CmdQ

CmdQ is the keyboard shortcut Command-Q used on macOS to quit the active application. The Q is written with the Command key, and Cmd+Q is the standard way to terminate the currently focused app. Quitting an application closes all of its windows and ends its processes, though macOS typically prompts to save any unsaved documents before quitting. This action is different from simply closing a window with Cmd+W; quitting exits the entire application, while closing a window leaves the app running and may still have other windows open.

Some applications may override or modify the Quit shortcut within their preferences, but the standard expectation is that Cmd+Q quits the app. If an application becomes unresponsive, macOS provides a Force Quit option via Option-Command-Escape.

Cmd+Q is usually listed in an app’s File menu as Quit [Application Name] and is aligned with Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines as the conventional method to quit an app. It does not shut down the system or log the user out; those actions use different shortcuts. In everyday use, Cmd+Q is a fundamental part of macOS workflows, enabling quick termination of foreground apps without using the mouse.