The Mac force quit shortcut is Option–Command–Escape (⌥–⌘–Esc). It opens a window where you can select an app that has stopped responding and ask macOS to close it. This is different from Command–Q, which requests a normal quit and gives an app the opportunity to save changes. Use Force Quit only when the normal method is not working, because unsaved edits may be lost.
Mac force quit shortcut: the exact three keys
Press and hold Option (Alt) and Command (⌘), then press Escape (Esc). You can release the keys when the Force Quit Applications window appears. Choose the frozen app from the list and click Force Quit; confirm if your Mac asks. This is the process in Apple’s official force-quit instructions.
The shortcut opens a chooser; it does not immediately terminate whichever app has keyboard focus. That distinction matters if you have other open apps with unsaved work. Select the intended app by name rather than clicking randomly through the list.
Where are Command, Option and Escape on a MacBook?
Command is usually marked with the ⌘ symbol near the space bar. Option may also be labeled Alt, depending on the keyboard. Esc is normally at the top left of the keyboard or, on older Touch Bar MacBook Pro models, at the left end of the Touch Bar. An external keyboard may label these keys differently. If the shortcut does not register, use the Apple menu instead.
Force Quit from the Apple menu instead of the keyboard
When the pointer still works, click the Apple menu at the top-left of the display and choose Force Quit. Select the unresponsive app and confirm. This opens the same kind of window as the keyboard shortcut, which is helpful when you have a stuck keyboard key or are unfamiliar with Mac key labels.
If only one app is frozen, macOS may still let you switch to Finder or other apps. Do not immediately hold the power button when the system itself is responding.
Try a normal quit before forcing the app closed
Apple recommends pressing Command–Q or choosing Quit from the app menu first. An app quitting normally may save settings or offer a dialog for unsaved documents. Force Quit usually skips that orderly shutdown. For a writing app, design program or browser form, think about whether a document can still be saved or copied before you force it to close.
Closing an individual window with its red button is not always the same as quitting an entire Mac app. Some apps remain open with no visible windows. Check the app name at the top of the display and use its Quit command if it is still running normally.
What if Finder freezes?
Finder behaves differently from ordinary apps because it manages files and the desktop. If Finder appears in the Force Quit Applications window, Apple provides a Relaunch option rather than a permanent exit. Select Finder and choose Relaunch if it is unresponsive. This can recover Finder windows, but do not use it while a file operation is still making progress without considering the effect of interrupting that work.
One frozen Finder window also does not always mean macOS itself has crashed. Give the system time if it is copying a large file or accessing a slow external disk. If activity is continuing, a short wait may be safer than interrupting it.
App still won’t close? Restart without risking extra work
Restart from the Apple menu when possible
If Force Quit fails and your Mac still responds, save work in other apps and choose Apple menu → Restart. macOS may ask what to do about open documents. Read those prompts carefully rather than approving a restart that would discard unrelated work.
When the entire Mac is unresponsive
If the computer cannot restart normally, Apple documents holding the power button for up to 10 seconds until it powers off, then turning it on again. On a MacBook with Touch ID, the Touch ID button is also the power button. This is a last-resort shutdown, not a standard way to close apps. Anything unsaved may be lost, and a forced power-off can interrupt disk operations or updates.
Why does an app keep freezing?
One repeated crash can have many causes: an outdated app version, a damaged extension, an incompatible plug-in, low available memory, a problem with a particular file or a macOS issue. Install legitimate app updates and review crash information before assuming that the Mac needs a factory reset.
Check whether the problem happens only with one document or in multiple apps. Restart once, then use the same task again to see if it recurs. Avoid third-party “fix all” utilities that promise guaranteed performance improvements without identifying the underlying issue.
If your difficulty is organizing many apps rather than closing a frozen one, our Windows 11 virtual desktops guide is a separate Windows workflow. For Mac-specific visual documentation, see our Mac screenshot shortcuts or Mac screen recording guides. Screen capture does not repair a frozen app, but it can help you record an error message for technical support.
Frequently asked questions
Is Command–Q the same as Option–Command–Escape?
No. Command–Q asks the active app to quit normally. Option–Command–Escape opens the Force Quit window so you can choose an unresponsive app.
Will Force Quit delete my files?
It does not intentionally delete ordinary saved files. However, unsaved changes in the app may be lost, and interrupting a file operation can have other consequences.
What if my Mac has a Touch Bar?
On supported older Touch Bar models, Apple says Escape is at the left side of the Touch Bar. Alternatively, open Force Quit from the Apple menu if available.
Can I force quit Finder?
Yes. Choose Finder in the Force Quit Applications window and use Relaunch to restart it.
Keyboard photograph: TheumasNL, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Unmodified photo.
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