Why is Google Chrome running so slow ?

If you find that Google Chrome is running slow, there are a few things you can try to improve its performance by following the methods below.

  • Cleanup: Clear cache and browser history, update Chrome, and disable unnecessary extensions.
  • Optimize: Close unused tabs, check your default browser, default search engine, and disable bookmark routes if you don’t need them.
  • Reset: If nothing works, try resetting Chrome to its original settings to start over.

As a global leader in web browsing, Google Chrome is used by millions of people every day.

Furthermore, it offers many features and benefits such as fast browsing speed, security, syncing, customization, and more.

However, sometimes we all find that Chrome can also become slow and unresponsive, especially when we are doing some important work that affects our online experience and productivity.

As a result, if you find that Google Chrome is running slowly, you can try to improve its performance by following the methods detailed below.

How to fix Google Chrome running so slow ?

Google Chrome is a popular browser, but unfortunately, it can sometimes run so slow and cause frustration.

However, there are many possible reasons why Chrome may be running slow, such as too many tabs, Chrome extensions, cache, history, or malware.

Consequently, there are also many ways to fix Google Chrome running so slow and make it faster and smoother.

In this section, we will show you how to fix Google Chrome running so slow by following some simple and effective methods.

Follow below mentioned methods to solve the issue Google Chrome running so slow:

Clear the cache and browsing history

Clear cache and browsing history remove unnecessary data that could slow down your Google Chrome browser.

  • To begin, open Chrome and click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner.
click on three dot on your browser to fix google chrome so slow
  • Then, select “Settings” from the menu.
Select settings from the menu to fix google chrome so slow
  • After that, navigate to the “Privacy and security” area.
Select privacy and security
  • Next, click “Clear browsing data” under privacy and security section.
click on clear browsing data to fix google chrome so slow
  • Following that, select the time range you want to delete; You can choose between erasing data from “last hour” to “all time“.
  • Additionally, check the boxes for “Cache” and “Cookies and other site data” as well as “Browsing history.”
Choose time range, cookies and site data from the menu
  • Finally, click “Clear data” to delete selected items from your browsing history and clear the cache.
click on clear data to fix google chrome so slow

Also Check: How to enable cookies on Chrome ?

Update Chrome to the latest version

If Google Chrome is so slow, you may want to update your browser to the latest version.

Newer versions of Chrome have better optimized files and tend to run faster than older versions.

Follow below mentioned methods to update Chrome to the latest version:

On Chrome Browser

  • Firstly, on your computer, open Chrome.
  • Subsequently, at the top right, click the three-dot menu icon.
  • Following this, click Help > About Google Chrome.
  • Then, Chrome will automatically check for updates and download them if they are available.
  • Next, click Update Google Chrome and then Restart to apply the update.
  • Alternatively, you can also enable the top right corner. Go to “Help” and then “About Google Chrome.” This will check for updates and let you know if a new version is available.

For Windows

Firstly, on Windows, to solve the issue Google Chrome running so slow, you can go to Windows Automatic Updates to have Chrome update itself without your intervention.

  • Subsequently, to do this, go to Settings > Help > Update Chrome.
  • Next, select Update Chrome automatically.

For Mac

Initially, on Mac, open the Chrome menu by clicking the Chrome icon in the top menu bar and select “About Google Chrome.”

  • Alternatively, you can go to Apple menu > About this Mac > Software Update to check for updates.
  • Furthermore, you can also enable automatic updates so that Chrome automatically updates whenever a new version is released.
  • To do this, go to Settings > Help > Update Chrome.
  • Then, turn on “Automatically update Chrome” to allow Chrome to update itself automatically in the future.

Turn off hardware acceleration

One of the reasons Google Chrome can be so slow is hardware acceleration.

Consequently, hardware acceleration can improve the speed of some tasks, but it can also cause problems with some graphics cards or drivers.

Follow below mentioned steps to turn off hardware acceleration:

  • To begin, to disable it, open Chrome and click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner.
Click on three dot
  • Next, select “Settings” from the menu.
Click on settings to fix google chrome so slow
  • Then, in the “System” section, find the “System” section.
Click on system settings to fix google chrome so slow
  • Finally, move the switch next to “Use hardware acceleration when available” to the off position.
toggle the switch Use hardware acceleration when available
  • Consequently, this will disable hardware acceleration in Chrome.

Close unused tabs

A common cause of Google Chrome running so slowly is having too many tabs open. Consequently, this can slow down your browser and your computer.

Follow below mentioned steps to close unused tabs to improve Chrome performance:

  • To begin closing tabs, you can right-click a tab and select Close other tabs or Close tabs on the right.
  • Alternatively, you can also use keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl+W or Ctrl+F4 to close the current tab.

Delete unwanted Extensions

Extensions can be very useful for blocking ads, translating web pages, and improving your browsing experience.

However, if Google Chrome is running slowly, you may want to check your extensions.

However, having too many running at once can slow down your Chrome browser. It’s a good idea to keep only the essential ones enabled.

To access your installed extensions

  • First, Launch the Chrome application on your PC.
  • Then, in the address bar, type “chrome://extensions” and press Enter. As a result, this will open the extensions page.
  • From here you can subsequently disable or remove extensions that you don’t need:

To disable an extension temporarily

  • Firstly, move the switch in the upper right corner to the gray “Off” position. Consequently, this keeps it installed but inactive.
  • However, to permanently remove an extension, click the “Delete” button below its name. As a result, this removes it from your browser.

