Google Chrome crashes all the time. You might feel tempted to switch browsers, even if Chrome crashes on some websites or you can’t get Chrome to open.
You don’t need to do this yet. We will show you how to fix common Chrome hangs, crashes, and freezes.
Google Chrome keeps crashing: Basic troubleshooting
If Chrome crashes or freezes, it is worth restarting the browser. Click the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner of Chrome to choose Exit. After a few seconds, close Chrome and check if it has resolved the problem.
Chrome can run in the background if you click the X button in the top-right corner. Go to Menu > Setting to turn this off. To view more settings, choose Advanced in the left sidebar. Click the Systems entry.
You can disable Keep running background apps while Google Chrome is closed, if Chrome should close completely after you click the X button in its window.
Next, check how many tabs you have open in Google Chrome. Websites may crash if your computer has low RAM. This is often due to Chrome’s excessive memory usage. You can close all tabs that you aren’t using, stop Chrome downloads and quit any other programs.
To assist with this, press Shift+ Esc in Chrome’s task manager. This will show you the status of all Chrome processes so that you can close any that are not needed.
If none of these solutions work, restart your computer. Rebooting can fix many issues and may resolve any Chrome problems temporarily.
It’s a good idea, last but not least, to check for Chrome Updates at Menu> Help > About Google Chrome. Bugs that affect memory usage can be fixed by new versions.
Google Chrome Freezes: Advanced Fixes
Continue reading if the above steps have not solved your problem.
Some chrome extensions can be disabled
Next, you should check the Menu > Other tools > Extensions page to see if any extensions have been installed. You should disable or remove any extensions that you aren’t using. Too many extensions can slow down Chrome’s performance and can even cause problems with Chrome’s security. For more information, see our guide on managing browser extensions.
You can open an incognito browser at Menu> New incognito Window or use the keyboard shortcut Shift + N if you have many extensions. Extensions can’t be run in incognito by default. Chrome will freeze or crash if you browse incognito. Until you find the culprit, disable them one at a time.
Malware scanning
Although not all Chrome crashes are caused by malware it is worth examining before you move on. Malicious programs can cause problems with connection and security settings, or even your browser’s security.
Chrome comes with a basic malware scanner built-in. You’re better to scan with your antivirus suite and Malwarebytes to do a thorough check.
Try another browser
Chrome freezing when trying to load a site is a sign that Chrome is having an issue. Try another browser such as Firefox or Microsoft Edge to see if the website displays the same error.
The site may not load in another browser if it does not. The site owners will need to resolve the issue. You can contact the admin via social media to inform them. There are solutions to accessing websites that don’t load.
If the website loads in Chrome, it is likely that the problem lies with Chrome. For more troubleshooting, continue reading the steps below.
Turn off Hardware Acceleration
Hardware acceleration allows you to offload heavy graphical tasks to your GPU and not your CPU. This can make Chrome run faster, but it may cause problems in certain cases.
You can try the following fixes to fix Google Chrome’s freezing problem. If it doesn’t, turn on hardware acceleration to see if that makes any difference. To do so, go to Menu > Settings > Advanced. You can change the Use hardware acceleration whenever possible toggle by going to strong>Menu > Settings > Advanced.
Install Chrome on a Different Profile
If the problem persists, Chrome could have serious problems that cause it not to stop crashing. To check for corruption in your current profile, you might want to create a new one.
To create a new account, click on your profile picture at the top right in Chrome. To create a new user, you will need to give it a name and a profile picture.
If this doesn’t work, reset Chrome or reinstall it. To get to a new state, you can use Chrome’s built-in reset feature.
To use this tool, go to Menu > Settings>>>>> Reset and cleanup > Restore settings back to their original defaults . Chrome states that this will erase bookmarks, history and saved passwords.
This is a good place to start. If Chrome freezes after a reset, it is time to completely remove the browser and reinstall it. Go to Settings > Applications > Apps and features to find Google Chrome.
Select it and click Uninstall. You can then download a new copy of Google Chrome to see if it helps.
Google Chrome Freezes on Every Website
Chrome may be showing a connection error when you attempt to access any website. To diagnose your network problem, follow our step-by-step guide.
Google Chrome Won’t Start at All
Chrome isn’t opening properly? Check the Task Manager to make sure Chrome isn’t running. To open it, use Shift + or right-click on a blank area of the taskbar to choose Task Management.
Select More information if you need it, and then click the Processes Tab. You can right-click the Google Chrome entry to open End Task. If you have multiple Chrome profiles open, you may need to close several processes.
Close Chrome completely and then try opening the browser again. Your antivirus or malware may be blocking Chrome if this does not solve the problem. To test if Chrome opens, temporarily disable your antivirus. For more information on how to get rid of malware, please refer to the “Scan for Malware” section.
If Chrome fails to open, restart your computer. The best way to fix this is to delete Chrome and reinstall it according to the instructions above.
Google Chrome Crashed: Correcting Specific Errors
These troubleshooting tips should be sufficient to fix most Chrome hangs or crashes. Let’s look at some common Chrome errors and how to fix them. We have created dedicated guides for certain cases.
Common Chrome errors include:
- ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED: The web address doesn’t exist. Verify that the URL is correct.
- ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED: The website didn’t let your browser connect. You might have a VPN problem. Disable it.
- ERR_CONNECTION_RESET: Your connection was interrupted mid-loading. Refresh the page.
- ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT: The page took too long to load. It could be because the page is extremely busy or because your connection is slow.
- The Connection is Not Private You will see this when a page you expect to be secure does not have a secure link.
- Aw, Snap! This is what happens when Chrome crashes for some reason. This could be caused by a plugin problem or a shortage of resources.
If you get these messages, always refresh the page using Ctrl+ R and the Refresh icons to the left of your address bar. These messages may not be permanent errors. Ctrl+ Shift + can be used to bypass the cache and load a new copy of the website.
To open sites that are displaying errors, an incognito browser is a good option. These windows do not save browsing data or cookies and are a great tool for troubleshooting. Clear your browsing data if a site is working in incognito.
To view more information about Chrome’s crashes, type chrome://crashes/ in your address bar. This won’t give you any useful information, but you can still send the crashes to Google to be investigated.
Solutions to Chrome Crashing and Freezing
It’s frustrating to see your browser not responding properly, as you do so much. These troubleshooting steps will help you fix any Chrome issues.
