How to force quite an app on mac when frozen

Force quit a frozen app from the Apple menu.

This is the easiest built-in way to close a frozen or unresponsive app on macOS. It works even when the app window cannot be clicked or normally closed.

How to force quite an app on Mac

Step 1: Open the Apple Menu

Move the mouse to the top-left corner of the screen and click the Apple logo. 5A drop-down menu will appear with several system options.

Step 2: Select "Force Quit"

ClickForce Quit from the menu.macOS will open theForce Quit Applications window. This tool shows all currently open apps.

Step 3: Choose the Frozen App

In the list, locate the app that is not responding. Frozen apps often display: “

• Not Responding”
• A spinning beach ball cursor
• A greyed-out window
• Delayed mouse clicks or typing

Click the app name once to highlight it.

Step 4: Click "Force Quit"

Press the Force Quit button in the lower-right corner. A confirmation popup may appear asking whether you want to force the app to close.

ClickForce Quit again. The app should close immediately.

What Happens After Force Quit?

• Unsaved work inside the app may be lost.
• Other apps and files on the Mac normally remain unaffected.
• You can reopen the app afterward like normal.