How do I force quit or close a program in Windows?
This page was translated using AI and machine learning before being reviewed by a human editor in your native language.
(Pocket-lint) – When a program crashes in Windows or is just giving you trouble, it can be hard to fix.
One solution is to force quit. With just a few clicks, you can force your way back to a happy place where everything is working as it should. Or at least where the problematic program no longer bothers you.
There are several ways to force quit or quit a program or application in Windows if you have to. So follow these steps to start fixing your issues.
How to force quit with keyboard shortcuts
If you’re in an app, game, or program and it freezes, it can be a real hassle. You can either sit back and wait for the problem to fix itself (who has time for that stuff) or use hotkeys to fix your problem.
In Windows, there are common keyboard shortcuts that work in all applications and programs and are perfectly suited for this task.
When you have a problem with an application, press CTRL+X on your keyboard. This is the key combination used to close an application. If that doesn’t work, try ALT+F4 instead. These combinations should close a program, unless it is particularly problematic.
Force quit with Task Manager
If the problem of an application or program cannot be solved with shortcuts or patience, there is always the power of the task manager.
This week we chat with Activision about Call of Duty launching on mobile next year, we review the iPhone 14 Pro and
Like all good things, you can access Task Manager using keyboard shortcuts. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL on your keyboard and you’ll see a number of options appear, including Task Manager. Click on it to open it.
You can also press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to open Task Manager directly.
Once Task Manager opens, you should see a long list of running apps. You’ll also see how much processing power apps are currently using, including the percentage of CPU, RAM (memory), and GPU they’re using. You’ll also see the app that’s causing the problem, most likely with (not responding) listed.
To force quit a problematic application with Task Manager:
- Click on the problem application.
- Right-click and look for “end task” option.
- Click this option to stop the task and force quit the application.
- If that doesn’t work, right-click again and click “Go to details”.
- Next, right-click the app again and click “End Process”.
- You will then see a warning that this will close everything.
- Click to confirm
Written by Adrian Willings.