For this months post I wanted a quick tip on how to Force Quit an application that is not responding. The Mac OS X system has a few different ways to deal with this. The first few options shown here are for the not so advanced users, the average Mac user. I will not embark in the more advanced options using the Activity Monitor application, the Terminal, or any SSH commands on remote systems.
1) USING THE "Force Quit Applications" WINDOW
First option is to use the obvious option. look at the Apple menu, you have a command called "Force Quit..." The three dots after the command means that the system will not execute this command immediately, it will prompt you for more information. In this case it will show you a list of running applications by the current user so that you can select which one to force quit.
Go ahead and select the unresponsive application and tap the Force Quit button. You can then just close the window.
The application name might appear in red lettering with a note indicating that it is not responding.
HINT: If you press the SHIFT key while selecting the Apple Menu, it will automatically show the current application as the Force Quit option, no need for the "Force Quit Applications" window to be present.
2) USING KEY COMMANDS
If the Apple Menu is not responding, you can always press Option + Command + Esc to have the window pop-up. Option (⌥)-Command (⌘)-Esc. This tries to replicate the all too common Control + Alt + Delete from the Windows side.
3) USING THE DOCK ICONS
Third option is my favorite though... JUST USE THE DOCK! I recommend this option to all of my clients. If it is a running application on your dock, RIGHT-CLICK the dock icon on the unresponsive application. If the application is REALLY unresponsive the Force Quit option will show up immediately at the bottom of the window. HINT: If you only see the "Quit" option on its place, but does nothing, press the OPTION key on your keyboard to have the command change to "Force Quit"
If the system seems a bit odd after force quitting the application, I would recommend trying a full restart of the system to mantain your sanity. Have a great day. Hope this information is practical to Mac users.
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