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It's not uncommon for an application to stop responding on Windows ten. When it happens, you can strength the app to shut downwardly, effectively unfreezing said application. Here'due south how to forcefulness quit an app on Windows x.

Try a Keyboard Shortcut

It's frustrating when an app you're using suddenly freezes. We've all done it—exasperatingly clicking the "10" push at least 20 times to shut the frozen plan. There's a improve way.

With the frozen application in focus, press Alt+F4 on your keyboard to shut it. If the Windows desktop is in focus instead, you'll see a "Close Downwardly Windows" prompt instead.

This won't always piece of work—some frozen applications just won't respond.

Alt F4 keyboard shorcut window

Force Quit Using Task Manager

Every bit the proper name implies, Task Manager is a tool that shows which apps are currently running (likewise every bit other information similar resource usage and process stats) and allows you to manage them appropriately.

To open up Chore Manager, you can printing Ctrl+Shift+Esc on your keyboard or right-click the Windows task bar and select "Task Manager" from the carte.

Task Manager option from the task bar menu

With Task Manager open, select the task you want to force quit, and then select "End Task."

If y'all don't run across the name of the app in the list here, click "More Details" and notice it in the list on the Processes tab.

End task from task manager

The frozen programme will now shut.

RELATED: Windows Chore Managing director: The Consummate Guide

Force Quit an App Using Command Prompt

You can find and strength quit tasks from the Command Prompt. Open up Command Prompt by typing "cmd" in the Windows search bar, then selecting the "Command Prompt" app from the search results.

Command Prompt app in windows search bar

In Command Prompt, typetasklist and printing "Enter." Once executed, Command Prompt will brandish a listing of currently running programs, services, and tasks.

tasklist command in command prompt

The list can admittedly be a fleck overwhelming, and then merely remember to append .exe to the end of the programme name. In one case y'all're ready to force quit the program, execute this control:

taskkill /im <plan>.exe

So, if I wanted to strength quit Notepad, I'd run this command:

taskkill /im notepad.exe

taskkill command

A success message will be returned, letting you know you lot've successfully forcefulness quit the problematic application.

Of course, yous can always reboot or shut downwardly your PC to close an app that's really stuck.

RELATED: 10 Means to Open the Command Prompt in Windows x

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