Have you ever encountered a frozen or unresponsive application on your Mac? It can be frustrating when an app stops working and refuses to close, causing your computer to slow down or become unresponsive.
In such situations, force quitting the app becomes necessary. In this tutorial, we’ll explore various methods to force quit apps on Mac.
Method 1: Using the Apple Menu
If you’re unable to click anything within the unresponsive app, you can force quit it using the Apple menu. Here’s how:
- Step 1: Click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen.
- Step 2: Select “Force Quit” from the drop-down menu. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Command + Option + Esc.
- Step 3: A window will appear showing all open applications. Select the app that is not responding.
- Step 4: Click on the “Force Quit” button.
This method allows you to quickly force quit an unresponsive app without needing to navigate through multiple windows or menus.
Method 2: Using Activity Monitor
If an app is severely frozen and not responding even after attempting Method 1, you can use Activity Monitor to force quit it. Follow these steps:
- Step 1: Open Activity Monitor by going to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor, or by using Spotlight search (Command + Space) and typing “Activity Monitor”.
- Step 2: In the Activity Monitor window, locate and select the problematic app.
- Step 3: Click on the “X” button in the top-left corner of the window.
- Step 4: A confirmation dialog will appear. Click on “Force Quit”.
Activity Monitor provides detailed information about running processes and allows you to force quit not only apps but also other system processes.
Method 3: Using Force Quit Applications Window
If an app is completely unresponsive and preventing you from accessing other features of your Mac, you can use the Force Quit Applications window to close it. Here’s what you need to do:
- Step 1: Press Command + Option + Esc simultaneously. The Force Quit Applications window will appear.
- Step 2: Select the unresponsive app from the list.
- Step 3: Click on the “Force Quit” button.
This method is useful when dealing with a severely frozen app that is causing your Mac to become unresponsive as well.
Troubleshooting Tips
If force quitting an app becomes a frequent occurrence on your Mac, consider these troubleshooting tips to prevent future issues:
- Closing Unnecessary Apps: Close any unnecessary applications running in the background to free up system resources.
- Updating Apps and macOS: Keep your apps and macOS up to date by installing software updates regularly. Updates often include bug fixes that can address freezing or crashing issues.
- Contacting App Support: If a specific app continues to freeze frequently, reach out to the app’s developer for support or check their website for any known issues or updates.
With these methods at your disposal, you can easily force quit unresponsive apps on your Mac and keep your workflow smooth and uninterrupted. Remember to save any unsaved work before force quitting an app to avoid losing data.
Now you’re armed with the knowledge to handle frozen apps like a pro. Happy computing!