When an app freezes and won’t close normally, knowing how to force quit on Mac lets you close it without waiting for it to respond. The quickest method is the Option + Command + Esc keyboard shortcut, which opens the Force Quit Applications window.
Before forcing an app to close, try quitting it normally with Command + Q if possible. Force quitting may cause you to lose unsaved changes.
Below are the main ways to force quit a frozen app and what to try if it still won’t close.
1. Force quit an app with Option + Command + Esc
The fastest force quit shortcut on Mac is Option + Command + Esc. To use it:
- Press Option + Command + Esc at the same time.
- Select the app that isn’t responding and click Force Quit.
- Confirm the action if prompted.
The app should quit, and you can reopen it if needed. Apple documents Option + Command + Esc as the keyboard shortcut for opening Force Quit Applications.
If Finder stops responding, select Finder in this window and click Relaunch instead.
2. Force quit from the Apple menu
If your mouse or trackpad is working, you can open the same Force Quit window from the Apple menu:
- Click the Apple menu in the upper-left corner of the screen.
- Select Force Quit.
- Choose the frozen app and click Force Quit.
This opens the same Force Quit Applications window as the keyboard shortcut, so both methods work the same way.
3. Close a frozen app from the Dock
You can also force quit an unresponsive app directly from the Dock.
- Find the app’s icon in the Dock.
- Control-click the icon.
- Select Force Quit.
This method is useful when you already know which app is frozen and its icon is visible in the Dock.
4. Force quit an app or process with Activity Monitor
If the app doesn’t appear in the Force Quit window, or you need to close a background process, use Activity Monitor.
- Open Activity Monitor.
- Select the app or process you want to close.
- Click the Stop (X) button at the top of the window.
- Choose Force Quit.
Activity Monitor can close both regular apps and background processes. Quit allows a process to close normally, while Force Quit forces it to stop and may result in data loss.
If you’re not familiar with this tool, see our guide on how to open Task Manager on Mac with Activity Monitor.
Avoid force quitting processes you don’t recognize, since some are part of macOS or required by other apps.
What if the app still won’t close?
If the app still won’t close, try restarting your Mac from Apple menu > Restart.
If your Mac is completely unresponsive and won’t restart normally, press and hold the power button for up to 10 seconds until it turns off. On Mac laptops with Touch ID, press and hold the Touch ID button instead.
Use a forced shutdown only when necessary, since you may lose unsaved changes in open apps.
Force Quit vs. quitting an app normally
Force Quit should generally be used only when an app is frozen or isn’t responding.
| Method | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Command + Q | The app is responding and you want to quit it normally |
| Option + Command + Esc | An app is frozen or not responding |
| Apple menu > Force Quit | You prefer using the Apple menu |
| Dock > Force Quit | The frozen app is visible in the Dock |
| Activity Monitor | You need to close a specific app or background process |
When an app is still responding, quitting it normally gives it a chance to save changes and shut down properly.
Conclusion
The quickest way to force quit on Mac is to press Option + Command + Esc, select the frozen app, and click Force Quit.
You can also use the Apple menu or the Dock, while Activity Monitor is useful when you need more control over a specific app or background process.
If the entire Mac stops responding, try restarting it normally first and use a forced shutdown only as a last resort.
