Force Quit Shortcut Mac: Option + Command + Esc

Q: How do I force quit the app in front?

Hold Option + Command + Shift + Esc for about three seconds.

The force quit shortcut mac computers use is Option + Command + Esc. It opens the Force Quit Applications window, which lists open apps; any frozen one shows Not Responding. Select it and click Force Quit, or press Return.

For the app in front, holding Option + Command + Shift + Esc for about three seconds quits it straight away. Use force quit only when an app has stopped responding, because unsaved work in that app is lost.

Quick facts

Force Quit window
Option + Command + Esc
Quit front app at once
Option + Command + Shift + Esc
Normal quit
Command + Q
Dock
Option click the icon, Force Quit
Detailed view
Activity Monitor
Windows version
Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Force quit shortcut mac steps

Wait about ten seconds; busy apps sometimes recover by themselves.
Press Option + Command + Esc. The Force Quit window opens.
Select the app marked Not Responding.
Click Force Quit and confirm. The app closes and can be opened again.

If the pointer is a spinning wheel over every app, the whole Mac may be busy rather than one app. Give it a minute before restarting; see Mac shutdown and sleep.

Task manager shortcut on Mac

Macs have no Task Manager, but two tools do its jobs. The Force Quit window (Option + Command + Esc) closes stuck apps quickly. Activity Monitor shows memory, processor and energy use for every process, like the Windows Task Manager's details. Open it with Command + Space, type activity and press Return.

In Activity Monitor, sort by the CPU column to find an app that is making the fans loud or the battery drain fast.

Quit, force quit and other ways

Closing apps on a Mac
Method	Keys or action	Unsaved work
Normal quit	`Command` + `Q`	App asks you to save
Force Quit window	`Option` + `Command` + `Esc`	Lost in that app
Force quit front app	Hold `Option` + `Command` + `Shift` + `Esc`	Lost
Dock	Option click the app icon, choose Force Quit	Lost
Activity Monitor	Select process, click the X button	Lost

When force quit does not work

Problems and fixes
Problem	Fix
Force Quit window does not open	The Mac is fully frozen; hold the power button
App keeps freezing	Update it, or delete its settings and try again
Finder is not responding	Choose Finder in the list and click Relaunch
Many apps stuck at once	Restart the Mac

A video editor's app freezes while exporting on a MacBook. After waiting a minute, he presses Option + Command + Esc, force quits only that app, and reopens it; his music and browser keep running.

Stop apps freezing in the first place

Frequent freezes usually have a cause. Keep macOS and your apps updated from System Settings and the App Store. Close browser tabs you are not using, since each one takes memory. Restart the Mac once a week rather than only putting it to sleep. If one app keeps hanging, check its own settings or support page for known problems, and make sure there is free space on the disk: Apple suggests keeping some storage free so the system can work smoothly. Activity Monitor's Memory tab shows whether the Mac is running short.

Windows and more Mac keys

On Windows, the same job uses Ctrl + Shift + Esc; see the Task Manager shortcut. Locking is covered in lock a Mac and the full list in Mac shortcut keys.

This site is not affiliated with Apple or Microsoft; this is an independent explanation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the force quit shortcut on Mac?

Option + Command + Esc.

Is there a task manager shortcut on a Mac?

The closest is the Force Quit window, plus Activity Monitor for detail.

How do I force quit the app in front?

Hold Option + Command + Shift + Esc for about three seconds.

Will force quit lose my work?

Unsaved work in that app is lost. Other apps are not affected.

How do I quit an app normally?

Press Command + Q.

What if the whole Mac is frozen?

Hold the power button until it turns off, then start it again.