How to Quit a Game on PC
As an avid PC gamer and content creator, I‘m often asked "what‘s the best way to instantly quit a game"? While most modern titles have intuitive exit options, sometimes you need to force close an unresponsive application or quickly switch tasks. Here are the top methods I use to seamlessly exit games.
Use Alt + F4 to Force Quit Games
Pressing Alt+F4 immediately terminates the currently active program. According to PCWorld, this keyboard shortcut has remained a staple way to force quit applications in Windows for over 30 years.
To use:
- Press and hold the Alt key on the left-side of your keyboard
- While holding Alt, tap the F4 key in the top row
- The game will instantly close without prompting to save progress
I rely on Alt+F4 daily to quickly close games when I need to reboot before a livestream or clip a funny moment for YouTube. But don‘t get trigger happy! Save important progress in RPGS and competitive matches before slamming this shortcut.
Force Applications to Close with Task Manager
When Alt+F4 fails or a game freezes, pulling up Windows Task Manager is the next go-to move. Here‘s how:
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open the task manager window
- Click the "Processes" tab at the top of Task Manager
- Scroll and select the game‘s process you want to close
- Click the "End task" button to force quit
As a troubleshooting tool, I keep Task Manager perpetually pinned to my taskbar for easy access. Force closing applications with Task Manager bypasses save prompts and may result in lost progress.
According to BSoD Gaming, fully restarting your PC can also flush out stuck processes if Task Manager struggles to end them. This nuclear option often resolves many issues in one swoop.
Properly Exit Games with the Escape Key
For safe exits that prevent crashes and save progress, most titles feature an in-game menu to properly quit the application. Hit the Esc key to bring up this menu and select "Exit game" or "Quit to Desktop".
I teach new gamers to make Esc their "safe word" when first diving into PC gaming. Mash that key and you‘ll safely return to desktop without losing any hard-earned progression.
Close Game Launchers to Quit All Open Games
Launching games through Steam, Origin, Battle.net or other gaming clients? Closing these apps altogether forces all open games to safely exit.
For example, shut down Steam itself rather than individually quitting Dota 2, CS:GO and your half-dozen open RPGs. The launchers will send a shutdown signal to each running title, giving them time to preserve changed files and updates. Much easier than hopping between multiple saves!
6 Quick Tips for Smooth Game Exits
Beyond the main methods above, follow these tips for seamless game closing experiences:
1. Update Graphics Drivers – Crashes from corrupt installs or outdated GPU drivers interrupt graceful exits.
2. Reboot Your PC – Forced shutdowns rarely save open applications. Restart to pickup where you left off.
3. Pause Before Alt+F4 Mashing – Give difficult areas or boss attempts an extra beat before rage quitting.
4. Configure Auto-Save Settings – Enable auto-save in options menus increase backup save points.
5. Try Windowed Over Fullscreen – Exclusive fullscreen modes lower stability and interfere with task manager.
6. Don‘t overlook ESC for clean closes! – Unlike force quits, menu exits prevent progress loss.
Gracefully exiting games takes more forethought than angrily slamming Alt+F4 after losing a match. But combining these strategic closure methods makes switching tasks, troubleshooting issues and protecting progression easy.
Ready to properly quit your next gaming session like a pro? Let‘s recap the top techniques:
– Alt+F4: Quick and dirty force quit
– Task Manager: Stronger force close applications
– Esc: Safe in-game menu exit option
– Close Game Launchers: Quit all open titles instantly
Do you have a go-to trick for quickly or safely exiting games on PC? Share your technique in the comments below!
