We all want everything to work perfectly every time. However, this is not always the case. Your Windows application could slow down. And then the dreaded “this program is not responding” message may appear. Or worse still, your entire computer shuts down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In such cases, the best option is often to force quit the unresponsive app. This means that your computer will force the program to close, regardless of what it is doing or attempting to do. On a Windows PC, there are several ways to accomplish this. This article covers all you should know about learning how to force close an app on Windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Naturally, the first step is to try to force close the annoying app by clicking the Close button. As a result, a message will most likely appear informing you that the application has stopped working. The message may give you two options, depending on the program and the nature of the freeze: Check online for a solution and close the program or Close the program. Otherwise, it may only provide one option to exit the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
View problem details may also be accessible via a dropdown arrow. Clicking that will reveal the name of the associated executable file as well as other details, but it will not assist you in recovering the app. Close it by clicking the button and waiting a few seconds to see if it shuts down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the Close button does not work, another option is to right-click on the app’s Taskbar icon and select the Close window option. Wait a few seconds to see if the program closes again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are unable to close the application directly, another option is to use Task Manager, which displays a list of all running apps, files, and processes. There are several ways to start Task Manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Right-click the Taskbar in Windows 10 and select Task Manager. Right-click the Start button in Windows 10 or 11 and select Task Manager from the menu, or press Ctrl+Shift+Esc. If Task Manager opens in compact mode, click the More Details button to see the full view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In either view, the status of the misbehaving app entry may be “Not responding.” End the task by right-clicking on the entry. Wait a few seconds to see if the application closes automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What if your mouse becomes unresponsive and you are unable to click the Close button or Taskbar icon? Alt+F4 will also try to close the currently open window or app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you don’t want to mess with Task Manager or can’t open it, try this alternative shortcut. It skips the intermediate steps and proceeds to force quit the current app. Wait a few seconds for the app to respond after pressing it once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If this doesn’t work, press the FN key to turn on the indicator light, then try the keyboard shortcut again. On some portable computers, such as Microsoft’s Surface laptops, this may be required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s worth noting that the ALT + F4 shortcut will only work on the app you’re currently using. If you navigate away from the buggy app, you may accidentally close something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A built-in Windows command called Taskkill can also be used to close a frozen app. To test this, launch a command prompt and enter tasklist. Look for the app’s executable file, such as iTunes.exe. At the next prompt, type taskkill \/f \/im followed by the name of the EXE file, such as itunes.exe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here’s another trick that only works in certain apps in Windows 11. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps if an app is frozen. For the frozen app, click the ellipsis icon. If you see an Advanced options setting, select it. Scroll down to the Terminate section and press the Terminate button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, use any of the methods I mentioned to identify and try to shut down whatever application or process is causing problems with Windows. If Windows is still not responding, it’s time to quit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, try exiting your current session. Ctrl+Alt+Delete, then select Sign out. If that works, sign in again to see if Windows has become responsive. If not, you may need to restart the computer. Click the Power icon on the Ctrl-Alt-Del screen, then select Shut down. If Windows is still stuck, your last option is to press and hold the power button on your computer until it shuts down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, keep in mind that using any of these methods to close an application or Windows will result in the loss of any recent work you haven’t saved. That is especially important with a productivity program like Microsoft Office. Some programs, such as Word and Excel, have an auto-recovery feature that will attempt to recover the most recent version of the file even if you haven’t recently saved it. Check the productivity apps you use to see if such a feature is available and enable it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If none of the commands work, the problem is widespread throughout the operating system. When this happens, it’s a good idea to restart your computer completely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try the keyboard shortcut CTRL + ALT + DEL. If it works, it will open a Settings menu from which you can choose Shut down by selecting the Power button in the lower right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your keyboard shortcuts aren’t working, you can use the manual power button as a last resort. Hold down the Power button until your computer is forced to shut down. If necessary, press the Power button once more to restart the computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your apps continue to freeze and cause issues, you should investigate the cause. An operating system or BIOS update may help to resolve the issue, and you should always keep third-party apps up to date. If, on the other hand, a recent update began causing your freezing issues, it may be time to revert to a previous version of the operating system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is how it’s done:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Alt + F4 keyboard shortcut is the quickest and easiest way to force kill a program without using Task Manager on a Windows computer. You can close a program by clicking it, then pressing Alt + F4 on the keyboard at the same time and not releasing them until the application is closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n