• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Technipages

Tutorials and fixes for smartphone, gadget, and computer problems

  • Topics
    • Android
    • Browsers
    • Gaming
    • Hardware
    • Internet
    • iPhone
    • Linux
    • macOS
    • Office
    • Reviews
    • Software
    • Windows
    • Definitions
  • Product Reviews
  • Downloads
  • About
Fix Google Chrome High CPU and Memory Usage on PC

Fix Google Chrome High CPU and Memory Usage on PC

July 7, 2021 by Madalina Dinita Leave a Comment

Despite Microsoft’s best efforts, Windows 10 users still prefer to use Google Chrome over Edge. Unfortunately, Chrome may sometimes use too much CPU and memory without a clear reason. Having Google Chrome open can use up to 40 to 50 percent of your CPU’s capacity. The browser already runs more background processes than any other web browser out there.

Users generally get alerted when they notice that Chrome opens so many processes and uses too much CPU power. If you’re looking for a solution to prevent Chrome from eating up too much CPU and RAM power, follow the steps listed below.

Why Does Chrome Use so Much CPU and RAM?

Identifying what’s causing Chrome to use too much CPU and memory is not an easy task. Here’s a list of some of the most frequent causes of high CPU and RAM usage:

  • Having too many tabs open simultaneously.
  • Running too many apps or browser extensions at the same time.
  • Using a poor configuration and less than optimal settings.
  • Streaming high-quality video content.
  • Visiting websites that use high-quality animations or excessive ads.
  • Browser hijackers and malware running alongside Chrome’s code.
  • Using a low-specs computer simply doesn’t have enough resources to meet Chrome’s CPU and RAM needs.

How Do I Fix High CPU and Memory Usage on Google Chrome?

Disable Prefetch Resources and Hardware Acceleration

The Prefetch feature automatically caches pages so that Chrome may load them faster next time you access them. Hardware acceleration uses your computer’s GPU to run graphics-demanding tasks. These two features may or may not improve Chrome’s performance. Disable both of them and check if Chrome still uses too much CPU and memory resources.

  1. Launch Chrome, and click on More options (the three dots).
  2. Go to Settings, and scroll down to Advanced.
  3. Go to System and toggle off the option that says Use hardware acceleration when available.chrome-hardware-acceleration
  4. Then click on Privacy and Security in the left-hand pane.
  5. Scroll down to Cookies and other site data.
  6. Disable the option that allows you to Preload pages for faster browsing and searching.disable-preload-pages-google-chrome
  7. Restart Chrome and check if the high CPU and memory issue persists.

Update Chrome

Google updates Chrome regularly, adding new features, improvements, and bug fixes. Check for updates, install the latest Chrome version, restart the browser and check if the issue is gone.

Click on More options (the three dots), go to Help and click on About Google Chrome. Check for updates, and wait until your computer downloads the latest Chrome version.

chrome-check-for-updates

Clear the Cache and Disable Your Extensions

Your browser cache and extensions might sometimes change Chrome’s behavior. Clear your cache, turn off your extensions, and check if this quick solution solves the problem.

  1. Click on More options, go to History, and select Clear browsing data.
  2. Clear your cache and cookies from the last 4 weeks.
  3. clear browser cache cookies chromeCheck if Chrome still uses too much CPU and memory. If this is the case, clear your cache and cookies from All time.
  4. Then, click again on More options and select Extensions.
  5. Manually toggle off all of your extensions, refresh the browser and check the CPU and memory usage.

chrome disable extension

As a quick reminder, hackers often inject crypto-mining code into browser extensions. Chrome’s CPU usage will skyrocket if your extensions are using your browser to mine cryptocurrencies.

Run Chrome as Admin and Disable Experiments

Chrome hosts a long list of experimental features that may not work as intended on your computer. Launch Chrome, open a new tab and enter chrome://flags. Manually disable all these experimental features.chrome-experiments

Mind you, this is a long list of features, and disabling all of them will take a few minutes.

Additionally, make sure to run Chrome with admin privileges.

  1. Right-click on your Chrome desktop shortcut and select Properties.
  2. Click on the Compatibility tab.
  3. Under Settings, select Run this program as administrator.run-google-chrome-with-admin-rights

Additionally, you can run go to Compatibility mode and run Chrome in compatibility mode for Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. Check if you notice any improvements.

