A frozen Mac app can send you reaching for Control Alt Delete out of habit. Press Option–Command–Esc to open Force Quit Applications and close the unresponsive app. For broader Task Manager controls or a way to restart, lock, or log out, use the separate Mac commands below.
Press Option–Command–Esc to close a frozen app
With the app active, try Command–Q to quit normally first. Force quitting puts unsaved work at risk.
If the app won't close, press Option–Command–Esc to open Force Quit Applications. This shortcut works on Apple silicon and Intel Macs, including those running macOS Tahoe 26. Select the unresponsive app, click Force Quit, and confirm the action if prompted.
If the shortcut doesn't open the window, try Apple menu > Force Quit. If the app still won't close, move to Activity Monitor below.
Use the Apple menu when you prefer clicking
This closes an unresponsive app through the same Force Quit window, without the keyboard shortcut. Open the Apple menu and choose Force Quit. Select the app you want to close, then click Force Quit.
For the Dock alternative on macOS Tahoe 26, Control-click the unresponsive app's Dock icon. Choose Force Quit from its menu.
Relaunch Finder when it freezes
When Finder itself stops responding, it needs its own relaunch action. Press Option–Command–Esc to open Force Quit Applications. Select Finder and click Relaunch. Finder uses this button instead of the Force Quit command shown for other apps.
Open Activity Monitor for Task Manager controls
Use Activity Monitor to locate an app or background process and choose how to close it.
- 1.In Finder, open Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor. For quicker access with the default shortcuts, press Command–Space, search for Activity Monitor, and open the matching Activity Monitor result.
- 2.Use the search field to locate a particular app or process. Click a column heading to sort the displayed information.
- 3.Select your target under Process Name. Unresponsive processes display (Not Responding).
- 4.Click the Stop button.
- 5.Choose Quit for an orderly exit or Force Quit to terminate it immediately. Complete administrator authentication if requested when closing another user's process.
Restart when the whole Mac won't respond
When closing the problem app doesn't help, choose Apple menu > Restart. Deselect Reopen windows when logging back in if you don't want the previous windows restored.
If a normal restart fails, hold the Mac's power button for up to 10 seconds until it turns off. On a laptop with Touch ID, hold Touch ID instead. A forced shutdown puts unsaved work at risk.
Press and release the power button to start the Mac again. If an app is still unresponsive after startup, try closing it with Force Quit or Activity Monitor.
Lock the screen or log out with separate shortcuts
Press Control–Command–Q to lock the screen. For the menu alternative, choose Apple menu > Lock Screen.
To log out instead, press Shift–Command–Q. Complete the confirmation to end your user session without shutting down the Mac. Tip: Command–Q quits the active app, Control–Command–Q locks the screen, and Shift–Command–Q logs you out with confirmation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to download a Mac equivalent of Task Manager?
No. Activity Monitor and Force Quit Applications are built into macOS. Neither requires a separate download or installation.
Can I use Control–Command–Power on a Mac with Touch ID?
No. Apple supports that force-restart shortcut only on built-in keyboards without Touch ID. It restarts without offering to save open documents.
Does Control–C close a frozen Mac app?
Control–C interrupts the foreground command in the active Terminal window and terminates most commands. It does not target an arbitrary Mac app.
Why is End process disabled in Chrome's Task manager?
On a managed Mac, an organization's Chrome policy can disable End process. Changing that policy requires an administrator; ordinary users cannot override it.