The Tech Grandkid · thetechgrandkid.com/guides/mac-force-quit/
An app on your Mac is frozen. Here's how to force it to quit.
When an app freezes on a Mac, you can make just that app quit and keep everything else open.
This page is for you if
- An app won't respond to clicks
- You see a spinning wheel that won't stop
- An app won't close
Good to know first
Force quitting can lose work you haven't saved in that app. Other apps are fine.
Do these steps
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Step 1: Try quitting the usual way
Click the app's window, then press Command and Q together.
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Step 2: Open Force Quit
Press Option, Command and Esc together. Or click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and choose Force Quit.
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Step 3: Pick the app
In the window that opens, click the app that's stuck.
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Step 4: Force quit it
Click Force Quit. Then open the app again.
If the whole Mac is stuck
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Step 1: Restart
Click the Apple menu and choose Restart.
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Step 2: If nothing responds
Press and hold the power button for up to 10 seconds, until the Mac turns off. Then press it again to turn it back on.
Check it with the source
We wrote these steps from these official pages. If your screen looks different, the official page is always right.
- Apple: How to force an app to quit on your Mac https://support.apple.com/en-us/102586
Still stuck?
Tell Buster what you see, in your own words.
Or email us at buster@thetechgrandkid.com. Never send us a password or a code.