How to Force Shut Down or Restart Frozen Mac

Are you having trouble turning off your frozen Mac desktop or MacBook? If your Mac is unresponsive, you’re seeing the spinning beachball cursor, and/or you can’t use the keyboard and mouse, there are a few easy ways to force shut down your Mac. This guide will show you how to force your Mac to shut down, even if it won’t respond to your input. Plus, we’ve included some troubleshooting tips in case your Mac still isn’t working when you restart it.

Method 1: Use the Power Button or Key

1. Close Open Programs First, If Possible
   • If your Mac is not completely frozen, try closing any open apps before you force your computer to shut down. Having open programs when you force shut down may result in losing unsaved work or corrupting the open programs.
   • If you haven’t already tried to shut down your Mac normally, click the Apple menu and select Shut Down.
   • If a program is hung, you can try force quitting it.
   • If you have any external devices connected, such as a flash drive or external SSD, eject them first.
2. Find Your Mac’s Power Button
   • If you can’t shut down your Mac normally, you can turn it off using the power button or key.
     • MacBook without Touch Bar: The Power key is in the top-right corner of the keyboard.
     • MacBook with Touch Bar: The Power button is the Touch ID section on the far-right side of the Touch Bar.
     • iMac: The Power button is behind the lower-left side of the iMac’s screen.
     • Mac Pro: The Power button is on the top of the computer.
3. Press and Hold the Power Button for at Least 10 Seconds
   • Continue holding down the power button or key until the screen goes black. Your Mac will turn off once the screen is dark.
   • If you see a prompt asking you to confirm that you want to turn off your Mac, you didn’t hold down the key for long enough.
4. Wait a Minute Before Turning Back On Your Mac
   • This will allow your Mac to fully power down before you attempt to turn it back on.
   • A completely powered-off Mac will have a black screen. On some Mac computers and MacBooks, you won’t be able to see the power light, nor will you hear any noise from the drives or the fan.

Method 2: Using a Keyboard Shortcut

1. Press and Hold Ctrl + Option + Command + Power
   • Pressing these keys simultaneously will attempt to safely close all open applications on your Mac before shutting it down.
   • If this combination doesn’t shut down your Mac, proceed to the next step.
2. Press and Hold Ctrl + Command + Power
   • This shortcut is similar to the previous one but without the Option key, and you’ll hold the keys down for a few extra seconds.
   • Press and hold these keys for about 4-5 seconds before releasing them. This will turn off your Mac without safely closing apps and programs first.

Method 3: Troubleshooting Post-Restart Issues

1. Start Your Mac in Safe Mode
   • If your MacBook or desktop freezes again after a forced shutdown, restart it and press Shift as soon as it begins to turn back on. Release the Shift key when you see the Apple logo. Your computer will start in Safe Mode and attempt to repair issues with your disk.
   • Many applications will not work in Safe Mode. Use it for the next couple of steps, then restart your Mac to return to normal.
2. Disable Open on Startup
   • Safe Mode prevents programs from opening automatically on startup. To prevent a program from opening after a normal startup, follow these steps:
     • Open the Apple menu and click Users & Groups.
     • Select your user account in the left pane and click the Login Items tab.
     • Select the program causing the issue and click the – button below the list of programs.
3. Uninstall a Problematic Program
   • If you have a specific program that is causing your Mac to freeze, uninstalling it (and reinstalling it, if desired) can solve the problem:
     • Open Finder and click the Applications folder (or click the Go menu and select Applications from the drop-down).
     • Find the program that keeps freezing and drag it to the Trash.
4. Repair Your Disk
   • If your computer still has issues that don’t seem tied to a specific program, follow these steps to repair your disk:
     • Restart your computer and hold down Command + R as it starts up.
     • Click Disk Utility on the startup screen and click Continue.
     • Select your startup disk and click Repair Disk. Wait for the process to complete, then restart your computer.
5. Reset Your SMC
   • The SMC (System Management Controller) handles many of the physical components on your Mac. An issue with the SMC can prevent your power button from working properly or cause general slowdowns. If none of the above steps solved your problem, reset the SMC:
     • Laptop with Non-Removable Battery: Shut down your computer and plug it into a power source. Hold down Shift + Control + Option while pressing the “Power” button, then release all keys and press the “Power” button again.
     • Laptop with Removable Battery: Shut down your computer, unplug the power adapter, and remove the battery. Hold down the “Power” button for five seconds, release it, reinsert the battery, and plug in your computer. Press the “Power” button.
     • Desktop: Shut down the iMac and unplug the power cord. Wait fifteen seconds, then plug it back in. Wait five seconds, then press the “Power” button.

By following these steps, you should be able to force shut down or restart your frozen Mac and troubleshoot any post-restart issues.