Removing extensions that you don’t use frequently can help Chrome run better and solve the issue Google Chrome running so slow.

​Check default search engine in Chrome

If you are experiencing Google Chrome running so slow on your device, it may be because some search engines can cause Chrome to lag or crash.

Consequently, to change your default search engine and improve browsing speed, follow below mentioned steps.

  • Firstly, open Chrome and click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner.
Click on three dot icon to fix the issue google chrome so slow
  • Next, select “Settings” from the menu.
Select settings from the menu to fix the issue google chrome so slow
  • Subsequently, choose the “Search Engine” feature.
Select search engine from the side bar to fix google chrome running so slow
  • Then, you will see a list of available search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.
  • Following this, click the drop-down menu next to the current default search engine.
  • Alternatively, select the search engine you want to set as default from the list.
Choose your preferred search engine from the list
  • Consequently, it will now be set as the default value that Chrome uses in the address bar and search box.
  • Additionally, you can also add additional search engines by clicking “Manage Search Engines” and following the instructions.
  • Thereafter, once added, they will appear in the dropdown list to select as default if you wish.
  • Finally, click “Done” to save your new default search engine selection.

Disable bookmark paths

Bookmark paths can help you organize your bookmarks, but they can also slow down your Google Chrome browser.

To disable bookmark path, follow below mentioned steps:

  • Firstly, open Chrome and click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner.
  • Next, select “Settings” from the menu.
  • Subsequently, click “Advanced” in the sidebar.
  • Then, navigate to ‘Privacy and Security’ to find the ‘Clear browsing data‘ feature.
  • Following this, select “Bookmarks” from the drop-down menu.
  • Alternatively, choose the desired time range to delete markers. You can choose “All the time” to delete all bookmarks.
  • Finally, click “Clear Data” to proceed with deleting all bookmarks.

Also Check: How to imports bookmarks from Chrome ?

Disable the bookmarks feature without deleting existing bookmarks:

  • To begin, open Chrome settings as before.
  • Next, navigate to “Sync and Google services” under “Sync” option .
  • Subsequently, toggle the switch next to “Sync bookmarks and other data from Chrome” to the off position.
  • In last, this will prevent new bookmarks from being saved or synced.

Re-enable bookmarks later:

  • To start, follow steps 1-2 above.
  • Next, turn the sync switch back on.
  • Consequently, the bookmarks feature will now work again.

Reset Chrome to defaults

Resetting Chrome to its original settings can be a solution for Google Chrome running so slow.

Consequently, this can help fix any corrupted or incompatible settings that may be causing problems.

Therefore, if none of the above methods work, you can try this option by following the steps below.

  • To begin the reset process, open Chrome and click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner.
  • Next, select “Settings” from the context menu.
  • Subsequently, scroll down and click “Advanced” in the sidebar.
  • Then, locate and click the ‘Reset Settings’ button situated at the bottom.
  • In the pop-up window, you can choose to reset Chrome to “Clear browsing data” or “Restore settings to their original defaults.”
  • For a hard Chrome browser reset, select “Restore settings to their original defaults.”
  • Finally, click the ‘Reset Settings’ button for confirmation. Consequently, Chrome will now close and restart with all settings reset.

Also Check: How to reinstall Chrome ?

Test your laptop and internet connection

Initially, sometimes the problem may not be with Chrome, but rather with your device or your network. To test your laptop, you can run a system scan or update its drivers.

Furthermore, to test your Internet speed, you can use a speed test tool or contact your service provider to solve the issue Google Chrome running so slow and improve your browsing speed.

Collect and share ETW data

If you still can’t identify the cause of slow Chrome performance, you can try recording performance event traces and sharing them with Chrome engineers.

Event Tracing for Windows (ETW) collects performance information from all running processes over a specific period of time.

To begin the process, you need to download and run the Chrome ETW Collector tool and follow the instructions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we hope this guide has helped you solve the problem of Google Chrome running so slowly and improve your browsing experience.

Consequently, by following the methods above, you can clear cache and browsing history, update Chrome to the latest version, disable hardware acceleration, disable unnecessary extensions, close unused tabs, check your default search engine, and reset Chrome to your settings. original.

Collectively, these steps can help you resolve common issues that can cause Chrome to lag or crash and make it faster and smoother.

Reference:

​Frequently Asked Question’s (FAQ’s)

Why is Google Chrome so slow all of a sudden ?

There are many possible reasons why Google Chrome may suddenly run slowly, such as too many tabs, extensions, cache, history, malware infections, or outdated software. Fortunately, there are also many ways to fix this problem and make Chrome faster and smoother.

What makes Chrome run faster ?

There are many possible ways to make Chrome run faster, such as updating Chrome to the latest version, clearing cache and browsing history, disabling hardware acceleration, disabling unnecessary extensions, closing unused tabs, checking your search engine default and reset Chrome to its original settings.

Where do I update Chrome ?

On your computer, open Chrome.
Click the three-dot menu icon in the upper right corner.
Go to Help > About Google Chrome.
Click Update Google Chrome. If you can’t find this button, you are on the latest version.
Click Restart.
 


Content Writer

Smith Ron, the writer at Assistme360. He has extensive experience in crafting straightforward, step-by-step guides for technical issues. His broad knowledge ensures accurate solutions. Kindly spare a moment to drop a comment down and express your opinions. Your feedback can be valuable in assisting others who may come across similar problems.


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