How to Force Quit a Frozen App on a Mac
The spinning rainbow "beach ball" means an app has stopped responding. Sometimes waiting a minute fixes it. When it doesn't, you'll need to force quit. There's no Ctrl + Alt + Delete on a Mac, but there are five easy alternatives.
Note: force quitting closes the app without saving. Any unsaved work in that app may be lost, so give it a minute to recover first if you can.
1. The keyboard shortcut
Press Option + Command + Esc.
The Force Quit Applications window opens. Apps that aren't responding are labelled "(Not Responding)". Select the frozen app and click Force Quit.
This is the Mac's equivalent of Ctrl + Alt + Delete. It's the one to remember.
2. The Apple menu
Click the Apple menu * in the top-left corner and choose *Force Quit…. The same window opens.
3. From the Dock
1. Right-click (or Control-click) the frozen app's icon in the Dock.
2. Hold down Option. Quit changes to Force Quit.
3. Click Force Quit.
2. Hold down Option. Quit changes to Force Quit.
3. Click Force Quit.
4. Force quit the app in front with a shortcut
Hold Option + Shift + Command + Esc for about three seconds. This force quits whichever app is currently in front, with no window and no confirmation. Make sure the right app is active first.
5. Activity Monitor
Activity Monitor is the Mac's version of Task Manager. It's useful when an app is hiding or a background process is misbehaving.
1. Open Activity Monitor. Press Command + Space, type "Activity Monitor" and press Return.
2. Find the app in the list. You can sort by % CPU to see what's working hardest.
3. Select it and click the ✕ (Stop) button at the top.
4. Click Force Quit.
2. Find the app in the list. You can sort by % CPU to see what's working hardest.
3. Select it and click the ✕ (Stop) button at the top.
4. Click Force Quit.
⚠️ Only quit processes you recognise. Stopping system processes can cause problems.
What if the whole Mac is frozen?
If nothing responds, not even the pointer:
1. Wait a minute or two. It may just be very busy.
2. Press and hold the power button (or Touch ID button) for about 10 seconds until the screen goes black.
3. Wait a few seconds, then press it again to turn the Mac back on.
2. Press and hold the power button (or Touch ID button) for about 10 seconds until the screen goes black.
3. Wait a few seconds, then press it again to turn the Mac back on.
This is a last resort, because any unsaved work is lost.
If an app keeps freezing
• Update it. Check the App Store or the developer's website.
• Update macOS. Go to System Settings > General > Software Update.
• Restart your Mac regularly. It clears out memory and temporary files.
• Check your storage. A nearly full drive can slow everything down.
• Update macOS. Go to System Settings > General > Software Update.
• Restart your Mac regularly. It clears out memory and temporary files.
• Check your storage. A nearly full drive can slow everything down.
Wrapping up
Remember Option + Command + Esc. It's the Mac's Ctrl + Alt + Delete, and it gets you out of most frozen-app situations in seconds.
