How to Quit Unresponsive Apps on Mac

When a Mac app freezes or stops responding, you can’t always use the normal Quit command. This guide shows you several reliable ways to force-quit an unresponsive application, from the simplest menu option to the more advanced Terminal command, so you can get back to work quickly.

What You’ll Need

A Mac running macOS (any recent version works)
Access to the keyboard and mouse/trackpad
No special software or technical skills required

Step-by-Step

Try the normal Quit first. Click the app’s name in the menu bar (top-left, next to the Apple logo) and select Quit [App Name], or press Command + Q. If the app responds within a few seconds, it will close normally. If not, proceed to the next step.
Use the Apple menu Force Quit. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen, then select Force Quitâ€¦ (or press Option + Command + Esc). A window will appear listing all running apps.
Select the unresponsive app. In the Force Quit window, click the name of the app that is not responding. It may be marked with “(Not Responding)” next to it.
Click the Force Quit button. This is located in the bottom-right corner of the window. A confirmation dialog will appearâ€”click Force Quit again to confirm. The app will close immediately, and any unsaved changes in that app will be lost.
If the Force Quit window itself is stuck, press Command + Option + Esc again. If that doesn’t work, try clicking the app’s Dock icon while holding Option. A menu will appear with Force Quit as an optionâ€”click it.
Use the Dock as an alternative. Right-click (or Control-click) the app’s icon in the Dock. Hold down the Option key, and the normal “Quit” option will change to “Force Quit.” Click it.
Use Activity Monitor for stubborn cases. Open Activity Monitor (found in Applications > Utilities, or search with Spotlight using Command + Space). In the list of processes, find the app (it may be listed under its full name or a shortened name). Select it, then click the X button in the toolbar. Choose Force Quit in the dialog.
Use Terminal as a last resort. Open Terminal (in Utilities or via Spotlight). Type killall [AppName] and press Return. For example, killall Safari will force-quit Safari. Replace “Safari” with the exact name of the app (case-sensitive). If you don’t know the exact name, type ps -ax | grep -i [partialname] to find it.
Restart the app. After force-quitting, you can reopen the app from the Dock, Launchpad, or Applications folder. If it crashes again immediately, there may be a deeper issue (see Troubleshooting below).

Common Mistakes

Losing unsaved work. Force-quitting discards any unsaved changes in that app. If the app is partially responsive, try saving your work first (press Command + S) before force-quitting.
Using Terminal with the wrong name. The killall command is case-sensitive and requires the exact process name. For example, killall mail won’t work for the Mail appâ€”you need killall Mail.
Force-quitting the Finder. The Finder is always running. If you force-quit it, it will automatically relaunch, but you may briefly lose your desktop icons and menu bar. It’s usually better to just restart the Finder (right-click its Dock icon and select Relaunch) rather than force-quit it.
Ignoring the confirmation dialog. Clicking Force Quit without reading the warning can close the app even if it was just slow, not truly frozen. Always give the app a few seconds to respond first.

Tips

Use the keyboard shortcut first. Option + Command + Esc is the fastest way to open the Force Quit window, and it works even when the menu bar is unresponsive.
Check for multiple windows. An app might appear frozen because a single window is stuck, not the whole app. Try closing that window (red button) or switching to another window (Window menu) before force-quitting.
Save your work regularly. To minimize data loss, enable Auto-Save in apps that support it (usually under File > Auto Save) or use Command + S frequently.
Restart your Mac if multiple apps are unresponsive. If several apps freeze at once, a system-level issue may be at play. A restart (Apple menu > Restart) can clear it.
Keep macOS updated. Apple regularly fixes bugs that cause apps to freeze. Check System Settings > General > Software Update.

Troubleshooting

If the Force Quit window doesn’t open: Press Option + Command + Esc again. If nothing happens, try clicking the Apple menu and selecting Force Quitâ€¦. If the menu bar is completely frozen, you may need to restart your Mac by holding the power button for about 5 seconds until it shuts down, then press it again to turn it back on.

If the app reappears after force-quitting: The app may have a background process that keeps relaunching it. Open Activity Monitor and look for any process with a similar name (e.g., “Safari Web Content” for Safari). Quit those processes as well. If it still persists, restart your Mac.

If you can’t find the app in Activity Monitor: Some apps run under a different name. For example, Google Chrome processes are listed as “Google Chrome” and “Google Chrome Helper.” Use the search bar in Activity Monitor to type a partial name. If you still can’t find it, use Terminal with ps -ax | grep -i [partialname] to list matching processes.

If the app freezes immediately upon reopening: This often indicates corrupted preferences or a damaged file. Try deleting the app’s preferences file (usually in ~/Library/Preferences/ with a name like com.apple.Safari.plist), then relaunch the app. If that doesn’t help, uninstall and reinstall the app.

If your Mac is completely unresponsive: Hold the power button for about 5 seconds to force a shutdown, then turn it back on. This is a last resort, but it will close all apps and may resolve the freeze.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will I lose my work if I force-quit an app?
A: Yes, any unsaved changes in that app will be lost. That’s why it’s important to save frequently. Some apps have auto-save, but not all do.

Q: Is force-quitting safe for my Mac?
A: Yes, force-quitting an app is safe for your system. It doesn’t damage hardware or corrupt the operating system. It only closes the app, potentially losing unsaved work in that app.

Q: Why is my app not responding?
A: Common causes include a software bug, insufficient memory (RAM), too many background processes, or a corrupted file. Restarting the app often fixes it. If it happens frequently, check for updates or consider reinstalling the app.

Q: Can I force-quit an app using the keyboard only?
A: Yes, press Option + Command + Esc to open the Force Quit window, then use the arrow keys to select the app and press Return to force-quit it.

Q: What’s the difference between Quit and Force Quit?
A: Quit saves any open documents and closes the app gracefully. Force Quit immediately terminates the app without saving, which is necessary when the app is frozen and won’t respond to normal commands.

Q: How do I force-quit an app that’s not in the Force Quit window?
A: If the app isn’t listed, it may have already crashed or be a background process. Use Activity Monitor to find and quit it, or use Terminal with the killall command.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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