TL;DR
To shut down your Mac:
- Use Option + Command + Esc to force quit unresponsive apps.
- Press Control + Option + Command + Power to shut down your Mac quickly.
- Disconnect external devices to resolve potential shutdown issues.
- Update or uninstall problematic apps to fix shutdown problems.
Tried and Tested ✅: The methods and steps mentioned in this article have been tried and tested firsthand by Ojash Yadav on his MacBook Pro M3 and rechecked for errors on Hashir’s MacBook Air M2.
Your Mac won’t shut down, and it’s becoming quite frustrating. Don’t worry, let’s fix this together with a few straightforward solutions.
What to Do If Your Mac Won’t Shut Down
Why You Can Trust MacBook Journal 
We always conduct first-hand research and verify every method or solution we present, ensuring you receive reliable and effective advice. Learn more about our process.
I’ve outlined various methods to help fix the Mac shutdown problem:
1. Force Quit All Apps
Force-quitting apps can help shut down your Mac when unresponsive or problematic applications prevent a smooth shutdown. Here’s how to force-quit apps on Mac:
- Press the following keyboard shortcut: Option ⌥ + Command ⌘ + Esc.
- The Force Quit Applications window will appear, displaying a list of currently running applications.
- Find the app you want to force quit from the list. Select the application by clicking it once. Click the Force Quit button in the bottom-right corner of the window.
- A confirmation dialog will appear, asking if you want to force quit the selected application. Click Force Quit to proceed.
- The application will be forcefully terminated, closing all its associated processes.
- If you want to force quit multiple applications simultaneously, hold down the Command ⌘ key while clicking the desired applications and tap the Force Quit button.
Please note that force-quitting applications may result in losing unsaved work. I recommend saving your work before force-quitting apps.
2. Use a Keyboard Shortcut
If waiting didn’t resolve the issue, try using a keyboard shortcut. To shut down your Mac using a keyboard shortcut, you can follow these steps:
- Make sure you have no unsaved work or open applications, as shutting down your Mac will close all programs and documents.
- Press the following key combo: Control ^ + Option ⌥ + Command ⌘ + Power button.
- Your Mac will begin the shutdown process, and once it completes, the screen will turn off, and the computer will no longer be running.
- A dialog box will appear, asking if you want to shut down your computer. Click the Shut Down button or press the Enter key to confirm.
3. Unplug Peripherals
Unplugging external devices can help resolve shutdown problems by eliminating potential conflicts or power issues. Peripherals like USB drives, printers, or external hard drives may cause interference, especially if their drivers are outdated or incompatible.
To troubleshoot, disconnect all peripherals, then power on your Mac and try shutting it down again. If it shuts down properly, one of the disconnected devices was likely the cause. Reconnect each device individually to identify the problematic one.
4. Identify and Troubleshoot Problematic Apps
Identifying and troubleshooting problematic apps on your Mac can help fix this issue. Once identified, you can either update these apps, reinstall them, or remove them if necessary. Follow these steps to check app updates in the App Store:
- Click the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen and select App Store.
- Click the Updates tab in the App Store window.
- You will see a list of apps with available updates.
With MacKeeper’s Smart Uninstaller, you can get rid of problematic apps in just a few clicks. Follow these steps to uninstall apps on your Mac:
- Download and install MacKeeper on your Mac.
- After installation, launch MacKeeper and click the Smart Uninstaller in the left-hand menu.
- Click Start Scan.
- Select the applications you want to delete from the list and click Remove Selected.
- Tap the Remove button on the pop-up to confirm the deletion.
- MacKeeper will uninstall the apps and remove associated files and folders. You will get a Removal Completed notification. If you want to scan your Mac again, click Rescan.
5. Try the Safe Boot
Safe Boot starts your Mac in a basic state with only the necessary software. It helps check if any startup items are causing the shutdown issue. Follow the steps below to boot your Mac into Safe Mode, depending on your model:
Apple Silicon Mac
- Click the Apple icon and choose Shut Down from the drop-down menu.
- Wait for your Mac to shut down completely, and press the Power button to turn it on.
- Keep holding the Power button until you see the Loading startup options screen.
