To force quit a frozen app on your Mac, use the Force Quit menu by pressing Command Option Esc, select the unresponsive app, and click Force Quit. 2. For more control, open Activity Monitor, locate the app, click the X button, and confirm with Force Quit, especially useful if the app isn’t responding to standard methods or is consuming excessive resources. 3. As an advanced option, use Terminal by typing killall "App Name" or killall -9 "App Name" to forcefully terminate the process when other methods fail. After force quitting, wait a few seconds before reopening the app, save your work promptly in the future to avoid data loss, and if the app consistently freezes, consider reinstalling it or checking for updates to resolve underlying issues.
If an app on your Mac isn’t responding or is frozen, you can force quit it to regain control. Here’s how to do it in a few simple ways:

1. Use the Force Quit Menu (Easiest Method)
This is the quickest way when the app is unresponsive but the system is still working.
- Click the Apple logo (?) in the top-left corner of your screen.
- Select Force Quit… from the dropdown menu.
- A window will appear showing all currently running applications.
- Select the app that’s not responding.
- Click Force Quit.
- Confirm if prompted.
Tip: You can also press Command (?) Option Esc to open this same Force Quit window directly.
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2. Use Activity Monitor (For More Control)
If the app keeps freezing or you want to see what’s using system resources:
- Open Activity Monitor (you can find it via Spotlight: press Command Space, then type "Activity Monitor").
- In the list, find the app you want to close.
- Click the app to select it.
- Click the X button in the top-left corner of the window.
- Click Force Quit to confirm.
This method is useful if the app doesn’t appear in the standard Force Quit menu or if you suspect background processes are causing issues.
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3. Use the Terminal (Advanced Option)
If the GUI methods don’t work, you can force quit via Terminal:
- Open Terminal (via Spotlight or Applications > Utilities).
- Type:
killall "App Name"
For example:
killall Safari
- Press Enter.
If the app still won’t quit, use a stronger command:
killall -9 "App Name"This sends a “SIGKILL” signal, which forces the app to terminate immediately.
What to Do After Force Quitting
- Wait a few seconds before reopening the app.
- Save your work next time the app is running smoothly — forced quits can lead to lost data.
- If an app consistently freezes, consider reinstalling it or checking for updates.
Basically, the Command Option Esc shortcut is the fastest everyday fix, while Activity Monitor and Terminal give you more power when things get tricky.
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