Home > Questions

What is the equivalent of hitting control-alt-delete on a Mac?

I used to press Control-Alt-Delete to quit frozen apps on my Windows computer. But the combination doesn't work on a Mac. I wonder what's the equivalent of hitting control-alt-delete on a Mac?

Best Answered by

iBoysoft author Jenny Zeng

Jenny Zeng

Answered on Friday, April 12, 2024

 

The equivalent of Control-Alt-Delete on a Mac for force quitting frozen apps is Option-Command-Esc.

When you press the Control-Alt-Delete keys on a Windows PC, you'll be given the options to lock your screen, switch users, sign out of your account, change a password, and access Task Manager. Among these, terminating unresponsive apps in Task Manager is the most popular usage of the Control-Alt-Delete keys.

However, the same combination does nothing on a Mac. To force quit an unresponsive app on Mac, you can use the Option-Command-Esc keys to activate the "Force Quit Applications" window, then choose the frozen app and click "Force Quit."

Also read:

What is Ctrl+Alt+Delete on Mac: How to Force Quit Programs?

How to Force Quit on Mac to Close Unresponsive Applications?

Force Quit Not Working on Mac, How to Force Quit Frozen Apps

People Also Ask

How Do I Create a .txt File on iPad?

This post tells you how to create a .txt file on iPad.

iBoysoft author Vain RoweVain Rowe

File Sharing not working between my iMac and MacBook Pro

Read this thread to fix the issue that File Sharing not working between iMac and MacBook Pro.

iBoysoft author Amanda WongAmanda Wong

File system formatter failed: Can't partition microSD card

Getting the error 'File system formatter failed' when trying to partition a microSD card on Mac? This thread discusses the solution.

iBoysoft author Jenny ZengJenny Zeng

Fix Unreadable External Hard Dive on Mac after Upgrading

Solutions to fix the disk you attached was not readable by this computer on macOS after upgrading.

iBoysoft author Sherry SongSherry Song

Can Only Delete Files Immediately But Not Store in Trash

Tell you why you can only delete files immediately but not store them in Trash and how to fix this issue.

iBoysoft author Connie YangConnie Yang

How can I recover the accidentally deleted APFS Container?

Unintentionally deleted the APFS container on your Mac? This answer explains how to recover data from the deleted APFS container and boot your Mac again.

iBoysoft author Jenny ZengJenny Zeng

Read More Questions

Read More Advice From iBoysoft's Computer Experts

notas no se están sincronizando entre tu iPhone y Mac

Notas que no se sincronizan entre el iPhone y Mac, ¿por qué y cómo solucionarlo?

Una guía para solucionar el problema de la aplicación de notas que no se sincroniza entre el iPhone y Mac. También explica las razones por las que tus notas no se están sincronizando entre dispositivos.

Mac flickering black after update

Mac Screen Flickering Black After Updating, Reasons & Fixes

Fix Mac, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air screen flickering black after updating. Explain the reasons why the Mac screen flickers black after updating.

News Tips

mac thunderbolt not working

Mac Thunderbolt Not Working: Can't Use Thunderbolt Accessory

If you connect a Thunderbolt device to Mac with the Thunderbolt port but it doesn’t work such as the Thunderbolt display not working, you can read this post to learn the fixes for it.

How to Tips