People love Google Chrome for its intuitive user interface and versatility. However, it is a notorious memory hog and you may find that Chrome becomes sluggish after prolonged use. Luckily, there are some simple ways to improve Chrome's performance.
Table of Contents
One of the first things to check when Chrome performance is slow is whether the browser is up to date. Google regularly releases updates that introduce new features, fix bugs, and enhance security. Chrome updates automatically by default, but it’s worth checking because an outdated version of Chrome can lead to slow performance and cause compatibility and security issues.
Chrome suddenly really cares about RAM (memory) usage. Even if you just hover over a tab, you can now see how much RAM it's using. Knowing when a single tab is using more than 1GB of memory is pretty useful.
For a more detailed list, use Chrome's Task Manager. Go to Menu > More Tools > Task Manager . You can also use the Shift + Esc keyboard shortcut on Windows, or right-click an empty spot on the tab bar and select Task Manager from the menu. From here, you can find any tabs that are using too much memory and click the End Process button to kill them.
If you don't want to see memory usage when you hover over a tab, you can turn this feature off by going to Settings > Appearance > Show memory usage on tab hover preview card .
Many people are terrible at closing unused browser tabs while working. Every open tab consumes memory and resources, leading to sluggish performance. The same goes for browser extensions. While they improve functionality, too many extensions can slow down Chrome.
You may also consider using lighter alternatives for a faster browsing experience.
As an automated assistant for tab management, Chrome offers Memory Saver , which improves performance by reducing the memory usage of inactive tabs. When enabled, this feature automatically frees up memory from tabs you're not currently using, allowing your active tabs to run more smoothly.
If set to Balanced , this feature will deactivate tabs after an optimal amount of time.
Chrome uses preloading to predict your browsing behavior and preload pages you're likely to visit next. By optimizing your preloading settings, you can speed up Chrome for a better browsing experience.
You should experiment with preloading to see which feature works best for you. Turning it off can sometimes improve performance, especially if your browsing habits don't align with preload predictions.
Extended Preloading is one of those features that makes your browser feel much faster than it actually is. Chrome has a feature called Extended Preloading that can be enabled from Settings > Performance > Speed .
When enabled, a large number of websites and web pages will be preloaded, even before you visit them. The preloading happens in the background through Google's servers, so there's a very small delay between when you click on a link and when the page opens. However, because the request is being preloaded through Google's servers, you'll be making a privacy trade-off. Google will use your cookies to figure out which sites you visit frequently and which ones should be preloaded in the background.
By default, Standard preloading is enabled, which works with fewer websites. To disable preloading completely, uncheck the switch next to Preload pages.
Google Chrome's latest performance feature will proactively warn you when browser tabs are taking up too much memory. Say you're watching a 4K video on YouTube and it's stuttering even though you're on a strong internet connection. Google can determine if the problem is due to memory overload and can alert you to which tabs are causing the problem via a speedometer icon next to the address bar. Just click the icon and then tap Fix now to make those tabs inactive.
The tabs will still be in your tab bar, and you can always click them again to reload them. This feature can be enabled from Settings > Performance > General > Performance Issue Alerts . .
Chrome is notorious for using a significant amount of memory and CPU. This is often due to unwanted processes running in the background, resulting in sluggish performance. Regularly checking and managing these processes can significantly increase the speed of your browser.
If you identify any unwanted or unnecessary processes, select them and click End Process to close them.
If you've tried all of the previous methods and your Chrome browser is still sluggish, it might be time to take a more drastic step — resetting Chrome . This will restore your browser to its factory settings and remove any custom configurations that may be causing the problem. Keep in mind that resetting Chrome will remove pinned tabs, startup pages, and other personalized settings. However, your bookmarks and saved passwords will remain intact.
Chrome is arguably the most popular browser, with over 60% of the global market share. Like most of Google's productivity and lifestyle tools, many people are big fans of Chrome, even though it's not without its bugs and can be a CPU hog.
