If you use a Mac daily, sooner or later you'll find yourself wondering how close FinderExit the apps and force them to close When something freezes. macOS is quite stable, but no system is perfect, and it's good to have all the tricks up your sleeve so that a simple freeze doesn't ruin your work.
Furthermore, on Mac there is an important nuance: when you click the red circle in the corner of the window, in many applications They don't close completely, they are only hidden or minimized.This can be confusing, especially if you're coming from Windows. In this guide, you'll see, step by step, all the ways to quit apps, force close them when they're unresponsive, and, in particular, Restart Finder without having to shut down your Mac.
Quitting an app on Mac normally
Before thinking about forcing anything, it's always better to try. close the application in a "friendly" wayThat is, using the standard system options. This allows the app to save changes, close open documents, and leave everything clean.
When you close an app properly, macOS gives it time to Save files, free up memory, and close processesIf you get used to doing it this way, you'll have less risk of losing work and of having zombie processes consuming resources in the background.
The quickest way to exit almost any application is to use the keyboard shortcut Command (⌘) + QPressing it closes the entire app, not just the window. It's the equivalent of the classic "Exit" menu button, but without releasing the keyboard.
If you prefer to use the mouse, you can also exit from the top menu bar: go to the application menu (for example, Safari, Pages, Mail…) and choose the option “Leave…” (Quit)This option always appears in the first menu to the right of the Apple icon.
Keep in mind that the red button in the corner of the window, in many apps, only close the current window or hide itBut the application doesn't close. You'll see its icon still appear with a small dot underneath it in the Dock, indicating that it's still open.
All the ways to force quit an app on Mac
When an application freezes, the typical rotating “beach ball” And if you can't click on anything, pressing the red button doesn't do much good. In those cases, you have to force it to close to regain control of the system.
The first thing you can try is closing it from the Dock. Right-click (or two-finger click on the trackpad) on the app icon in the Dock. If the app is even slightly responsive, you'll see the option "Leave"But if it's frozen, macOS will show you directly “Force Quit”By selecting it, the system kills the process immediately.
Another very effective method is the dedicated "Force Quit Applications" window. It's a built-in macOS tool that lists all open apps and lets you close them without having to search for windows. This way you can Force close any locked app in one click.
To open this window you have two simple options: click on the Apple logo in the upper left corner and choose “Forcing exit…”, or use the key combination Option (Alt) + Command (⌘) + Escape (Esc)On Macs with a Touch Bar, the Esc key appears at the far left of the Touch Bar.
A small floating window will open with a list of active applications. Select the unresponsive app and press the button. “Force Quit”It will close in a second or two. If you're unsure which one is locked, look for the "Not Responding" label.
If for some reason you can't close the app even from here (it's quite rare, but it can happen), the next reasonable step is Restart your Mac from the Apple menuClick on and choose “Restart…”. Usually, when you restart, the problematic app disappears without a trace.
How to close and restart Finder from the Dock
Finder is a key component of macOS; it's responsible for displaying desktop, file windowsconnected units and many system routesBy design it is always open, so you won't see it disappear like any other app, but it can be restarted if it freezes.
If the system continues to function more or less well and you only notice that The desktop or Finder windows are not respondingYou can restart it directly from the Dock. This trick is convenient when Finder is the only thing that's malfunctioning and you don't want to mess with anything else.
In some versions (like Snow Leopard) you could use Exposé/Mission Control to show all windows, and holding down the Option (Alt) key on the Finder icon in the Dock would bring up the option “Force Quit” in a small dialog box. Today the behavior has changed, but the idea of being able to restart Finder from its icon remains.
In modern versions of macOS, you can right-click the Finder icon in the Dock. If the system detects that it's frozen, you'll see the option “Restart” or “Relaunch” FinderPressing it will close and reopen Finder, refreshing the desktop, icons, and windows.
This type of restart only affects Finder, so The other applications do not close, nor does the computer turn off.It's a quick fix when the problem is specific: an icon that doesn't respond, a window that keeps loading, or a frozen desktop.
Restart Finder from the Force Quit menu
The "Force Quit" window not only closes apps that freeze, it also allows you to restart Finder in a controlled manner without touching the Dock. It's one of the most reliable ways to recover the browser when it freezes.
Open the "Force Quit" window with the shortcut Option (Alt) + Command (⌘) + Esc or from the Apple menu by choosing the “Force Quit…” option. In the list of applications you will always see Finder, because the system keeps it active by default.
Select “Finder” from that list and, instead of just the classic button, you’ll see the option "Restart"Click there: macOS will automatically close and reopen Finder, refreshing the sidebar, desktop, tabs, and open windows.
This method is very useful when the rest of the system responds but Finder doesn't show folders, takes a long time to load, or freezes when interacting with certain files or disks. Simply restart it from here to bring it back to life without needing to restart the entire Mac.
The great advantage of using the "Force Quit" menu is that it's always accessible even if the app has become unresponsive. dead processEven when the Finder window disappears or is completely locked, the Apple option usually remains functional.
