MacOS killall command

The MacOS killall command is a powerful tool for terminating processes on your Mac computer. It allows you to stop running applications and services with a single command, saving you time and effort. By specifying the process name, you can quickly end multiple instances at once. This command is useful for troubleshooting, managing system resources, and improving overall system performance. Mastering the killall command can help you efficiently manage processes on your Mac.

killall Syntax:

killall [option] [process_name]

Options:

Option	Description
-c	Do not terminate the process, just check for its existence.
-g	Interpret the process name as a group name for killing.
-u	Interpret the process name as a username for killing.
-z	Exclude processes whose command name equals the given process name.

Parameters:

Parameter	Description
process_name	Specify the name of the process to be killed.

Caution

Be cautious when using the killall command as it terminates all processes with the specified name, which may cause unexpected results or data loss if not used properly.

killall Usage:

Kill a Specific Process by Name

killall Safari

This command will terminate all instances of the process with the name “Safari”.

Forcefully Kill a Process by Name

killall -9 Google Chrome

By using the “-9” option, this command forcibly terminates all instances of the process with the name “Google Chrome”.

Kill All Instances of a Specific Application

killall -KILL Slack

This command will forcefully terminate all instances of the application “Slack”.

Kill a Process by Process ID

killall -s SIGTERM 12345

Terminates the process with the ID 12345 using the SIGTERM signal.

Tip

When using the killall command in MacOS, make sure to specify the correct process name or process ID (PID) to avoid accidentally terminating important processes.

How do I use killall in MacOS?

To use the killall command in MacOS, execute the following command:

killall process_name

What is the purpose of the killall command in MacOS?

The killall command in MacOS is used to terminate processes by name rather than by process ID (PID). It allows you to stop all processes with a specific name.

How can I force kill a process using killall in MacOS?

To force kill a process using killall in MacOS, you can use the -9 option, also known as the SIGKILL signal. This will forcefully terminate the process.

killall -9 process_name

Can I use wildcards with the killall command in MacOS?

Yes, you can use wildcards with the killall command in MacOS to match multiple processes with similar names. For example, to kill all processes starting with “app”:

killall 'app*'

How do I list all available signal names for killall in MacOS?

To list all available signal names that can be used with the killall command in MacOS, you can use the following command:

killall -l

Is there a way to kill processes owned by a specific user with killall in MacOS?

Yes, you can kill processes owned by a specific user using the -u option with the killall command in MacOS. For example, to kill all processes owned by the user “john”:

killall -u john

Can I run killall in MacOS with sudo to terminate system processes?

Yes, if you need to terminate system processes with killall in MacOS, you can run the command with sudo privileges. This will allow you to terminate processes that require root permissions.

sudo killall process_name

Applications of the killall command

• Stop a specific application from running
• Force quit unresponsive applications
• Restart a specific service or process
• Close multiple instances of the same application
• End all processes associated with a specific application