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By [Vladimir Kaplarevic](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/author/vladimirk) Published: April 28, 2025 Topics: [commands](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/tag/commands), [linux](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/tag/linux) If a [Linux](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/what-is-linux) process becomes unresponsive or consumes excessive resources, killing it may be the only solution. Most processes have their own methods of shutting down. Unfortunately, processes can malfunction and require running a command to manually kill them. **This guide demonstrates how to kill a Linux process using the command line.**   Prerequisites - A system running Linux. - A user account with [root privileges](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/what-is-root-access). - Access to the terminal. ## How to Find Process ID or Process Name Before killing a process, you need to locate it. Processes can be found by the process name (or a partial process name) or the [process ID (PID)](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/process-id). There are multiple ways to [find a process in Linux](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/list-processes-linux): - Via the **`ps`** command. - Via the **`pgrep`** or **`pidof`** command. - Via the [top command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/top-command-in-linux). The sections below show different ways to search for a process in Linux. ### Locate a Process with ps Command The **`ps`** command provides a complete listing of running processes, formatted based on the specified command options. The syntax for the **`ps`** command is: ``` ps [options] ``` The most common options to add to **`ps`** are: - **`-a`**. View processes of all users rather than just the current user. - **`-u`**. Provide detailed information about each of the processes. - **`-x`**. Include processes that are controlled not by users but by [daemons](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/what-is-a-daemon). For example, the command **`ps -aux`** returns a detailed list of all processes:   ### Find PID with pgrep or pidof The **`pgrep`** Linux command is a more complex way of finding a process. The **`pgrep`** command returns processes based on specific selection criteria, known as the pattern. The pattern is a regular expression, such as **`a*`**, where **`*`** is a wildcard. ``` pgrep [options] [pattern] ``` The options that can be used with **`pgrep`** are: - **`-l`**. List the process names and the PIDs. - **`-n`**. Return the newest process. - **`-o`**. Return the oldest process. - **`-u`**. Only find processes that belong to a specific user. - **`-x`**. Only find processes that exactly match the given pattern. For example, the command **`pgrep -l -u root`** displays the names and PIDs of all processes owned by root:   The **`pidof`** command is used to find the ID of a process using the process name. ``` pidof [options] [program] ``` Some of the options that **`pidof`** accepts are: - **`-c`**. Only return PIDs within a single [root directory](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/root-directory). - **`-o`**. Omit certain PIDs (include the processes to omit after the flag). - **`-s`**. Only return a single PID. - **`-x`**. Also returns PIDs of shells that are running [scripts](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/what-is-a-script). For example, to get the PID of the **`snapd`** process, run **`pidof snapd`**:   ### View Running Processes with top The top command is the easiest way to get a complete overview of the currently running processes. To view a list of all active processes, run the command: ``` top ``` The **`top`** command interactive mode starts, shows the process IDs, the users, the amount of [memory](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/physical-memory) and [CPU](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/cpu-definition) power each process uses, the running time, etc.   To exit the **`top`**interface, press **q**. ## How to Kill a Process Make sure to consider [permissions](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/linux-file-permissions) before killing or terminating a process. A root user can kill all processes. Either add [sudo](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/linux-sudo) before a command to run it as root, or obtain a root shell with the [su command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/su-command-linux-examples). Then, execute the termination command. Killing a process sends a termination message to the given process. There are multiple types of termination messages, including: - **`SIGKILL`** \- The ultimate way of killing a process. It always kills a process abruptly, generating a fatal error. **`SIGKILL`** should always work. If it doesn't, the [operating system](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/operating-system) has failed. - **`SIGTERM`** \- It attempts to kill a process, but, unlike **`SIGKILL`**, it may be blocked or otherwise handled. It is a gentler way of terminating a process. For most purposes, **`SIGKILL`** is the fastest and most effective method to terminate the process. The sections below list the most commonly used commands for killing a process and provide the steps for using each command. ### killall Command The **`killall`** command kills processes by their name. By default, it sends a **`SIGTERM`** signal. The **`killall`** command can kill multiple processes with a single command. The syntax is: ``` killall [process] ``` The **`killall`** command accepts several options: - **`-e`**. Find an exact match for the process name. - **`-I`**. Ignore the case when trying to find the process name. - **`-i`**. Ask for additional confirmation when killing the process. - **`-u`**. Only kill processes owned by a specific user. - **`-v`**. Report back on whether the process has been successfully killed. The following example shows the use of the **`-i`** option, instructing **`killall`** to ask for confirmation before terminating the process:   In addition to killing processes based on name, the **`killall`** command can also be used to kill based on the age of the process. Use the following commands: - **`-o`**. Use this flag with a duration to kill all processes that have been running for more than that amount of time. - **`-y`**. Use this flag with a duration to kill all processes that have been running for less than that amount of time. The **`killall -o 15m`** command kills all processes that are older than 15 minutes, while the **`killall -y 15m`** command kills all processes that have been active for less than 15 minutes. ### pkill Command The **`pkill`** command is similar to the **`pgrep`** command, in that it kills a process based on the process name, in addition to other qualifying factors. By default, **`pkill`** sends the **`SIGTERM`** signal. The syntax is: ``` pkill [options] [pattern] ``` **`pkill`** options include: - **`-n`**. Only kill the newest of the processes that are discovered. - **`-o`**. Only kill the oldest of the processes that are discovered. - **`-u`**. Only kill the processes owned by the specified user. - **`-x`**. Only kill the processes that match the pattern exactly. - **`-signal`**. Send a specific signal to the process, rather than **`SIGTERM`**. The following example demonstrates how to kill the newest process created by the user **`bosko`**: ``` pkill -n -u bosko ``` ### kill Command The **`kill`** command terminates processes via the process ID. The syntax is: ``` kill [process ID] ``` The **`kill`** command kills a single process at a time with the given process ID. It sends a **`SIGTERM`** signal instructing a process to stop. It waits for the program to run its shutdown routine. The **`-signal`** option can be used to specify a signal other than **`SIGTERM`**. ### kill -9 Linux Command **`kill -9`** is used to shut down an unresponsive service. Run it similarly to the regular **`kill`** command: ``` kill -9 [processID] ``` Or: ``` kill -SIGKILL [processID] ``` The **`kill -9`** command sends a **`SIGKILL`** signal to a service, shutting it down immediately. An unresponsive program ignores a **`kill`** command, but it shuts down whenever a **`kill -9`** command is issued. Use this command with caution since it bypasses the standard shutdown routine, and any unsaved data will be lost. ### xkill command The **`xkill`** command is a special command that closes a given server's connection to clients. The syntax of the **`xkill`** command is: ``` xkill [resource] ``` If a server has opened some unwanted processes, **`xkill`** aborts these processes. If **`xkill`** is run without specifying a resource, then an interface opens up to let the user select a window to close. For example:   ### top Command The **`top`** command provides an interface through which a user can navigate the currently running processes. To start the interface, run the command: ``` top ``` To kill a specific process, press **`k`** when in the interface, and enter the PID of the process to terminate:   **Note:** Learn how to use the [nohup command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/linux-nohup) to block the **`SIGHUP`** signal and allow processes to complete even after logging out from the terminal/shell. Conclusion This guide explained several ways to kill processes in Linux. It is critical to learn and understand these **Linux termination commands** for [system management](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/system-management) and administration. Next, check out our comprehensive article on [Linux network commands](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/linux-network-commands), or take a sneak peek at our [ultimate list of Linux commands](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/linux-commands). Was this article helpful? YesNo Contents - [How to Find Process ID or Process Name](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-kill-a-process-in-linux#How_to_Find_Process_ID_or_Process_Name) - [Locate a Process with ps Command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-kill-a-process-in-linux#Locate_a_Process_with_ps_Command) - [Find PID with pgrep or pidof](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-kill-a-process-in-linux#Find_PID_with_pgrep_or_pidof) - [View Running Processes with top](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-kill-a-process-in-linux#View_Running_Processes_with_top) - [How to Kill a Process](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-kill-a-process-in-linux#How_to_Kill_a_Process) - [killall Command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-kill-a-process-in-linux#killall_Command) - [pkill Command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-kill-a-process-in-linux#pkill_Command) - [kill Command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-kill-a-process-in-linux#kill_Command) - [kill -9 Linux Command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-kill-a-process-in-linux#kill_-9_Linux_Command) - [xkill command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-kill-a-process-in-linux#xkill_command) - [top