Force Finder to close from Activity Monitor
Another very powerful way to control the applications and processes running on your Mac is to use the Activity MonitorIt's the equivalent of the Windows Task Manager, but with more detail and filters for CPU, memory, power, disk, and network.
To open it, you can go to Launchpad, type “Activity Monitor” in the search bar and press Enter, or use Spotlight with the shortcut Command (⌘) + Spacebar and type the name of the tool. When you open it, you'll see a huge list of processes and apps that are currently running.
At the top, you can switch between tabs (CPU, Memory, Power, Disk, Network). If you want to find Finder, it will be helpful to go to the tab "Memory" Or use the search bar in the top right and type "Finder". When you find it, click on it to select it.
With Finder selected, click the button with a X inside a circle Located in the upper left corner of the Activity Monitor window. A pop-up box will appear with two main options: “Quit” and “Force Quit”.
If Finder is still minimally responsive, you can try first with "Leave"This attempts to close the process in an orderly fashion. If it doesn't respond or the window remains frozen, select "Force Quit" to have the system terminate the process immediately. Finder will close and, in most cases, will automatically relaunch.
This method is especially recommended when you want close specific processes related to Finder or with another app, or if you suspect something is consuming a lot of resources. From here you can also see which processes are triggered in CPU or memory when Finder gets stuck.
Force closure using Terminal: command killall Finder
If you're not afraid of using the command line, Terminal is a very straightforward tool for managing processes. As many veteran macOS and UNIX users say, “The Terminal is your friend” when you need total control over the system.
To open Terminal, go to Launchpad, type “Terminal” and open it, or search for it using Spotlight. Once inside, you can use the command killall To terminate processes by name. This is very useful because you don't need to know the exact process ID (PID).
In the case of Finder, it is enough to write the instruction killall Finder and press Enter. The system will immediately close any running processes named “Finder” and then automatically relaunch them.
This method allows you not only Restart Finder when it's hungbut also to voluntarily restart it after making advanced changes to its configuration, system extensions, or desktop appearance, without having to log off or restart the entire Mac.
Note that with killall you can force the exit of any other app by typing its name exactly as it appears in the systemFor example, `killall Safari`, `killall Mail`, etc. However, since it's a forced closure, you run the risk of losing unsaved changes.
What to do if you can't close anything: restart and force shutdown
Sometimes the problem goes beyond a single app: the entire system seems to have frozen, and even the Apple menu is unresponsive. In those cases, after trying any method to force quit, you might have to... force restart or shut down your Mac.
If you still have access to the Apple logo in the top bar, click on and choose the option "Reboot…"It's the cleanest way to restart the system when something is stuck. Often, after restarting, Finder works normally again.
When the Mac is so frozen that It does not respond to mouse or keyboard input.Now it's time to resort to the most drastic measure: a forced shutdown. Press and hold the power button for about 10 seconds, until the screen turns off completely. On laptops with Touch ID, this button often also acts as the power button.
After that forced shutdown, wait a couple of seconds and press the power button again to restart your MacIt is important that this method be used only as a last resort, because abruptly cutting off the power can cause you to lose changes in open documents.
If you see that the system responds somewhat but is very slow, another intermediate option is Log out and log back in with your usernameGo to the Apple menu , choose “Sign Out…”, enter your password again, and when you log in, many user processes, including Finder, will restart.
Common problems that cause Finder to become unresponsive
When Finder starts to lag, takes forever to open folders, or simply freezes, there's usually a problem. some underlying cause beyond a simple one-off failureIdentifying it will help you prevent the problem from recurring.
One of the common reasons is that the Finder preferences file, the famous com. apple. finder. plistIt may have become corrupted. This file stores many browser settings (views, positions, options), and if it becomes corrupted, it can cause Finder to behave strangely.
Another very common cause is having the Mac storage almost fullWhen the system runs low on disk space, not only Finder, but many other parts of macOS, begin to malfunction or run extremely slowly. Apple recommends leaving several gigabytes free so the system can operate smoothly.
In some cases the problems stem from third-party extensions or add-ons that interfere with Finder: utilities that add functions to the context menu, synchronization tools, invasive antivirus software, and so on. If one of them breaks, it can bring down Finder itself.
Nor should we forget that a corrupted user profile Or corrupted general system preferences can affect File Explorer. If only one Mac user is having problems with Finder and the rest aren't, it's a pretty clear indication that something is wrong with that specific account.
Remove corrupted Finder preferences
If you suspect that the Finder preferences file is corrupted, you can delete it so that macOS creates a new and clean oneNothing serious will happen: you'll lose some custom window settings, but in return, the problem often disappears.
Open the Terminal app (from Launchpad or Spotlight) and type the following command, respecting uppercase and lowercase letters: rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plistThen press Enter. That command deletes your user's Finder preferences file.
After deleting it, it is recommended restart the Mac This will allow the system to recreate the file from scratch when you log back in. Once logged back in, check if Finder is working normally; open and close folders and see if the hangs disappear.
If you don't feel like using the Terminal, you could also locate that file manually in your user's Library folder, but the `rm` command is faster and more direct. Be careful when typing it so you don't accidentally delete other preference files.
