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1086
The iMac I am using seems to have stopped working - what can I do?


If a program has stopped working, you can "force quit" the application that is causing the problem.

Go to the Apple menu on the top menu bar, and scroll down to Force Quit.

A new window will open. Select the application that is causing the problem. (often it will display itself in red - this means that the application is no longer responding),  and click the Force Quit button.

You can also use a keyboard shortcut to activate the Force Quit window. Use the following keyboard combination-

[Apple (command key)] -  [alt (or option)] - [esc]

It is hardly ever necessary to do a force shutdown of the entire Mac but if you are unable to log off normally, you can hold down the power button the Mac (on the iMac, it is on the back at the bottom left corner). Hold it down for about 5 seconds, until the screen goes black. If you still have work to do, just wait a few seconds before pressing the power button again to start up.

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Created by Chris Limb on 1 April 2004 and last updated by Mark Wilson on 5 August 2016