[4 Ways]How to force close unresponsive program on Windows 11?

Although programs usually work smoothly on Windows 11, they might freeze for some circumstances.Things don’t go worse that Windows offers a few different ways to force close the unresponsive programs so you can keep getting work done.This article will show you the detailed methods to force close unresponsive program on Windows 11.

A faulty Windows update or a poor internet connection could cause the running programs to freeze.Now you can follow the below steps to get it solved.

Method 1: Force Close Unresponsive Apps on Windows 11 Using a Keyboard Shortcut

You can force close an application, including using a keyboard shortcut, Task Manager, or a PowerShell terminal.

To force close an application using a keyboard shortcut on Windows 11:

Step 1: Click on the title bar of an unresponsive application;

Step 2: Press the Alt + F4 keyboard simultaneously to force close the application.

NOTE: Generally speaking,the app should be ended without receiving any other notifications. What’s more, depending on your keyboard, you can use the Alt+Fn+F4 shortcut.

Method 2: Force Close Unresponsive Apps on Windows 11 via Task Manager

If the keyboard shortcut method shown above doesn’t work, or if you want to use another method, Task Manager is another simple choice for you.

To force close an unresponsive application on Windows 11 using Task Manager:

Step 1: Right-click the Start button and select Task Manager from the menu;

Step 2: Select the Processes option, right-click the application or process that is causing the problem, and click End Task from the menu;

Step 3: Or you can also click on the unresponsive application and select the End task option from the top of the Task Manager;

The stuck and frozen processes or applications should be ended and the application will close on the desktop. After that, you can start the app again and see if it works.

Method 3: Force Close Unresponsive Apps on Windows 11 via Windows Settings

Another way to force close apps on Windows 11 is by using the Settings app.

To turn off frozen apps on Windows 11 through Settings:

Step 1: Click the Start button or press the Windows key and launch Settings;

Step 2: Click on Apps in the left panel and select the Installed Apps option on the right;

Step 3: Enter the name of the application in search field. Click the three-dot button next to it and select Advanced options;

Step 4：Scroll down near the bottom and click Terminate. When you click the Terminate button, you won’t see a notification; the app will simply be closed.

Method 4: Force Close Unresponsive Apps on Windows 11 via PowerShell

In addition to the above options, you can also force close the application through the PowerShell terminal. If you prefer to use the command line, this is a good choice.The same steps also work for newer Windows terminals.

To force close an unresponsive application via PowerShell:

Step 1: Open the Start menu; Search for PowerShell and select the Run as administrator option on the right.

Step 2:Run the command line: Get-Process

Step 3: A long list of applications and processes will appear on the PowerShell screen. Run the following command and press Enter.

Stop-Process -Name ProcessName

Note:The process name in the above command is the name of the application as it was displayed on the previous screen. So, for example, here I want to end VLC, so the command would read:

Stop-Process -Name vlc

Troubleshooting Windows 11 apps

Getting the most out of your apps on Windows 11 is critical, but sometimes they come into play. If an app freezes or becomes unresponsive, using one of the solutions above will get you back to normal. After force-closing unresponsive apps on Windows 11, you can restart them and hope they work. If not, you will need to do further troubleshooting.

If the Archive Apps feature is enabled, Windows uninstalls rarely used Microsoft Store apps. It helps save bandwidth and system resources. Also, if you want to have specific apps ready, learn how to start apps during Windows 11 startup.