How to forcefully quit application on mac

Last Updated: Mar 5, 2024 by

If you’re a Mac user, you may have encountered a situation where an application becomes unresponsive and refuses to close. This can be frustrating, especially if you need to use your computer for other tasks. In these situations, you may need to forcefully quit the application. In this article, we will discuss how to forcefully quit an application on a Mac.

Using the Force Quit Menu

The easiest way to forcefully quit an application on a Mac is by using the Force Quit menu. To access this menu, press the “Command + Option + Escape” keys on your keyboard. This will bring up a window that lists all the currently running applications on your Mac. Select the application you want to quit and click on the “Force Quit” button. This will immediately close the application.

Using Activity Monitor

If the Force Quit menu does not work, you can use the Activity Monitor to forcefully quit an application. To access the Activity Monitor, go to Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor. In the Activity Monitor window, you will see a list of all the currently running processes on your Mac. Select the application you want to quit and click on the “X” button in the top left corner of the window. This will force quit the application.

Using Terminal

Another way to forcefully quit an application on a Mac is by using Terminal. To do this, open Terminal from Applications > Utilities. In the Terminal window, type in the command “killall application name” and press enter. This will forcefully quit the application. If you are unsure of the application name, you can use the “ps -ax” command to get a list of all the running processes and their corresponding application names.

Using Activity Monitor to Quit Multiple Applications

If you have multiple unresponsive applications that you need to quit, you can use Activity Monitor to quit them all at once. In the Activity Monitor window, select all the applications you want to quit by holding down the “Command” key and clicking on each application. Then, click on the “X” button in the top left corner of the window to force quit all the selected applications.

Using the Terminal to Quit Multiple Applications

You can also use Terminal to quit multiple applications at once. In the Terminal window, type in the command “killall application name application name application name” and press enter. This will forcefully quit all the specified applications.

Conclusion

Forcefully quitting an application on a Mac may be necessary in certain situations, but it should be used as a last resort. It is always recommended to try closing the application normally first. However, if the application becomes unresponsive, these methods can help you quit the application and continue using your Mac without any issues.

Have you ever had to forcefully quit an application on your Mac? Let us know in the comments.

Gulrukh Ch

About the Author: Gulrukh Ch

Gulrukh Chaudhary, an accomplished digital marketer and technology writer with a passion for exploring the frontiers of innovation. Armed with a Master's degree in Information Technology, Gulrukh seamlessly blends her technical prowess with her creative flair, resulting in captivating insights into the world of emerging technologies. Discover more about her on her LinkedIn profile.