Command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-kill-a-process-in-linux#top_Command) Subscribe to our newsletter [SUBSCRIBE](https://phoenixnap.com/developers-monthly-newsletter) Next you should read [](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-create-a-file-in-linux) [SysAdmin](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/category/sysadmin) [Web Servers](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/category/web-servers) [How to Create a File in Linux Using Terminal/Command Line](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-create-a-file-in-linux) [](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-list-users-linux) [SysAdmin](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/category/sysadmin) [Web Servers](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/category/web-servers) [How to List Users in Linux, List all Users Command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-list-users-linux) [](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/create-directory-linux-mkdir-command) [SysAdmin](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/category/sysadmin) [How to Use mkdir Command to Make or Create a Linux Directory](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/create-directory-linux-mkdir-command) [](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/grep-command-linux-unix-examples) [SysAdmin](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/category/sysadmin) [How To Use grep Command In Linux/UNIX](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/grep-command-linux-unix-examples) CONTACT US [Get a Quote](https://phoenixnap.com/contact-us) [Support (1-855-330-1509)](tel:1-855-330-1509) [Sales (1-877-588-5918)](tel:1-877-588-5918) - 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[Home](https://phoenixnap.com/) » [KB](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/) » [SysAdmin](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/category/sysadmin) » How to Kill a Process in Linux from Command Line?  Topics: If a [Linux](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/what-is-linux) process becomes unresponsive or consumes excessive resources, killing it may be the only solution. Most processes have their own methods of shutting down. Unfortunately, processes can malfunction and require running a command to manually kill them. **This guide demonstrates how to kill a Linux process using the command line.**  Prerequisites A system running Linux. A user account with [root privileges](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/what-is-root-access). Access to the terminal. How to Find Process ID or Process Name Before killing a process, you need to locate it. Processes can be found by the process name (or a partial process name) or the [process ID (PID)](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/process-id). There are multiple ways to [find a process in Linux](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/list-processes-linux): Via the **`ps`** command. Via the **`pgrep`** or **`pidof`** command. Via the [top command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/top-command-in-linux). The sections below show different ways to search for a process in Linux. Locate a Process with ps Command The **`ps`** command provides a complete listing of running processes, formatted based on the specified command options. The syntax for the **`ps`** command is: The most common options to add to **`ps`** are: **`-a`**. View processes of all users rather than just the current user. **`-u`**. Provide detailed information about each of the processes. **`-x`**. Include processes that are controlled not by users but by [daemons](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/what-is-a-daemon). For example, the command **`ps -aux`** returns a detailed list of all processes:  Find PID with pgrep or pidof The **`pgrep`** Linux command is a more complex way of finding a process. The **`pgrep`** command returns processes based on specific selection criteria, known as the pattern. The pattern is a regular expression, such as **`a*`**, where **`*`** is a wildcard. The options that can be used with **`pgrep`** are: **`-l`**. List the process names and the PIDs. **`-n`**. Return the newest process. **`-o`**. Return the oldest process. **`-u`**. Only find processes that belong to a specific user. **`-x`**. Only find processes that exactly match the given pattern. For example, the command **`pgrep -l -u root`** displays the names and PIDs of all processes owned by root:  The **`pidof`** command is used to find the ID of a process using the process name. Some of the options that **`pidof`** accepts are: **`-c`**. Only return PIDs within a single [root directory](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/root-directory). **`-o`**. Omit certain PIDs (include the processes to omit after the flag). **`-s`**. Only return a single PID. **`-x`**. Also returns PIDs of shells that are running [scripts](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/what-is-a-script). For example, to get the PID of the **`snapd`** process, run **`pidof snapd`**:  View Running Processes with top The top command is the easiest way to get a complete overview of the currently running processes. To view a list of all active processes, run the command: The **`top`** command interactive mode starts, shows the process IDs, the users, the amount of [memory](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/physical-memory) and [CPU](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/cpu-definition) power each process uses, the running time, etc.  