How to Force Quit Apps on Windows 11

How to Force Quit Apps on Windows 11
How to Force Quit Apps on Windows 11
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Windows 11, known for its many helpful features, can sometimes slow down or freeze like older versions. Regardless of your device’s feature, these issues are common, but the good news is that they are usually easy to fix. If an application is causing problems, it might need to be forcefully closed. Knowing how to do this is important for dealing with unresponsive programs. This guide will explain different ways to force close applications on Windows 11.

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Contents

How to Force Quit Apps on Windows 11

Microsoft’s Windows 11 offers several avenues to force quit an app, from the Task Manager to the Command Prompt and the Settings app. Let’s delve into the intricacies of each method.

1. Force Close an App Directly from the Taskbar

When a program becomes unresponsive, the quickest way to close it is directly from the Taskbar.

  • Hover the mouse over the unresponsive app’s icon on the taskbar.
  • Click the X button that appears in the corner to close the app.
  • Alternatively, right-click the unresponsive app icon and select “Close Window.”
How to Force Quit Apps on Windows 11: Select close window
Select close window

2. Press the ALT+F4 Key

For a swift exit, use the ALT+F4 key combination.

  • Press ALT+F4 when a program freezes to immediately close the foreground application.

3. Force Quit an App from the Task Manager

The Task Manager provides insights into running processes and enables the termination of unresponsive apps.

  • Type “Task Manager” in the Windows 11 Search and open the app.
How to Force Quit Apps on Windows 11: Open task manager
Open task manager
  • In the Processes tab, select the app to quit and click “End Task” at the top.
How to Force Quit Apps on Windows 11: Select end task
Select end task

4. Force Quit Application Using Command Prompt

Harness the power of the command line utility to force quit an app.

  • Type “Command Prompt” in the Windows 11 Search, right-click, and select “Run as administrator.”
Open command prompt
Open command prompt
  • Execute the following command to see the list of running apps:
tasklist
Run tasklist command
Run tasklist command
  • Identify the app to close and note the name under.
  • Execute the following command to force close the app:
taskkill /im [app name] /f" 
Run taskkill command
Run taskkill command

Conclusion

These simple yet effective methods empower you to force quit applications on Windows 11 efficiently. Whether you use the Taskbar or the Command Prompt, learning these techniques helps you handle unresponsive apps better.