How to Force Quit a Frozen App on Mac

When an app freezes or shows the spinning wheel, here are three ways to force quit it on your Mac, plus what to do if your whole Mac is frozen.

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Published 4 min read
Checked against 2 sources
Illustration: How to Force Quit a Frozen App on Mac

The short answer

Press Option-Command-Esc to open the Force Quit window, select the frozen app and click Force Quit. You can also choose Apple menu › Force Quit, or Control-click the app's icon in the Dock and hold Option to choose Force Quit. Unsaved changes in that app may be lost.

Sometimes an app stops responding and you see the spinning wait cursor. Instead of restarting your whole Mac, you can force just that app to quit.

Way 1: The keyboard shortcut

  1. Press Option-Command-Esc (all three keys together).
  2. The Force Quit Applications window opens.
  3. Select the app that isn’t responding (it may say “Not Responding”).
  4. Click Force Quit.

Way 2: The Apple menu

  1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner.
  2. Choose Force Quit.
  3. Select the app and click Force Quit.

Way 3: From the Dock

  1. Control-click (or right-click) the app’s icon in the Dock.
  2. Hold the Option key. Quit changes to Force Quit.
  3. Click Force Quit.

If the Finder is frozen

Open the Force Quit window, select Finder, and click Relaunch.

If your whole Mac is frozen

If the pointer won’t move and nothing responds:

  1. Press and hold the power button (or Touch ID button) for several seconds until your Mac turns off.
  2. Wait a few seconds, then press it again to turn it back on.

Use this only when nothing else works. Unsaved work in any open app may be lost.

Prevent future freezes

  • Update macOS and your apps in System Settings › General › Software Update and the App Store.
  • Keep storage free: check System Settings › General › Storage.
  • Restart regularly, rather than only putting your Mac to sleep.
  • Quit apps you’re not using, especially heavy ones like video editors and many browser tabs.
  • Back up with Time Machine so a crash never costs you files. See how to back up your Mac.

If apps freeze often, make sure you have a recent backup with Time Machine. Using Windows too? Here’s what to do when Windows 11 runs slow.

The bottom line

Option-Command-Esc is the shortcut to remember: select the frozen app and click Force Quit. If the whole Mac is frozen, hold the power button as a last resort.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose my work if I force quit?

You may lose unsaved changes in that app. Some apps, like Pages and Word, can recover recent work the next time you open them, but don't rely on it. Save often.

What if the Finder is frozen?

In the Force Quit window, select Finder and click Relaunch. The Finder can't be fully quit because it's always running.

My app keeps freezing. What should I do?

Update the app and macOS, restart your Mac, and check that you have enough free storage. If one app keeps freezing, contact its developer or reinstall it.

Why you can trust this guide
  • Based on official sources. The steps here are checked against the 2 official sources listed below, such as the help pages of the companies involved.
  • Checked and dated. Last checked on November 10, 2026. We update guides when software or advice changes.
  • Independent. No company paid for or reviewed this guide. We don't sell products, and ads never influence our advice.
  • Open to corrections. Spotted an error? Tell us and we'll fix it. Read how we research.

Sources

  1. Apple Support — How to force an app to quit on your Mac
  2. Apple Support — Back up your Mac with Time Machine

This guide is general information. Menus and features can change with software updates, and steps may differ on your device or version. Back up important data before making big changes. Read our disclaimer.

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