Be sure to do this while the app you want to force quit is the foremost application on the Mac, as it will force quit whatever is active when held down. Hold down Command+Option+Shift+Escape for a second or two until the app forcibly closes. 2) Force Quit Currently Active Mac App with the Keyboard That Force Quit keyboard shortcut is probably the best combination of easy and power when force quitting apps in Mac OS X, since you can access it with a keystroke, select and force quit multiple apps if necessary, and summon it from anywhere. If you’re going to remember nothing else for force quitting apps in Mac OS X, remember this keystroke: Command + Option + Escape Think of this as a simplified version of Activity Monitor, and it’s also a great keystroke to remember to use since it allows for quickly ceasing multiple apps.

Starting with one of the best and easiest is the system wide Force Quit function: Hit Command+Option+Escape from anywhere to bring up the simple “Force Quit Applications” window, then click on the app name to select, followed by clicking the “Force Quit” button, this will end the app immediately. 1) Use a Keyboard Shortcut for “Force Quit Applications” on Mac And yes, these tricks work in all versions of Mac OS and Mac OS X.

Take a moment to review the tricks below, and then remember a few keyboard shortcuts or sequences now to save yourself a hassle later if you find yourself in a situation where you need to force quit a Mac app.

Use the key combination ⌘ + option + esc or alternatively click the  in the top right corner and then choose Force Quit….How to Force Quit Mac Apps: 7 Different Ways.

However, in some cases apps will stop responding and you’ll need use a different process. In day-to-day use, quitting apps on a Mac is quick and straight forward by either using the keyboard shortcut ⌘ + Q or clicking on the app name in the menu bar and then choosing quit.

Whether you’re a new Mac user or just haven’t had any trouble with applications for a while, follow along for how to force quit apps on a Mac.

How to force close on mac