How to Force a Program to Close (Windows)

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

This wikiHow teaches you how to force an unresponsive program to close in Windows. You'll use Task Manager to do this.

Steps

PDF download Download Article
  1. Open the Task Manager . Right-click an empty taskbar space and choose Task Manager or Start Task Manager .
    • You can also press Control + ⇧ Shift + Esc simultaneously..
  2. It's located near the upper-left corner of the Task Manager window.
    Advertisement
  3. Click the unresponsive application name. In Windows 10 and 8, this will be under the "Apps" header.
  4. It's in the bottom-right corner of the Task Manager window. This will terminate the unresponsive application within a few seconds.
    • If the task will not end, right-click on the app name. Choose Go to Details (or Go to Process for older Windows versions). Then, end the task for the process.
    5. Advertisement


Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    What should I do if the Task Manager program is freezing?
    Community Answer
    Try to restart your computer manually. If that doesn't work, you'll have to force a power-off.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 4 Helpful 11
  • Question
    What do I do if it says "Access is denied"?
    Community Answer
    Then you need administrator permissions on that account in order for the file to allow you to edit/delete it.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 12 Helpful 10
  • Question
    What is an unresponsive app?
    Zuubytron
    Community Answer
    It's an app that is frozen and needs to be closed. Just restart and see if it freezes again.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 2
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Quit an Unresponsive App on a Mac: Step-by-Step Guide
      How to
      Take a Screenshot on a Windows PC: 8 Simple Tricks
      How to
      Check Your Windows Version
      How to
      Find Your Windows Product Key
      Easily Download and Install FFmpeg on a Windows PC
      5 Quick Ways to Change Your Desktop Wallpaper on Windows
      How to
      Check Your Mouse DPI on Windows & Mac
      How to
      Start Windows in Safe Mode: 6 Easy Options
      4 Easy Ways to Access the Boot Options Menu in Windows
      How to
      Disable BitLocker Encryption in Windows 10 and 11
      How to
      Access the BIOS on Any PC: Guide + Troubleshooting
      3 Easy Ways to Move a Full Screen Game to Another Monitor
      How to
      Automatically Shut Down Your Computer at a Specified Time
      2 Ways to Alter the Size of Your Windows Desktop Taskbar
      Advertisement

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Right-click an empty taskbar space.
      2. Go to Task Manager or Start Task Manager .
      3. Click the Processes or Applications tab.
      4. Select the unresponsive app from the list.
      5. Click End task .

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 592,427 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement