Our smartphones, tablets, and computers do a lot for us. 

They help us access puppy videos, stay in touch with our loved ones and keep people of all ages entertained.

If you’re a regular user of Apple products, you’ve probably encountered the spinning rainbow wheel or a frozen app. It’s usually not a good sign when this happens, as it signals that something isn’t working as it should.

There is often a relatively easy fix when this happens, so you can easily get back to what you were doing.

Watch this video to see how easy it is to force quit any unresponsive app. 

How to force quit an app on iPhone, iPad

Apple has a very simple solution for dealing with an unresponsive app on your iPhone and iPad. 

Here's what to do when an app stops responding:

  1. Swipe up from the bottom of the device.
    1. If your device has a home button, double press that instead.
  2. This will bring up a carousel of all the open windows on your device. 
  3. Swipe the app you want to close. It will disappear from the carousel. 
  4. Reopen the app.

If the troublesome app means you can't do anything on your phone, turn it off and then turn it back on. 

Force quit on Mac

When the spinning rainbow wheel appears on your computer, take solace in the fact there’s an easy way to force quit on your computer, too.  

First, click out of the unresponsive app. You can do this by switching to another app or clicking on your desktop.  

This changes your cursor from the rainbow wheel to the standard arrow.

There are three different ways you can force quit on your Mac: 

  1. Click and hold on the app in the dock and click Force Quit. 
  2. Click on the Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen and select Force Quit.
  3. Press the Option + Command + Esc keys at the same time to bring up the Force Quit menu.

If none of these options remedy the problem or if the force quit menu won't open, restart your computer.

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Purchases you make through our links may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.  

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  • Our favorite screen protector: Ailun Glass Screen Protector 
  • The best portable battery pack: Mophie Powerstation Plus 
  • Durable phone car holders: Beam Electronics Phone Holder 
  • An iPhone tripod we love: Aureday Phone Tripod 
  • The best USB-C cable: Anker 6 Foot USB-C Cable, Pack of 2 

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