Making sure to run through this list of simple fixes whenever Chrome starts to slow down will dramatically improve your browsing experience, improve your productivity, and make your browsing sessions more enjoyable. Each fix can be performed from within Chrome and only takes a few seconds, potentially saving hours of frustration in the long run.
We've all been there: Clicking the Chrome icon, then waiting for the browser to launch. The seemingly endless wait for the home page to load can be frustrating.
People used to spend a lot of time scrolling through Netflix, overwhelmed by decision fatigue and not knowing what to watch. But after finding the Chrome extension Trim, it completely changed their Netflix experience.
VPN (Virtual Private Network) is simply understood as a virtual private network system, capable of creating a network connection based on a certain service provider.
Although it is one of the most popular browsers in the world with millions of users every day, Google Chrome is not immune to some minor errors such as automatically shutting down the browser, crashing Chrome, automatically reloading the page...
If you already have passwords in a CSV file and want to import them into Chrome, you can easily do this in the Google Chrome browser.
In 2025, Google discontinued a bunch of popular Chrome extensions. If some of your favorite tools disappeared overnight, here's why—and we'll say goodbye to some of our best Chrome extensions.
After years of using Google Chrome, many people switched to Arc Browser and have never looked back since.
Microsoft Edge has some features that users want in Google Chrome but without having to download extensions.
With so many Chrome toolbar buttons available, finding the perfect setup can be difficult. Here are 5 essential buttons that will really help you be more productive!
So far, Google Chrome has launched 3 Generative AI features and many more Gemini-integrated features are being introduced this year.
Microsoft Edge and Chrome both work well on Windows 11 PCs, but once you try Brave, you probably won't go back. Here's why people now prefer Brave over other options.
Google Bookmarks is shutting down in 2021, but that doesn't mean there aren't other options. There are a variety of Google Bookmarks alternatives, and here are five of the best available today.
Browser shortcuts allow you to quickly open a browser, navigate, zoom, and work faster. This article will summarize common shortcuts on Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Apple Safari, or Opera, and have special notes on shortcuts that are only used on certain browsers.
Have you ever felt frustrated switching between tabs? Chrome's Split Tabs feature will help you solve this problem.
Smart TVs have really taken the world by storm. With so many great features and the ability to connect to the Internet, technology has changed the way we watch TV.
Refrigerators are familiar appliances in families. Refrigerators usually have 2 compartments, the cool compartment is spacious and has a light that automatically turns on every time the user opens it, while the freezer compartment is narrow and has no light.
Wi-Fi networks are affected by many factors beyond routers, bandwidth, and interference, but there are some smart ways to boost your network.
If you want to go back to stable iOS 16 on your phone, here is the basic guide to uninstall iOS 17 and downgrade from iOS 17 to 16.
Yogurt is a great food. Is it good to eat yogurt every day? What will happen to your body when you eat yogurt every day? Let's find out together!
This article discusses the most nutritious types of rice and how to maximize the health benefits of whichever rice you choose.
Establishing a sleep schedule and bedtime routine, changing your alarm clock, and adjusting your diet are some of the measures that can help you sleep better and wake up on time in the morning.
Rent Please! Landlord Sim is a simulation mobile game on iOS and Android. You will play as a landlord of an apartment complex and start renting out an apartment with the goal of upgrading the interior of your apartments and getting them ready for rent.
Get Bathroom Tower Defense Roblox game codes and redeem them for exciting rewards. They will help you upgrade or unlock towers with higher damage.
Let's learn about the structure, symbols and operating principles of transformers in the most accurate way.
From better picture and sound quality to voice control and more, these AI-powered features are making smart TVs so much better!
DeepSeek initially had high hopes. As an AI chatbot marketed as a strong competitor to ChatGPT, it promised intelligent conversational capabilities and experiences.
It's easy to miss important details when you're jotting down other essentials, and trying to take notes while chatting can be distracting. Fireflies.ai is the solution.
Axolot Minecraft will be a great assistant for players when operating underwater if they know how to use them.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead's configuration is rated quite highly, so you will need to consider the configuration before deciding to download.
