How to Force a Program to Close (Windows): Quick Guide

Is there an unresponsive app stuck on your screen? If you can't close the program, you can force close an app on Windows using the Task Manager or Command Prompt. Here's how to force a program to close on Windows 10 and 11, plus tips to prevent app freezes.

Force Quitting Apps on Windows

To force-close an unresponsive app, press Alt + F4. Alternatively, open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc, select the app, and then select End task.

Section 1 of 8:

Using Alt + F4

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1
Select the unresponsive program. Make sure the program is in focus. If you have multiple windows open, you can click the icon in the taskbar, or press Alt + Tab to cycle through your open windows until the one you want to force quit is selected.
- You can use this quick keyboard shortcut to force-quit an app in any version of Windows.
2
Press Alt+F4. F4 is found in the top of row keys on your keyboard. When you use this shortcut, the app will be forced to close.
- On some laptop keyboards, you may have to press Fn+Alt+F4.

Section 2 of 8:

Using the Taskbar (Windows 10)

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1
Right-click the taskbar. This is usually at the bottom of the screen, but it may be different if you changed its position.
- A pop-up menu will open.
2
Click Task Manager. You can find this near the bottom of the menu.
- The Task Manager will open.
You should see it listed. If you can't find it, select the Name tab to sort your programs alphabetically.
The program will be forced to close.

Section 3 of 8:

Using the Taskbar (Windows 11)

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Windows 11 now has a feature that makes it easy to force quit programs from the taskbar. Once you enable it, you can right-click the program on the taskbar and select End Task to close it. First, click the Start menu and select the cog icon.
You can find this on the left panel.
More options will open.
The switch will turn blue.
A pop-up menu will open.
The app will be forced to close.

Section 4 of 8:

Using Ctrl + Alt + Esc

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1
Press Ctrl+Alt+Esc. This keyboard shortcut opens the Task Manager, which displays a list of running tasks and programs. You can use the Task Manager to force-quit apps that are giving you problems.
- You can use this method on any version of Windows.
You should see it listed. If you can't find it, select the Name tab to sort your programs alphabetically.
The program will be forced to close.

Section 5 of 8:

Using the Command Prompt

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1
Open the Command Prompt. To quickly open it, press the Windows key + R. Type "cmd" into the box and press Enter.
- You can use this method to force quit a program from Windows command line.
This will show you a list of all tasks and programs currently running on your device.
3
Enter taskkill/im [program.exe] and press ↵ Enter. Replace the bracketed example with the name of the program you want to force close.
- For example, if you want to force quit Google Chrome, you would type taskkill/im chrome.exe and press Enter.
- The program will be forced to close.

Section 6 of 8:

Using Ctrl + Alt + Delete

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This shortcut opens your Windows menu and allows you to select the Task Manager. It's helpful if your screen is frozen and you can't access the taskbar, and you can use it on any version of Windows.
This is at the bottom of the list. The Task Manager will open.
You should see it listed. If you can't find it, select the Name tab to sort your programs alphabetically.
The program will be forced to close.

Section 7 of 8:

Preventing App Freezes

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1
Keep your software up to date. This includes program updates and Windows updates. These provide important security and bug fixes, so be sure to check for updates frequently if you don't have automatic updates enabled.
2
Maintain your PC. If you have a desktop PC, routinely check for unnecessary files that may be slowing down your device. Optimize your PC by uninstalling programs you no longer use, limiting visual effects in Windows, and changing your power plan.
3
Use fewer browser tabs. Having too many browser tabs open can hog your computer's resources and cause apps (especially your web browser) to stop responding. If you don't need a browser tab to be open anymore, click the X on the tab to close it.

Section 8 of 8:

Frequently Asked Questions

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1
What's the fastest way to force a program to close? The fastest and easiest way to force an app to close is by using the keyboard shortcut Alt + F4.
2
Can I open the Task Manager with my keyboard? You can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + Esc to quickly open the Task Manager.
3
What if the Task Manager doesn't respond? If you can't access the Task Manager, you can use the Command Prompt to force a program to close. Open the Command Prompt and use the command "tasklist" to see your list of programs. Then, type taskkill/im [program.exe] and press Enter.
4
What if my screen is frozen? If you can't access the Task Manager or click anything on your screen, you may have to force your device to shut off by pressing and holding the power button.

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What should I do if the Task Manager program is freezing?

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Try to restart your computer manually. If that doesn't work, you'll have to force a power-off.

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What do I do if it says "Access is denied"?

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Then you need administrator permissions on that account in order for the file to allow you to edit/delete it.

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What is an unresponsive app?

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It's an app that is frozen and needs to be closed. Just restart and see if it freezes again.

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