How to Force Quit on Mac When Frozen

Have you ever encountered a frozen application on your Mac? It can be frustrating when a program stops responding, leaving you unable to close it or perform any other tasks.

In such situations, you may need to force quit the application to regain control of your Mac. In this tutorial, we will show you how to force quit on Mac when frozen.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

If an application becomes unresponsive on your Mac, you can use a simple keyboard shortcut to force quit it. Here’s how:

1. Option + Command + Esc: Press and hold the Option (⌥), Command (⌘), and Escape (Esc) keys simultaneously. This will open the “Force Quit Applications” window.
2. Select the Frozen Application: In the “Force Quit Applications” window, you will see a list of currently running applications.

   Look for the application that is not responding and click on it.

3. Click “Force Quit”: Once you have selected the frozen application, click on the “Force Quit” button located at the bottom right corner of the window. This will immediately terminate the unresponsive application.

Please note: Force quitting an application may result in unsaved changes being lost. Make sure to save your work before proceeding with force quitting.

Using Activity Monitor

If using keyboard shortcuts doesn’t work or if you prefer a more detailed approach, you can force quit applications using Activity Monitor. Follow these steps:

1. Open Activity Monitor: Go to your Applications folder, then open Utilities and double-click on “Activity Monitor”. Alternatively, use Spotlight search by pressing Command (⌘) + Space and typing “Activity Monitor”.
2. Find the Frozen Application: In the Activity Monitor window, you will see a list of all active processes.

   Locate the frozen application by either scrolling through the list or using the search bar at the top right corner.

3. Select and Force Quit: Once you have found the frozen application, select it and click on the “X” button located in the top left corner of the window. A dialog box will appear asking if you want to quit the application. Click on “Force Quit” to terminate it.

Note: Activity Monitor provides more detailed information about running processes and their resource usage. It is a useful tool for troubleshooting various issues on your Mac.

Troubleshooting Persistent Issues

If you frequently encounter frozen applications or experience other performance issues on your Mac, here are a few additional steps you can take:

• Update macOS: Make sure your Mac is running the latest version of macOS. Apple frequently releases updates that address bugs and improve system stability.
• Check for Software Updates: Update all your installed applications to their latest versions.

  Developers often release updates that fix compatibility issues and enhance performance.

• Clean Up Your Mac: Regularly clean up unnecessary files, such as caches and temporary files, to free up disk space and improve overall performance. You can use built-in tools like Disk Utility or third-party software like CleanMyMac.
• Restart Your Mac: Restarting your Mac can help resolve temporary glitches and clear system resources.

Congratulations! You now know how to force quit on Mac when an application freezes. Remember to use this method as a last resort and save your work frequently to avoid data loss. By following the troubleshooting steps, you can help prevent future occurrences of frozen applications and enjoy a smoother Mac experience.