To exit the **`top`**interface, press **q**. How to Kill a Process Make sure to consider [permissions](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/linux-file-permissions) before killing or terminating a process. A root user can kill all processes. Either add [sudo](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/linux-sudo) before a command to run it as root, or obtain a root shell with the [su command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/su-command-linux-examples). Then, execute the termination command. Killing a process sends a termination message to the given process. There are multiple types of termination messages, including: **`SIGKILL`** \- The ultimate way of killing a process. It always kills a process abruptly, generating a fatal error. **`SIGKILL`** should always work. If it doesn't, the [operating system](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/operating-system) has failed. **`SIGTERM`** \- It attempts to kill a process, but, unlike **`SIGKILL`**, it may be blocked or otherwise handled. It is a gentler way of terminating a process. For most purposes, **`SIGKILL`** is the fastest and most effective method to terminate the process. The sections below list the most commonly used commands for killing a process and provide the steps for using each command. killall Command The **`killall`** command kills processes by their name. By default, it sends a **`SIGTERM`** signal. The **`killall`** command can kill multiple processes with a single command. The syntax is: The **`killall`** command accepts several options: **`-e`**. Find an exact match for the process name. **`-I`**. Ignore the case when trying to find the process name. **`-i`**. Ask for additional confirmation when killing the process. **`-u`**. Only kill processes owned by a specific user. **`-v`**. Report back on whether the process has been successfully killed. The following example shows the use of the **`-i`** option, instructing **`killall`** to ask for confirmation before terminating the process:  In addition to killing processes based on name, the **`killall`** command can also be used to kill based on the age of the process. Use the following commands: **`-o`**. Use this flag with a duration to kill all processes that have been running for more than that amount of time. **`-y`**. Use this flag with a duration to kill all processes that have been running for less than that amount of time. The **`killall -o 15m`** command kills all processes that are older than 15 minutes, while the **`killall -y 15m`** command kills all processes that have been active for less than 15 minutes. pkill Command The **`pkill`** command is similar to the **`pgrep`** command, in that it kills a process based on the process name, in addition to other qualifying factors. By default, **`pkill`** sends the **`SIGTERM`** signal. The syntax is: **`pkill`** options include: **`-n`**. Only kill the newest of the processes that are discovered. **`-o`**. Only kill the oldest of the processes that are discovered. **`-u`**. Only kill the processes owned by the specified user. **`-x`**. Only kill the processes that match the pattern exactly. **`-signal`**. Send a specific signal to the process, rather than **`SIGTERM`**. The following example demonstrates how to kill the newest process created by the user **`bosko`**: kill Command The **`kill`** command terminates processes via the process ID. The syntax is: The **`kill`** command kills a single process at a time with the given process ID. It sends a **`SIGTERM`** signal instructing a process to stop. It waits for the program to run its shutdown routine. The **`-signal`** option can be used to specify a signal other than **`SIGTERM`**. kill -9 Linux Command **`kill -9`** is used to shut down an unresponsive service. Run it similarly to the regular **`kill`** command: Or: The **`kill -9`** command sends a **`SIGKILL`** signal to a service, shutting it down immediately. An unresponsive program ignores a **`kill`** command, but it shuts down whenever a **`kill -9`** command is issued. Use this command with caution since it bypasses the standard shutdown routine, and any unsaved data will be lost. xkill command The **`xkill`** command is a special command that closes a given server's connection to clients. The syntax of the **`xkill`** command is: If a server has opened some unwanted processes, **`xkill`** aborts these processes. If **`xkill`** is run without specifying a resource, then an interface opens up to let the user select a window to close. For example:  top Command The **`top`** command provides an interface through which a user can navigate the currently running processes. To start the interface, run the command: To kill a specific process, press **`k`** when in the interface, and enter the PID of the process to terminate:  **Note:** Learn how to use the [nohup command](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/linux-nohup) to block the **`SIGHUP`** signal and allow processes to complete even after logging out from the terminal/shell. Conclusion This guide explained several ways to kill processes in Linux. It is critical to learn and understand these **Linux termination commands** for [system management](https://phoenixnap.com/glossary/system-management) and administration. Next, check out our comprehensive article on [Linux network commands](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/linux-network-commands), or take a sneak peek at our [ultimate list of Linux commands](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/linux-commands). Was this article helpful? YesNo