How to Close Applications on Mac
As a Mac user, you may have noticed that applications on your computer can be quite demanding, especially in terms of system resources. Closing such applications when you are done with them can help reduce the load on your Mac’s resources, leading to better performance and efficiency. Here is a guide on how to close applications on Mac:
1. Quitting an application from the Dock
The easiest way to close a running application on your Mac is from the Dock. To do this, simply locate the app icon in the Dock, right-click on it, and select ‘Quit.’ If you are using a trackpad, instead of right-clicking, you can use two fingers and tap the trackpad to open a contextual menu. From here, select ‘Quit.’ Alternatively, if you have the application window open, you can click on the application name in the top-left corner of the window and select ‘Quit’ from the drop-down menu.
2. Force Quit from the Apple Menu
In case an application hangs or becomes unresponsive, and you can’t quit it using the normal method described above, you can force quit it. To force quit an application, click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen and select ‘Force Quit.’ This will bring up a window displaying all the applications currently running on your Mac. Select the application you wish to quit, and click on the ‘Force Quit’ button.
3. Using the Activity Monitor
If an application continues to misbehave or becomes unresponsive, you can use the Activity Monitor to force it to close. To do this, go to Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor. From here, you’ll see a list of all the applications and processes currently running on your Mac. Find the application you want to close, select it, and click on the ‘X’ button in the top left corner to force it to quit.
4. Keyboard shortcuts
Lastly, you can close an application using keyboard shortcuts. To do this, press Command + Q on your keyboard when the application is actively running. This will instantly quit the application. If the application becomes unresponsive, you can press Command + Option + Esc to bring up the Force Quit Applications window. From here, select the application you want to quit and click on the ‘Force Quit’ button.
In conclusion, quitting applications may seem like a minor task, but it can be quite useful in improving your Mac’s performance. By using the methods described above, you can easily and quickly quit applications on your Mac.