Mac · Repair guide

How to force quit an app on a Mac

7 fixes, easiest first4 min readUpdated November 2026

Quick fix

Press Option, Command and Esc together, select the frozen app in the Force Quit window, then click Force Quit. You can also choose Apple menu > Force Quit to open the same window.

What it means

Force quitting closes an app that has stopped responding, such as one showing the spinning wheel or ignoring clicks. It works like Ctrl+Alt+Delete or Task Manager on Windows. The rest of your Mac keeps running, but anything you had not saved in that app is lost.

Common causes

  • The app is busy with a large file or task and has stopped responding
  • A bug in the app, often fixed by an app update
  • The app does not work well with your version of macOS
  • A damaged document or a third-party plug-in the app loads
  • The Mac is low on memory or storage space

How to fix it

Work down the list. Each fix is safe to try before moving on to the next.

01Press Option-Command-EscEasy

  1. If the app still responds a little, try a normal quit first: press Command-Q or choose Quit from the app's menu. A normal quit lets the app save your changes.
  2. If it doesn't respond, press these three keys together: Option, Command and Esc (Escape). On some keyboards the Option key is labelled Alt. On a Mac with a Touch Bar, Esc is on the left side of the Touch Bar.
  3. The Force Quit window opens with a list of open apps. A frozen app may show (Not Responding) next to its name.
  4. Select the frozen app.
  5. Click Force Quit, then click Force Quit again if asked to confirm.
  6. Open the app again from the Dock or the Applications folder.

Why it helps: This is Apple's own shortcut for force quitting, and it works even when the frozen app ignores the mouse.

02Use Apple menu > Force QuitEasy

  1. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen.
  2. Choose Force Quit.
  3. In the Force Quit window that opens, select the frozen app.
  4. Click Force Quit, then click Force Quit again if asked to confirm. Unsaved changes in that app are lost.

Why it helps: It opens the same Force Quit window without needing to remember the keyboard shortcut.

03Force quit from the DockEasy

  1. Find the frozen app's icon in the Dock at the bottom of the screen.
  2. Control-click the icon (or right-click it with a mouse, or click with two fingers on a trackpad).
  3. Choose Force Quit from the menu that appears. Unsaved changes in that app are lost.
  4. If the menu shows Quit but not Force Quit, choose Quit and give the app a moment, or press Option-Command-Esc instead.

Why it helps: Apple's Dock instructions say to Control-click a stuck app's icon and choose Force Quit, so you can close it in two clicks.

04Use Activity MonitorMedium

  1. Open Activity Monitor: press Command-Space, type Activity Monitor and press Return. It is also in Applications > Utilities.
  2. In the Process Name list, select the frozen app. Apps that are stuck are marked (Not Responding) in red.
  3. Click the Stop button in the upper-left corner of the window.
  4. Click Quit to let it close when safe. If nothing happens, click Stop again and choose Force Quit, which closes it right away but loses unsaved changes.
  5. Only stop apps or processes you recognize; stopping one that other apps rely on can cause problems until you restart. If asked for an administrator name and password, the process isn't one you own, so click Cancel unless you're sure.

Why it helps: Activity Monitor shows every running process, including background helpers that the Force Quit window does not list.

05If the Finder is frozen, relaunch itEasy

  1. Press Option-Command-Esc or choose Apple menu > Force Quit.
  2. Select Finder in the list.
  3. The button changes to Relaunch. Click it.
  4. The Finder and the desktop close and open again. Your files are not affected.

Why it helps: The Finder always runs, so it can't be quit like other apps; relaunching restarts it cleanly.

06If the whole Mac is frozen, hold the power buttonMedium

  1. Warning: this turns the Mac off without saving. Unsaved work in every open app will be lost.
  2. First try Apple menu > Restart if the pointer still moves.
  3. If nothing responds, press and hold the power button for up to 10 seconds until the Mac turns off. On a MacBook with Touch ID, the Touch ID button is the power button.
  4. Wait a few seconds, then press the power button again to turn the Mac back on.
  5. When the Mac starts, some apps may offer to reopen windows or recover documents. Check before closing them.

Why it helps: When the keyboard and mouse stop working, a forced shutdown is the only way to restart the Mac.

07If the same app keeps freezing, update and test itMedium

  1. Update macOS: choose Apple menu > System Settings, click General, then Software Update (on older macOS, System Preferences > Software Update).
  2. Update the app: for App Store apps, open the App Store, click Updates in the sidebar, then click Update next to the app or Update All. For other apps, use the app's own update option or the maker's website.
  3. Restart the Mac with Apple menu > Restart.
  4. Try opening a different file in the app; a damaged document can cause the freeze.
  5. Disconnect recently added devices, and remove plug-ins or add-ons you installed for the app.
  6. Test in safe mode. Apple silicon Mac: shut down, press and hold the power button until Loading startup options appears, select your startup disk, hold Shift and click Continue in Safe Mode. Intel Mac: turn it on or restart, then right away press and hold Shift until the login window appears. You'll see Safe Boot in red at the top right of the login window.
  7. If the app works in safe mode, restart normally; something that loads at startup is likely the cause.

Why it helps: Repeated freezes usually come from an outdated app, an older macOS, a bad file or an add-on, not from the Mac itself.

Check it's fixed

  • The app is gone from the Force Quit window and its Dock icon no longer shows a dot under it.
  • The app opens again normally and responds to clicks.
  • The spinning wheel is gone and other apps respond normally.

When to get help

If several apps freeze every day, the Mac won't start normally, or the Mac freezes even in safe mode, contact Apple Support or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Back up with Time Machine first if you can.

Questions

What's the Mac version of Ctrl+Alt+Delete?

Press Option-Command-Esc. It opens the Force Quit window, where you can close a frozen app. For a fuller view like Windows Task Manager, use Activity Monitor.

Is force quitting bad, and will I lose my work?

Force quitting is safe for your Mac and doesn't delete saved files, but any changes you had not saved in that app are lost. Some apps save automatically or offer to recover documents when reopened, but try a normal quit first if the app responds at all.

Why doesn't Force Quit work?

Wait a few seconds and try again, or use Activity Monitor and choose Force Quit. If the whole Mac is stuck, restart it, or press and hold the power button for up to 10 seconds.

Related fixes

How to fix a program that is not respondingWait a minute, then press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, right-click the stuck program on the Processes tab and select End task. OHow to stop the spinning wheel on a MacPress Option-Command-Esc, select the app that isn't responding and click Force Quit. If the wheel keeps coming back, restart the Mac, fHow to fix a Mac that's running slowQuit apps you aren't using and restart the Mac, then open System Settings > General > Storage and free up space using the recommeWhat to do when something frozeWait a minute first, then close the stuck app (Ctrl+Shift+Esc on Windows, Option-Command-Esc on Mac). If the whole device is stuck, force a

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