This article shows how to Force Quit the front-most Mac application immediately with a single keyboard shortcut. This little-known keyboard shortcut is the easiest, fastest and best way to force a Mac application to quit. Yes – it works on Lion.
This shortcut works for Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. The shortcut also works for Mac OS X 10.7 Lion – I’ve tested it! This key combination does not work for Mac OSX 10.4 and earlier, which probably explains why it’s not well known.
This one click mac optimizer will do wonders. Conclusion So if you find yourself stuck with the application, use any of the above methods to force quit an app on Mac. Declutter the disk storage with TuneupMyMac, as it is a great application to clean your Mac and help it to run all functions smoothly. It is one of the methods to use when all. Whether connecting to other Mac based systems, or desktops running Windows or Linux, you can count on AnyDesk’s stable operation and cross-compatibility. AnyDesk for Mac provides the features and tools you need to connect with desktops or servers in any location. Our remote desktop app ensures a stable, secure, and super-fast connection. Quitter is a free app for Mac that automatically quits applications after they’ve been inactive for a predetermined period of time. Best for those that need to maintain focus without distractions or even just to minimize CPU usage, Quitter will close your unused apps so you don’t have to.
What is Force Quit?
The normal ways to quit a Mac application are to choose Quit from the menu named for the application (e.g. Word, Chrome, VLC, Mail) or to press the keyboard shortcut to Quit, which is Command-Q. Force Quit is a Mac feature to force a Mac program to exit when it won’t respond to these normal ways to quit.
Why is Force Quit Useful?
Force quitting a hung application is useful to restart the app in order to be able to use it again. For example, if Mac Mail locks up while retrieving mail, you can terminate it, and start it again.
Force quit is even more useful when a frozen app stops access to the Finder and other applications, so that you can’t use your Mac. In the situation, that Mac seems frozen. Force quitting the hung app can be necessary to be able to use your Mac again.
An unresponsive app can prevent access to the Apple manu, so that knowing the keyboard shortcut to force quit an app is sometimes the only way to be regain control of your Mac.
Warnings for Force Quit
If you force quit an application, you will probably lose any changes you’ve made in that app that you haven’t saved. (With Microsoft Office, you might get an autosave.) Try quitting with the Command-Q key combination first.
What is the Key Combination to Force Quit a Mac App?
This keyboard shortcut will kill the front-most Mac app, which is usually the app you want to stop. If you want to stop an application which is not at the front, see Force Any Mac App to Quit using Only Keyboard Shortcuts.
The keyboard shortcut to force quit the front-most Mac app is to press and hold Command-Option-Shift-Escape until the app exits. There is around a three second delay until the Mac kills the app, to prevent this feature being applied accidentally.
How to Use the Force Quit Keyboard Shortcut, Step by Step
If you’re unused to complex key combinations, here’s how to do it in steps:
Quitter For Mac Pro
- Hold down the Command key.
- Add holding the Option key with another finger on the same hand.
- Add holding the Shift key with another finger on the same hand.
- With these keys held down with one hand, use your other hand hold the Escape (Esc) key until the foreground app exits. This should take about three seconds.
- Release all the keys.
Information sourced from http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3411.
Questions, comments or feedback? Please leave a comment below.
Quitter For Mac
My current apps for iOS and Mac. Traditional support is not offered, but I welcome feedback on Twitter at @marcoarment.
Overcast is a full-featured podcast player for iOS, with innovative features including Smart Speed, Voice Boost, and many more, all without the usual overwhelming complexity of advanced podcast players.
Overcast is free, with optional patronage: Get Overcast
Quitter is a Mac app that automatically hides or quits apps after periods of inactivity, inspired by my Automatic Social Discipline method. It’s great for minimizing distraction from social apps like Twitter and Slack, news readers, or even your email app.
Quitter is free, with no strings attached: Download now
How To Close Mac Apps
If you like it, please consider becoming a monthly patron in Overcast.