The idea of purchasing a Mac is quite tempting for many, given its usability and longevity. Despite the fact that Windows is still a commonly used operating system in the corporate world, many tech giants prefer Mac for increased productivity and user satisfaction. However, while Mac applications are well-behaved, there are times when they freeze or slow down, leading you to force quit on Mac.

When applications on the system do not respond how they initially did, in lieu of waiting until the screen begins to unfreeze, try force quitting to shut down the unresponsive apps immediately.

What This Article Covers:

• How To Force Quit on Mac
  • Using the Apple Menu
  • Using a Keyboard Shortcut
  • Using the Activity Monitor
  • Using the Dock
• If Force Quit Does Not Work
• Preventing Frequent Freezes
• What if It’s the Mac and Not the Application?
• Important Points To Remember
• Conclusion

How To Force Quit on Mac

Force quitting apps on Mac is a cakewalk when you know some easy techniques to do it. This feature is the most straightforward approach to closing malfunctioning and inoperative applications.

Here are a few force-quit methods to keep you going:

Method 1: Force Quit Using the Apple Menu

Step 1: As the first step of the process, identify which app is unresponsive. If you have multiple windows or applications open, it could be challenging to ascertain which is causing the rainbow spinning wheel to pop up.

The easiest way to catch an unresponsive app is to check the cursor’s appearance. A normal cursor means there’s no problem with the app, and it’s working perfectly fine. However, seeing a rainbow spinning wheel in place of a cursor indicates that the app has frozen.

Step 2: Once you know which app is unresponsive and what is causing the system to slow down, look for the taskbar at the top of the screen. Towards the far left, locate the Apple logo and open the dropdown menu.

Open the dropdown menu by pressing the Apple logo on top.

Step 3: Access the dropdown menu and select Force Quit.

Locate Force Quit on the dropdown menu.

Step 4: This will open a new pop-up window with details of all applications currently open on your system. From the options, select the app that you want to shut down. If you wish to close more than one application simultaneously, use the Command button to select multiple options at once.

Step 5: As the next step, select Force Quit again in the new window. Upon this, a pop-up window will notify you that the application will not save any new changes.

This is how the pop-up window will appear on your screen.

Step 6: Choose Force Quit again.

Press Force Quit to shut the unresponsive app.

Method 2: Force Quit Using a Keyboard Shortcut

If you are facing problems locating the Apple logo or reaching the taskbar to access the dropdown menu, use a combination of keyboard shortcuts to make the job easier.

Press Option + Command + Esc together to get a force quit window on your Mac screen and repeat the above-mentioned steps.

1. Option + Command + Esc.
2. Select the app(s) you want to quit and select Force Quit.
3. Select Force Quit again in the pop-up window to confirm that you want to quit and understand that you’ll lose any new changes.

Method 3: Force Quit Using the Activity Monitor

The activity monitor is an excellent Mac tool for finding a misbehaving or troublesome application. Check the amount of energy or power they are currently using and force quit the ones you no longer want to run.

Step 1: Launch Activity Monitor through the Spotlight feature i.e., Command + Space keys or simply use the Finder to locate it directly.

Launch Activity Monitor using the Finder.

Step 2: Select the app you wish to force shut once the Activity Monitor window appears.

Step 3: Once you’ve selected the application you want to close, press the cross icon on top of the window. (This icon resembles an octagon with the letter X in the middle)

Step 4: This will open a new pop-up window, asking if you are sure about shutting down the app. It also offers you the chance to stop the application quitting process. You have to click the button in the middle that says Force Quit for the app to close instantly.

Method 4: Force Quit Using the Dock

Step 1: Locate the unresponsive app on the dock.
Step 2: Press the Option key.

Press the option key, keeping your cursor on the right app icon.

Step 3: Right-click on the application’s dock icon.
Step 4: Select Force Quit.

If Force Quit Doesn’t Work

If the entire system slows down and all applications go unresponsive with the force quit option also not working, the next step involves restarting the Mac. For this, press a combination of Control + Command + Power buttons and hold them until you see a black screen.

Alternatively, you can use the power button to force shut your system.

Below are some keyboard shortcuts to help you force shut or restart your Mac without looking for options on the taskbar or main Apple Settings. Take a look:

Note: You may have to hold these combinations of keys for a little longer than other shortcuts. This is a default setting helping users to avoid using a set of keys unintentionally.

Control + Power: Opens a pop-up window asking if you want to restart or shut down the system. Some models ask about putting your Mac on sleep mode too.

Control + Option + Command + Power: Force quits all apps and closes the system. In case of open windows with unsaved changes, a pop-up window will appear asking you about saving the same.

Preventing Frequent Freezes

If you frequently come across situations when your Mac apps freeze or slow down, and you find it challenging to understand the cause behind it, here are some potential solutions you can utilize to avoid facing these issues time and again:

• Regularly update your applications. Keeping them up to date round the clock helps in keeping them from freezing too often.
• Get in the habit of clearing the app cache daily. This is a must for the apps you make use of every day. Too many uncleared caches on the system often lead apps to freeze or slow down, causing the spinning wheel to appear while you’re in the middle of your work.

What if It’s the MacOS and Not the Application?

In many cases, it’s not your applications causing the rainbow spinning wheel to appear but the Mac itself. If you happen to ascertain that it’s your system freezing and becoming non-responsive instead of your running apps, these are the points you need to follow:

Step 1: Open Apple Menu on your Mac and click Shut Down.

Use the Apple dropdown menu to locate the Shut Down option.

Step 2: After the system turns off completely, take a few seconds and switch it on again.

Important Points To Remember

• You should force quit on your Mac applications only in the case when it’s the last resort left. Since this can result in you losing unsaved documents, it may also drive your system to corrupt some critical files in the operating system.
• Do not force shut your Mac during a new software installation or update; it can leave your system with incomplete operating system installations.
• Use the standard method of shutting down your Mac (which is by opening the Apple menu). Even if this is a longer route to closing the system, it ensures that the process is taking place correctly.

Conclusion

It can get quite irritating when you’re using a Mac application and it freezes. There can be times when you want to close the frozen application, but you don’t know which option to choose and how to go about the force quit process, making things even more annoying and difficult for you.

Do you often encounter this problem? Use the above-mentioned tips and tricks to force quit on Mac. We hope this guide will help you save time and enable you to use your system efficiently.