Key Takeaways

  • Force-restarting your Mac is a quick solution for frozen screens or unresponsive Macs.
  • To force-restart, use quick keyboard shortcuts to work around the frozen screen.
  • Force quitting an app can be an alternative to force-restarting the Mac.

One of the first things to try when troubleshooting a computer is to simply restart it -- but how do you restart a Mac if it's frozen, and you can't click the Apple icon? If your MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro or desktop Mac is acting up, and you don't know what to do next, consider force-restarting. Often used as a last resort, a force restart may be your quickest (and only) option for getting your Mac up and running again.

If your screen is stuck on the Apple Logo at startup, your cursor is stuck on that dreaded spinning wheel of death, or your Mac is otherwise frozen, a force restart can often fix the issue. We'll walk you through how to perform a force restart your Mac to get you back up and running.

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How to quickly force-restart a Mac

Before taking this drastic route, try restarting your Mac the classic way: Click the Apple symbol in the upper left corner of the screen and select Restart. When you select Restart from the Apple menu, your computer will close out each app individually, asking if you want to save any unsaved work. If your computer is frozen, however, this may not be an option.

You can also force a shutdown of your Mac by pressing and holding the power button until your Mac shuts down. After the computer powers off, you can then use the same button to get it back up and running again.

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If neither of those methods are working for you, or maybe your screen and cursor are stuck, and you can't select anything, then try the force restart option below.

  1. Press and hold down the Command and Control keys with the power button simultaneously.
    • On a MacBook, the power button is also a Touch ID‌ / eject button, depending on the model.
    • On any MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, the ‌Touch ID‌ button is on the right side of the Touch Bar.
    • On an iMac or Mac Mini, the power button is often on the back of the device.
  2. Your Mac's screen should go dark, then your Mac should restart.
  3. Log in to your computer and continue to use it as normal. Easy, right?

Apple MacBook Pro M3 - 14What happens when you force a restart?

A force restart is a fast solution that should return your computer to a normal state. Before you force restart your MacBook, rest assured this process won't wipe your computer's saved data. You may lose progress on open projects that you haven't saved yet, but a forced restart won't return your computer to its factory settings. It simply reboots your device. Restarting also clears your cache and RAM and, in some cases, your Mac will install updates at the restart.

The screen will go black, and when the machine boots back up, you will have to log back into your account.

iMac 2023 - Rear New - 3

How to force quit an app on a Mac

If an app you were using is frozen, and your Mac is working well otherwise, then try force-quitting the app rather than force-quitting your laptop. You can hold down the Option (⌥) key, then right-click the offending app's icon in the Dock and select Force Quit. Or you can press Option + Command + Escape to view a list of running apps. Select the problematic app, click Force Quit. Alternatively, you can also access the Force Quit pane from the Apple menu in the corner of your screen.

Apple MacBook Pro M3 - 13How do I force restart a Mac without the power button?

Every Mac has a power button -- but on some models, the key isn't labeled or is hidden in the back, creating confusion. On older models of MacBooks, the power button is the same as the eject key. On models with Touch ID, that fingerprint sensor doubles as a power button. On models with the Touch Bar, the power button is on the right side of the bar where the Touch ID button is.

In most cases, the power button is in the upper right corner of the keyboard for MacBooks. iMacs have a power button on the back of the display. The Mac Mini's button is housed on the back near the power cord.

If the button on your device is physically damaged and your frozen Mac prevents access to the reset inside the Apple menu, try to force quit the Finder app. The Finder is the Mac's file manager and, while it's necessary to run your Mac, it can be rebooted to correct glitches. To force restart the Finder, push Option + Command + Escape simultaneously, then select Finder from the Task Manager and click Force Quit.

Apple MacBook Pro M3 - 22

Why is my Mac frozen?

A number of different issues can cause a Mac to freeze. Sometimes, these issues can be corrected with a restart. If, after you restart your Mac, it continues to freeze, there's likely an unresolved issue still at play. Some of the biggest culprits of constant freezes include:

A nearly full hard drive.

Try clearing unneeded files or programs or moving older files to an external hard drive.

Not enough RAM

When the RAM, or working memory of your computer, becomes too full, it can slow your computer down and even cause freezes. To fix this, use this guide to see what's using up all your RAM.

An update to macOS might be needed

MacOS updates are not just about new features. When Apple finds issues, it releases fixes in the form of operating system updates. If you're facing frequent freezes, check to see if there's an update available.

Glitches in software can also cause freezes.

If your Mac often freezes while you are using the same app, check for an update to that app, find an alternative, or email the developer to help troubleshoot.

You haven't powered off your Mac in a while

When my own MacBook Pro starts to get seriously sluggish, the first thing I ask myself is when was the last time I powered it off completely? While sleep mode is fine for many cases, especially when you want to jump right back to where you left off, powering off your device can be beneficial. When you turn your Mac off or restart it, it clears the cache and RAM and in some cases runs diagnostics and checks for updates. If you haven't powered off in a while, give it a try -- you'd be surprised how many times this step fixes issues.

Do you still need help with your Mac?

If your MacBook repeatedly freezes, and you're unsure what's happening, perhaps restart your Mac in Apple Diagnostics mode to check if it's a hardware problem.