Force restart your Mac when it's frozen

Why it happens

Sometimes an app or macOS itself stops responding so completely that the pointer, the keyboard and the Apple menu all stop working. Holding the power button switches the Mac off the hard way, so it can make a fresh start. It's safe for the Mac, but anything you hadn't saved in open apps is lost.

How to fix it

1. Give it a minute first. A Mac that's busy can look frozen and then recover on its own.

2. If only one app is stuck, press Option-Command-Esc, pick the app and click Force Quit. That may save you a full restart.

3. Still frozen? Press and hold the power button for about 10 seconds, until the screen goes black. On a MacBook it's the Touch ID button at the top right of the keyboard. On a desktop Mac, it's usually on the back or underneath.

4. Let go, wait a few seconds, then press the power button once to turn the Mac back on.

5. When you log in, some apps may offer to reopen your windows. Open your documents and check for anything you need to redo.

Still not fixed?

1. If the Mac freezes again, install the latest macOS update from Software Update in General settings.

   General›Software Update

2. Unplug everything you don't need, like hubs, drives and displays, and see if the freezes stop. A faulty accessory can lock up a Mac.

3. Start in Safe Mode and use the Mac there for a while. If it doesn't freeze in Safe Mode, an app or add-on that starts with your Mac is the likely cause.

4. If the Mac won't turn on at all after a force restart, plug in the power adapter, wait a few minutes and try again.

5. If your Mac freezes often, or won't start after you force it off, contact Apple Support or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Repeated freezes with nothing plugged in can mean a hardware problem.