use demanding apps like photo or video editors, architectural tools, or design software, temporarily pause these syncing processes (if you're sure you don't need them at the moment).

How to force quit on Mac: Final thoughts 

When faced with an unresponsive app on your Mac, try the QuitAll tool to force stop any or all apps quickly. Monitor your Mac's performance and quit any app with CleanMyMac's menu bar dashboard. Or use Activity Monitor and Mac Force Quit as your default Mac tools to force-quit apps. If you prefer a command-line method of troubleshooting, you can quit an unresponsive app using the Terminal. Also, remember an important shortcut to force quit an app from anywhere without taking your hands off the keyboard: press Command + Option + Esc.

All apps mentioned in this article – QuitAll, CleanMyMac, and Mission Control Plus – are available to you at no cost with the seven-day trial of Setapp, a platform with more than 250 outstanding apps for Mac and iOS in every category you can imagine. Try them all for free today and find your new favorites!