Free up disk space so Finder runs smoothly
Having your hard drive or SSD at its limit is one of the easiest ways to make your Mac a nightmare. Finder suffers especiallybecause it needs space for caches, previews, and file operations.
Ideally, you should always maintain at least 5 GB of free spaceHowever, in practice it's even better to have considerably more space. To check, go to the Apple menu , select "About This Mac," and then the "Storage" tab. There you'll see how much space you have left.
To free up space, start with the obvious: delete large files you no longer need (videos, movies, virtual machines, duplicate copies of projects), move photos and videos to an external hard drive and don't forget to empty the Recycle Bin, which counts as occupied space.
If you don't feel like searching manually, there are tools like Combo Cleaner These tools help find junk files, duplicates, and remnants of uninstalled applications. They can save a lot of time, although it's always a good idea to review what you're about to delete before confirming.
The more organized and uncluttered your disk is, There will be less chance that Finder will be left thinking forever. when opening folders with many items or when generating previews of photos and documents.
Review and remove third-party apps that cause conflicts
Third-party plugins and utilities are very useful, but sometimes they introduce incompatibilities that end up affecting FinderThis happens especially with apps that are deeply integrated with the system.
If the problems with Finder appeared right after installing something new, it's a good idea to... suspect the latest software addedTo investigate, open Finder, go into the "Applications" folder, and change the view to "List" to better see all the programs.
Sort the apps by date or simply review which ones you've recently installed. If you see any utilities that might be related (system extensions, aggressive cleaning tools, Finder plug-ins), Uninstall it or move it to the Recycle Bin following the developer's instructions.
After removing the suspicious applications, restart your Mac and try working with Finder for a while to see if the crashes have disappeared. If everything is working smoothly again, You've already located the culprit.In that case, you can look for a more compatible alternative.
Close apps using Activity Monitor
Although we've already seen how to use Activity Monitor to control Finder, it's also a very useful way to Close any problematic applications.Whether it responds or not. It's ideal when the classic "Force Exit" method falls short.
Open Activity Monitor, locate the problematic app in the list (you can use the search bar to type its name), and double-click on it. A window will open with detailed information about the process, including CPU usage, memory usage, and other technical data.
In that window you'll see an "Exit" button in the bottom corner. Clicking it will cause the system to attempt close the app in an orderly mannerIf it doesn't react, the dialog box itself will offer you the "Force Quit" option, which is the "brute" way to end the process.
This approach is especially useful if you want close specific processes instead of the entire applicationOr if you see that several related processes are consuming resources. This also helps you better understand what's happening on your Mac when something slows down.
Automate closing applications in macOS
If you're coming from Windows, you might find it inconvenient that when you close the last window of an app, the application remains open in the backgroundFortunately, you have some third-party tools to make macOS behave more like Microsoft's system.
A lightweight option is to use a utility called Swift QuitIt works very simply: every time you close the last window of an application, the app closes completely, just like you would in Windows by pressing the X.
The great thing about Swift Quit is that it lets you create Specific exceptions for specific appsOr, conversely, you can activate it only in some applications. This way, you have very granular control over which programs close completely and which ones you prefer to keep running in the background.
Another interesting alternative is leaveQuitter is a small, free utility that further automates the process. With Quitter, you can specify which applications you want to close (or hide) after a certain period of inactivity.
The goal of these types of apps is to prevent you from accumulating a lot of open programs without realizing it, reducing resource consumption and keeping Finder and the rest of the system lighterThey're not essential, but they can fit really well into your workflow if you like automation.
When all else fails: restoring your Mac to factory settings
In the most extreme scenario, it's possible that even after restarting Finder, clearing preferences, freeing up disk space, and checking for third-party apps, the browser may continue to crash repeatedly. If you reach this point, you may there may be a deep problem with the system's internal files.
The most drastic but also the cleanest solution is reset the Mac to factory settings and reinstall macOS from scratch. Before doing anything, though, it's essential that you back up all your important data (Time Machine, external drive, the cloud, whatever you prefer).
With the copy made, restart your Mac from the Apple menu and, when it turns back on, hold down the keys Command (⌘) + R until you see the Apple logo. You will enter recovery mode, from where you can open “Disk Utility”.
Select your startup disk (usually “Macintosh HD”), click “Erase”, and choose the appropriate format: APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled)Depending on your macOS version and drive type. Once the disk is erased, close Disk Utility and choose "Reinstall macOS" from the same menu.
Follow the steps in the installation wizard until the initial system configurator appears. You can stop there by pressing Command (⌘) + Q If you want to shut down your Mac and continue later, or complete the entire process and restore your backup when you're finished.
Although it's a radical measure, after reinstalling macOS Finder usually works like new again.You should only reach this point if the other solutions have failed to stabilize the system.
With all these resources at your disposal—from basic keyboard shortcuts to using Activity Monitor, Terminal, cleaning up preferences, managing disk space, and ultimately, reinstalling the system—you have a very comprehensive range of ways to Close Finder on Mac, quit the applications, and force close them. When they get rebellious. Mastering these techniques will allow you to continue working calmly even if an app decides to crash at the worst possible moment.