Scan Your Browser and System For Malware

Malware may turn your machine into a zombie computer and use it as a distribution point for other malware attacks. Run an in-depth antivirus scan and check if your security tools detect anything unusual.

But first, launch Chrome, click on You and Google and scroll down all the way to Reset and clean up. Click on Clean up computer, and let Chrome can find and remove harmful software from your machine.

google-chrome-clean-up-computer

If you’re using Windows Security, go to Virus and threat protection and click on Scan options. Then use the Full Scan and Microsoft Defender Offline scan options.

windows-security-scan-options

Repair Corrupted System Files

  1. Press the Windows and X keys and select Command prompt (Admin).
  2. Run the sfc /scannow command and press Enter.run SFC command prompt
  3. Restart the computer and check if Chrome is still behaving unusually.
  4. If this is the case, relaunch Command Prompt and run the two commands below. Hit Enter after each command:
    • DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth
    • DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Reset or Reinstall Chrome

Check it resetting Chrome to default settings changes anything.

  1. Launch Chrome, and click on You and Google.
  2. Scroll down all the way to Reset and clean up.
  3. Select Restore settings to their original defaults.
  4. Confirm your choice and restart your browser.

If the problem doesn’t go away, reinstall the browser.

  1. Go to Control Panel, and click on Uninstall a program.
  2. Select Chrome and click on the Uninstall button to remove the browser from your computer.uninstall-chrome-windows-10
  3. Restart your machine and reinstall Chrome.
  4. Check if the high CPU and memory usage issues persist.

If nothing’s working, you can temporarily switch to a different browser.

How Do I Optimize Chrome to Reduce CPU and RAM Usage?

Here are some useful tips to optimize Chrome’s performance:

  • Regularly check for Chrome updates.
  • Close the tabs that you no longer need.
  • Regularly clear your browser cache and cookies.
  • Disable or uninstall unnecessary apps and extensions.
  • Don’t install shady extensions. They might contain crypto-miners.
  • Use Chrome’s Clean Up Tool to remove malware.
  • Disable Chrome experimental features.

Conclusion

If Google Chrome uses too much CPU and memory on Windows 10, clear the cache, disable your extensions and update the browser. Additionally, disable Chrome’s experimental features, and reset the browser. Then, launch Chrome’s Clean Up tool and Windows Security and scan for malware. If the issue persists, reinstall Chrome or switch to a different browser.

Did this guide help you fix the problem? Which method worked for you? Let us know in the comments below.

You Might Also Like

  • Fix Microsoft Teams High CPU and Memory Usage
    Fix Microsoft Teams High CPU and Memory Usage
  • Fix Google Meet High CPU Usage on Windows and Mac
    Fix Google Meet High CPU Usage on Windows and Mac
  • Fix Windows 10 DWM.exe High RAM Usage
    Fix Windows 10 DWM.exe High RAM Usage
  • Troubleshooting High CPU Usage in Linux
    Troubleshooting High CPU Usage in Linux
  • How to Fix Skype High CPU Usage Windows 10
    How to Fix Skype High CPU Usage Windows 10
  • Fix: Windows Error Reporting High CPU and Disk Usage
    Fix: Windows Error Reporting High CPU and Disk Usage

Filed Under: Windows Tagged With: google chrome, Windows 10

Reader Interactions

Did this help? Let us know!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • How to Print Labels from Excel Using MS Word Mail Merge
  • What Is NVMe Over TCP (NVMe/TCP)
  • Android Mobile Hotspot: How to Change the Password and Name
  • Windows 10: How to Force Quit and App
  • What is Dumpster Diving?
  • How to Download iOS 16 Beta 3 on iPhone or iPad
  • What is a Security Compromise?
  • Mastodon: How to DM Someone

Who’s Behind Technipages?

Baby and Daddy My name is Mitch Bartlett. I've been working in technology for over 20 years in a wide range of tech jobs from Tech Support to Software Testing. I started this site as a technical guide for myself and it has grown into what I hope is a useful reference for all.

You May Also Like

  • Top 10 Google Chrome Alternatives to Surf Better
  • Best High-End RC Helicopters 2021
  • Best High-End Shredders 2021
  • Best High-End E-Bikes 2022
  • Best High-End Smart Plugs 2021
  • Best High-End Home Bikes 2022
  • Best High-End Sound Systems 2022
  • Best High-Spec Tech Gadgets for the Home Office 2022

© Copyright 2023 Guiding Tech Media · All Rights Reserved · Privacy