Squash

Force-quit any app in one click.

Squash is a tiny native macOS utility for easily killing unresponsive apps with just a click. Enter Kill Mode, hover over the target app’s window, and click to force quit the app behind it.

Squash is inspired by xkill, the classic X11 utility that lets you click an unresponsive window to terminate it. Squash brings that same utility to macOS—without turning force quit into a hunt through menus.

How it works

1. Open Squash from the menu bar or press Control–Option–K.
2. Hover over the app window you want to close.
3. Squash clearly previews the target.
4. Click to force quit it, or press Escape to cancel.

Built for Mac

• Native macOS app
• Runs from the menu bar, Dock, or both
• Customizable global shortcut
• Optional confirmation before force quitting
• Recent action history
• Finder relaunch option
• No Accessibility or other privacy permissions required
• Universal build for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs
• Signed and notarized by Apple

Important

Force quitting an app can discard unsaved work. Squash intentionally protects system-owned and otherwise unsafe targets, and only acts on foreground apps it can safely verify.

Requirements

• macOS 14 Sonoma or later