macOS · Open Force Quit
Apps
Windows · Linux
Not on this systemMac
Cmd+Option+EscOpens the list where you pick an unresponsive app and force it to quit; holding Cmd+Option+Shift+Esc for a few seconds kills the front app without the list.
- Group
- Apps
- Keys held
- 3
Cmd sits where Windows puts Ctrl. Text movement is the exception: end of line is Ctrl+A/E or Cmd+←/→, not a Cmd version of the Windows key.
Reading the key names
- Keys joined by + are pressed together: Ctrl+Shift+P means hold Ctrl and Shift, then P.
- On a Mac, Cmd is ⌘, Option is ⌥ (labelled Alt on some keyboards), Control is ⌃ and Shift is ⇧.
- Windows Ctrl usually becomes Cmd on a Mac, but not always — this reference lists both combinations separately.
- With a Korean, Japanese or Chinese input method active, shortcuts built on letter keys may not fire. Switch to Latin input and try again.
- When a combination does nothing, another program has often claimed it as a global shortcut first.
Common questions
Q. What is the shortcut for Open Force Quit in macOS?
Opens the list where you pick an unresponsive app and force it to quit; holding Cmd+Option+Shift+Esc for a few seconds kills the front app without the list. It is — on Windows and Cmd+Option+Esc on a Mac.
Q. Is it the same on Windows and Mac?
No — — on Windows, Cmd+Option+Esc on a Mac.
Q. How many keys is that?
3 pressed together. The combination sits under Apps in macOS.