Have you ever been in the middle of work or studying on your Mac, and suddenly the app freezes? The cursor turns into a spinning rainbow ball (aka spinning beach ball of death), unresponsive to clicks or closes. It’s frustrating and panic-inducing, right?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Even though Macs are known for being smooth, occasionally apps become not responding or completely frozen. Luckily, fixing it is super easy, and you don’t need to force shut down your laptop.
Let’s check out these two effective ways to close apps on Mac OS!
1. Regular Method (Via Keyboard Shortcut)
If the app is still somewhat responsive or you just want to close multiple apps quickly without clicking the X icon one by one, use this practical shortcut:
- Press and hold Cmd + Tab. A row of icons will appear in the center of the screen, listing the currently running apps.
- While still holding Cmd, select the app you want to close using the right arrow → or left arrow ← keys.
- Once the selection box is on the app you want to close, just press Q (don’t release Cmd). Voila! The app closes immediately.
2. If the App is Completely Unresponsive (Force Quit)
If the app is really stubborn, totally frozen, and the first method doesn’t work, time for the ultimate move: Force Quit:
- Press Cmd + Option + Esc together. A small window called “Force Quit Applications” will pop up, listing open apps.
- In the list, problematic apps usually have (not responding) next to them. Select the stubborn one.
- Finally, click the Force Quit button in the bottom right corner. The app will be forced to stop right away.
Super easy, right? Now you won’t panic if an app freezes on your Mac. Happy trying!
