Force Quit an Application In Windows 10

Windows uses a lot of executable files and applications to complete different tasks. Even the applications and executables are design to work smoothly things are different in practice. One of the most popular problems is unresponsive applications that do not feedback or work properly and freeze. Even waiting for a response from the applications may solve problems it may not work in general. The best way is forcing quit the application using different methods. In this tutorial, we learn how to force quit applications or executables in Windows like Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Server versions.

Force Quit with ALT+F4 Keyboard Shortcut

One of the most popular way to force to quit an application is using the ALT+F4 keyboard shortcut. First the application which will be closed forcibly selected and the ALT and F4 keys are pressed at the same time.

ALT+F4

Force Quit with Task Manager

The Task Manager is the ultimate tool to manage tasks via graphical user interface. Task Manage can be used to close applications forcibly. The Task Manager can be opened in different ways like typing task manager to the Start Menu.

Open Task Manager

Alternatively task manager can be opened with the CTRL+ALT+DEL keyboard shortcut by pressing Control , Alt and Del keys at the same time.

In the Processes tab righ click to the application or process you want to quit and select the End task like below.

End or Quit Process and Application

If we need to quit specific process and all process tree where other processes forked via this process the End process tree can be used. First navigate to the Details tab and select the process you want to end. There click End task which only quit the selected process but if the End process tree clicked the selected process and all child processes are quit forcibly.

Quit Process or Application and Related Childs

Force Quit with taskkill Command

The taskkill command is used via MS-DOS (Command Prompt) in order to kill applications and processes. The process or application executable name can be provided as parameter. In order to kill an application the name of the executable should be provided. The currently running applications and processes can be listed with the tasklist command.

tasklist
Force Quit with taskkill Command

The /im option is provided with the process executable name to the taskkill command.

taskkill  /im msedge.exe
Force Quit with taskkill Command

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