- Select a volume from the options.
- Press and hold the Shift ⇧ key and click Continue in Safe Mode.
- Your Mac will restart automatically, and you will see Safe Boot in the menu bar when the login screen appears.
Intel-Based Mac
- Restart or turn on your Mac and press and hold the Shift ⇧ key immediately.
- Keep holding the Shift ⇧ key until you see the login screen.
- Release the Shift ⇧ key and log in to your Mac.
- You’ll see Safe Boot in the menu bar on your first or second login window.
6. Repair Disk With Disk Utility
To fix shutdown issues, use Disk Utility to repair disk errors. Boot your Mac into Recovery Mode, open Disk Utility, and run First Aid on your startup disk. This can resolve file system problems that may be causing the issue. For a detailed guide, here’s how to repair your Mac’s startup disk with Disk Utility.
7. Reset the SMC
If your Mac won’t shut down, resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) can often resolve the issue. The SMC controls many low-level functions, and the reset process varies depending on your Mac model. For detailed steps on how to reset the SMC, refer to my full guide.
8. Boot Your Mac Into Recovery Mode
Booting your Mac into Recovery Mode can potentially fix the “Mac won’t shut down” issue by allowing you to perform various troubleshooting and repair actions. Here’s how to boot your Mac into Recovery Mode:
- Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen and select Shut Down.
- Press the power button to turn on your Mac. Wait for the startup chime, then immediately press and hold the Command ⌘ + R keys on your keyboard until the Apple logo appears on the screen. It indicates your Mac is booting into Recovery Mode.
The window provides a range of utilities to troubleshoot and repair your Mac. You can select the utility you want to use from the macOS Utilities window to troubleshoot and repair your Mac.
9. Reset the PRAM/NVRAM
Follow these steps to reset the NVRAM or PRAM on your Mac.
- Turn off your Mac.
- Press the power button to turn on your Mac.
- Press and hold the Option ⌥ + Command ⌘ + P + R keys simultaneously on your Mac’s keyboard before the gray screen appears.
- Hold the keys until your Mac restarts, and you hear the startup chime twice or see the Apple logo appear and disappear twice.
- Release the keys and let your Mac start up normally.
If you have an M1 or M2 Mac, you don’t need a keyboard combo to reset the NVRAM. It happens automatically during the restart.
10. Run Apple Diagnostics
If your Mac won’t shut down, running Apple Diagnostics can help identify hardware issues that might be causing the problem. This built-in tool tests your Mac’s hardware and provides a report on any detected issues. For step-by-step instructions on running Apple Diagnostics, check out this complete guide.
11. Press and Hold the Power Button
If your Mac won’t shut down, you can force it by pressing and holding the power button for 5-10 seconds until it turns off. This method should be used as a last resort because it may cause data loss if applications are still running. Ensure you save any important work before doing this.
12. Use a Terminal Command to Force Shut Down
Here’s how you can use a terminal command to force shut down your Mac:
Using the command line shuts down your Mac immediately. There are no confirmations, warning dialogs, pauses to save documents, or prompts to close apps and save work. So, save everything you need before shutting down your Mac.
- Launch the Terminal application. You can find it in the Utilities folder within the Applications folder. Alternatively, you can use Spotlight (press Command ⌘ + Spacebar) and search for Terminal.
- In the Terminal window, type the following command and press Enter:
sudo shutdown -h now
- You will be prompted to enter your administrator password. Type your password (you won’t see the characters as you type) and press Enter.
- The command will initiate the shutdown process immediately without confirmation.
- Wait for a few moments, and your Mac should force shut down.
If the above steps don’t resolve the issue, it’s recommended to contact Apple Support or visit an authorized service center for further assistance.
Power Off Your Mac In No Time
Now that you know what to do if your Mac won’t shut down, you may want to know more about Mac startup and shutdown issues. Here are a few tips to get you started:
- If your Mac won’t turn on, try resetting the SMC or NVRAM/PRAM, or boot into Safe Mode.
- If your Mac is stuck at the Apple logo, force restart it to fix the issue.
- Speed up a slow Mac to prevent random shutdowns or freezing.
