A frozen app is annoying. Thankfully, it can be taken care of easily. There is no need to get frustrated over an app that stopped responding. If you learn how to force quit an app on Mac, you can handle a situation like this.
Suggested read: The Most Efficient 5 Ways to Restart or Force Shut Down Any Frozen Mac
How to force quit an app on Mac?
From the Apple menu
- Click on the Apple logo in the top left corner of the screen
- Choose the Force Quit option
- Select the application which is not responding
- Hit the Force Quit button
Using the CleanMyMac X
CleanMyMac X can be used to force quit an app on Mac. Click on the iMac icon in the menu bar. Its special Memory tab identifies all the apps that consume immense resources. Accordingly, it lets users quit the same with a click.
This application can be used to force quit hung apps as well. With direct access, you can fix a frozen app in seconds, saving time. CleanMyMac X takes care of other issues as well.
You would get alerts if anything goes wrong with their system if you download the free version of the software. Use the Menu app by choosing the Enable Menu option from CleanMyMac X Settings.
From the Dock
- Right-click on the app icon you need to shut down or click on the app and hold to open the dock menu
- Press and hold an Option (Alt) button
- The action would change the Quit menu to the Force Quit option
- Hit Force Quit
Using a keyboard shortcut
- Press and hold the Command+Option+Esc keys together
- Choose the app you wish to quit from the dialogue box
- Click on Force Quit
This method is useful if the mouse cursor is lagging a bit.
Using the Terminal
- Open the Terminal
- Type the command
killall [application name] - For instance, if Spotify is not working type killall Spotify
- Hit Return and the app would shut down immediately
- If that app has more than one word in its name then keep the name in quotation marks
It is to be noted that the killall command works at the system level. Thus, the autosave option does not work. Hence, be cautious as you may end up losing unsaved data.
Restart the system
If any app fails to shut down even after doing the methods recommended before, you can restart or shut down the system and reboot the system again. Go to the Apple menu and hit the Restart button.
Force restart
- To restart or shut down a frozen Mac, hold down the power button until the system shuts down completely which may take about five seconds
- Wait for a few moments and then press the Power button to boot the Mac again
This is not the ideal thing to do as it may cause loss of unsaved data. However, at times, this remains the only available method to pursue.
Watch this YouTube video:
Now that you know how to force quit an app on Mac in different ways, a frozen app cannot irritate you anymore. To prevent such situations, it is advisable to ensure proper and regular maintenance of the system. Share this article with others if you found it useful.
