Mac computers are incredibly powerful machines with exceptional performance and speed. However, sometimes an application may become unresponsive and it can get frustrating. Have you ever had to deal with an application that suddenly stops responding, no matter how many times you try to close it? Don’t worry, you are not alone.
Knowing how to close an unresponsive program on a Mac is a vital skill, especially for people who use a Mac for more than just casual web browsing. In this blog post, we will show you several ways to close an unresponsive program on a Mac.
Video Tutorial:
Why You Need to Know How to Close an Unresponsive Program on a Mac
There are several reasons why you need to know how to close an unresponsive program on a Mac. Firstly, an unresponsive program can reduce productivity and slow down your computer’s performance. Secondly, it can prevent you from accessing other applications or files.
Closing an unresponsive program can be a solution to get your computer back to its normal state. Plus, it’s a simple problem that can be fixed without any outside help.
Method 1: Using Command + Option + Escape
Pressing the Command + Option + Escape combination will bring the Force Quit Application window. It is the easiest and fastest way to deal with an unresponsive program.
1. Press Command + Option + Escape
2. Select the unresponsive program
3. Click the “Force Quit” button
4. Click “Force Quit” again to confirm
Pros:
– Simple and quick
– Can be done with one hand
– It’s a built-in feature on Mac
Cons:
– It can’t be used to close a frozen system
– It’s not perfect in all cases and can freeze at times.
Method 2: Using the Activity Monitor
Another way to close an unresponsive program on a MacBook is through the Activity Monitor. It allows thorough control over the processes and programs that are running on the computer.
1. Press Command + Space to open Finder
2. Type “Activity Monitor” and press Enter
3. Search for the unresponsive program on the Activity Monitor list
4. Select the program and click “Quit Process”
5. Click “Force Quit” to confirm
Pros:
– Allows to monitor all processes
– Can be used for more than just terminating programs
– Provides detailed information about each application running the Mac
Cons:
– May not always work for severely frozen applications
– Can be overwhelming for users who are new to the Activity Monitor.
Method 3: Using Terminal Commands
Another way to close an unresponsive program is by using Mac Terminal Command. This method is ideal for people who frequently use Terminal as it does require knowledge of a specific command. Here’s how to do it:
1. Open the Terminal App
2. Type “killall [application name]” where the [application name] is the name of the unresponsive program
3. Press Enter
Pros:
– Can be used to do more advanced tasks on Mac
– Its press-and-enter format is one of the fastest ways to complete tasks on Mac
Cons:
– Can terminate all instances of a program at once
– Can result in data loss and corruption
Method 4: Using the Apple Menu
The Apple menu is another solution to close an unresponsive program on a Mac.
1. Click the Apple menu
2. Select “Force Quit” from the drop-down menu
3. Select the unresponsive program from the Force Quit Applications window
4. Click the “Force Quit” button to quit the program forcibly
Pros:
– Can be used to close multiple applications
– Can be done with one hand
Cons:
– May not work if your Mac is frozen
– Can accidentally exit out of everything if not used carefully
What to Do If You Can’t Close An Unresponsive Program
If none of the above methods works, here are some things you can try:
– Wait for Mac to close the program automatically. Sometimes, Mac OS detects when an application isn’t responding and offers to close it.
– Restart your computer. This is the real version of turning it off and turning it back on again.
– Pull the plug. Only if everything else fails. Hold down the power button to shut down your Mac if nothing else works.
Bonus Tip
Here are three bonus tips for closing an unresponsive program on a Mac:
– Use an external tool like CleanMyMac, which can optimize and fix common Mac issues
– Enable automatic backup and restore with Time Machine to protect valuable data
– Keep your computer up-to-date to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
5 FAQs
Q1: Can you recover lost data when you force quit an application?
A1: Unfortunately, when you force quit an application without saving your work, all of the unsaved changes will be lost.
Q2: Why some applications won’t terminate with other methods?
A2: The reasons can vary – internal application issues, computer memory problems, incompatible software, and broken application updates.
Q3: What is the consequence of force quitting a program?
A3: Forcibly closing a program can result in losing the unsaved work and data that’s in active memory.
Q4: How often should I force quit applications?
A4: It’s not recommended to force quit applications frequently. The ideal approach is to give each program time to close naturally to avoid unexpected data loss.
Q5: Can force quitting damage internal hardware?
A5: No, force quitting an application cannot cause damage to Mac hardware.
Final Thoughts
Closing an unresponsive program on a Mac is an essential skill for Mac users. It’s a simple issue that can be fixed without the intervention of third-party tools. With the above methods and tips, you now have everything you need to solve this problem successfully.