How to Forcibly Quit Applications on Windows


From automatic updates to blue screens of death, we’ve all experienced frustrations with Windows. Another common issue is programs freezing and becoming unresponsive, still consuming system resources. Fortunately, Windows offers several methods to force-quit these stubborn programs. This guide will show you how to force quit on Windows.

Method 1: Force Quit Using Task Manager

The simplest way to force quit an app on Windows is through the Task Manager. Here’s how:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + ESC to open the Task Manager.

2. Navigate to the Processes tab on the left sidebar.

3. Find the app you want to force quit, or use the search bar at the top.

4. Right-click the app and select End task to force quit it.

Method 2: Force Quit Using Keyboard Shortcut

Another method to close an application is by using the Alt + F4 keyboard shortcut. This isn’t technically force-quitting but is equivalent to clicking the close button on the window. If a program is partially responsive, this shortcut might still work.

1. Click on the app you want to close to make it the active window.

2. Press Alt + F4 to quit the app. On keyboards without an F4 key, press Alt + Fn + 4.

3. If the program doesn’t close immediately, wait a moment and it should close automatically.

Often, when you try to click the close button in frustration and the app doesn’t close, the program enters a “Not responding” state. Windows detects this and provides a “This program is not responding” prompt with options to wait for the process to respond or to end the process. Choose End Process.

Method 3: Force Quit App From Settings

The Settings app on Windows provides a convenient way to terminate running apps, making it a great option for force quitting. Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.

2. Locate the application you want to force quit, or use the search bar to find it.

3. Click the three-dot icon next to the app and select Advanced options.

4. Scroll down and click the Terminate button.

5. The app should now be terminated.

Method 4: Force Quit From Command Prompt

The Command Prompt is often the last line of defense against the most stubborn issues on Windows, including force quitting unresponsive applications. Here’s how to use it:

1. Open the Command Prompt or Windows Terminal.

2. Type the following command to list all ongoing processes on Windows:

tasklist

3. Note down the name of the process you want to force quit, which in this example is Brave.exe. Then, type the following command to force quit the app:

taskkill /F /IM brave.exe

In this command, “/F” is the force parameter, and “/IM” denotes the image name (the app executable) you want to kill. Once executed, the app will be force quit instantly.

Method 5: Force Quit App By Shutting Down Windows

If all your attempts to force quit an app on Windows have failed and your entire system is unresponsive, your last resort is to force shut down your computer and restart it.

To force shut down your Windows PC or laptop, press and hold the Power button for about 7–10 seconds until the system shuts down. Wait for about five seconds, then power it back on.

How often do you find yourself needing to force quit an application on Windows? Are there any other significant app-related issues you find particularly annoying in Windows? Let us know in the comments below.

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