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3 min fix 2 min read Recently reviewedBeginner

By , IT support technician

Quick Answer

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, click the frozen app in the list under the Processes tab, and click the End Task button in the bottom right corner.

How to Force Quit an App on Windows (Task Manager) ​

Estimated Time to Fix: 3 minutes

Applies to: Windows 11, Windows 10
Article Type: How-To
Last Updated: 2026-07-20

Summary ​

This article guides you through forcing a frozen or unresponsive application to close using the Windows Task Manager.

Prerequisites ​

  • None required.

Instructions ​

1. Open the Task Manager ​

  1. Press the following keyboard shortcut simultaneously: Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
  2. (Alternatively, right-click an empty space on the taskbar at the bottom of your screen and select Task Manager).
  3. If you see a small, simple window, click More details at the bottom left to see the full list of running apps.

2. Force Close the App ​

  1. Click the Processes tab at the top of the Task Manager.
  2. Locate the frozen app in the list (it may say "Not responding" next to it).
  3. Click on the app to highlight it.
  4. Click the End task button in the bottom right corner (or top right in Windows 11).

3. Verify Success ​

  1. The application window should disappear immediately. You can now try reopening the app to see if it works normally.

Troubleshooting ​

WARNING

If your entire computer is completely frozen and you cannot open the Task Manager or move your mouse, you will need to perform a hard reset by holding the physical power button on your computer for 10 seconds.

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
Task Manager won't open with Ctrl + Shift + EscKeyboard unresponsivePress Ctrl + Alt + Delete and click Task Manager from the blue screen menu.
App reopens frozen againCorrupted app dataRestart your computer. If it persists, the app may need to be reinstalled.