How to Force Quit on Mac?

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Laptops are believed to be among the most effective and durable personal computers specifically made by Apple Inc, but sometimes, the various applications in the system become unresponsive. This can interfere with the movement of work or make your Mac operating system totally unresponsive. It is important to know how to force quit Mac when such circumstances arise as discussed below.

In this tutorial, you will be able to find various methods of force quit applications on Mac, causes of application freezing, strategies to deal with refactory problems, and how to avoid application crashes.

Why Do Apps Freeze on a Mac?

An application does not need to freeze often but knowing why they do helps in their prevention. Here are some common reasons:

1. Insufficient RAM

Macs do not have much RAM and when you concurrently use several applications your Mac may experience troubles distributing resources and application may freeze.

2. Software Bugs

At times, it is possible to have coding mistakes that lead to the app freezing. Some of these issues might be rectified in subsequent software releases; therefore, it is advised to always update the software.

3. Conflicts with macOS

It is conceivable that certain applications will not be fully compatible with specific updates to macOS. If an app was recently frequently crashing then check if this app has been downloaded the most recent macOS version.

4. Corrupted Files

Malfunctioning of programs can be due to corruptions or damage of system or an application software file. Re-installing the application or even emptying the temp. folder will help to solve the problem.

5. High CPU Usage

When an application heavily uses the system’s resources, it may start to freeze. Activity Monitor can be used to discover such applications that consume many resources.

How to Force Quit on Mac ?

There are multiple ways to force quit an application when it becomes unresponsive.

1. Force Quit Using the Apple Menu

One of the easiest ways to close a frozen app is through the Apple menu.

Steps:

1. Click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Select Force Quit from the dropdown menu.
3. A list of open applications will appear.
4. Select the unresponsive application and click Force Quit.
5. Confirm by clicking Force Quit again.
   
   

2. Use the Keyboard Shortcut

If you prefer a faster method, use a keyboard shortcut to bring up the Force Quit Applications window.

Steps:

1. Press Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Escape (Esc) at the same time.
2. The Force Quit menu will appear.
3. Select the frozen application and click Force Quit.
   
   

3. Force Quit Using Activity Monitor

Activity Monitor allows you to view running processes and force quit any unresponsive ones.

Steps:

1. Open Finder and go to Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.
2. Look for the app that is not responding.
3. Click on it, then press the X button in the top menu.
4. Select Force Quit when prompted.
   
   

4. Using Terminal to Force Quit Apps

For advanced users, Terminal provides a powerful way to force quit applications.

Steps:

1. Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal).
   

Type the command:
killall [App Name]

•  Replace [App Name] with the name of the app (e.g., killall Safari).
• Press Enter, and the application should close immediately.
  
  

What to Do If Force Quit Doesn’t Work ?

If an app remains unresponsive, try these solutions:

1. Restart Your Mac

• Click the Apple menu and select Restart.
• If your Mac is completely frozen, press and hold the Power button until it shuts down.
  

2. Check for Software Updates

• Go to System Settings > Software Update and install any available updates.
  

3. Reinstall the App

• If an app frequently crashes, uninstall and reinstall it from the Mac App Store or the developer’s website.
  

4. Run Disk Utility

• Open Disk Utility and run First Aid to check for disk errors.
  

How to Prevent Apps from Freezing on Mac ?

• Keep macOS updated.
• Close unnecessary apps.
• Check system storage and clear cache files.
• Monitor CPU and RAM usage using Activity Monitor.
  

By following these steps, you can quickly force quit applications and keep your Mac running smoothly.

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