Chrome Not Responding? 10 Ways to Fix It

Quick Fix

If Google Chrome is not responding or frozen, try these instant fixes: Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager, find Chrome, and click “End Task.” Then reopen Chrome. If it keeps freezing, disable extensions by typing chrome://extensions in the address bar and toggling them off. These steps fix most Chrome freezing issues in under a minute.

Why Chrome Stops Responding

Google Chrome is the most popular browser, but it’s notorious for consuming memory and occasionally freezing. When Chrome displays “Not Responding” in the title bar or becomes completely unresponsive, several factors could be at play.

Common causes include too many open tabs consuming RAM, problematic extensions, corrupted cache or cookies, outdated browser version, conflicts with antivirus software, or hardware acceleration issues with your graphics card. Understanding these causes helps you apply the right fix.

Method 1: Force Close and Restart Chrome

The quickest solution when Chrome freezes is to force close it completely and start fresh.

Using Task Manager (Windows):

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
2. Click “More details” if you see the simple view
3. Find Google Chrome in the list
4. Click on it and press End Task
5. Wait 10 seconds, then reopen Chrome

Using Activity Monitor (Mac):

1. Press Cmd + Space and type “Activity Monitor”
2. Find Google Chrome in the process list
3. Select it and click the X button in the toolbar
4. Click Force Quit
5. Reopen Chrome from Applications

Method 2: Disable Chrome Extensions

Extensions are the most common cause of Chrome freezing. A single buggy extension can make the entire browser unresponsive.

1. Open Chrome (or a new window if possible)
2. Type chrome://extensions in the address bar and press Enter
3. Toggle OFF all extensions using the blue switches
4. Restart Chrome and test if the problem is solved
5. If fixed, enable extensions one by one to find the culprit
6. Remove the problematic extension completely

Common problematic extensions include ad blockers, VPN extensions, and extensions that haven’t been updated recently.

Method 3: Clear Chrome Cache and Cookies

Corrupted cache and cookies can cause Chrome to freeze or behave erratically.

1. Open Chrome and press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + Delete (Mac)
2. Set time range to All time
3. Check these boxes:
   • Browsing history
   • Cookies and other site data
   • Cached images and files
4. Click Clear data
5. Restart Chrome

Note: Clearing cookies will log you out of most websites. Make sure you know your passwords before proceeding.

Method 4: Update Google Chrome

Running an outdated version of Chrome can cause stability issues and freezing.

1. Open Chrome and click the three dots menu (top right)
2. Go to Help > About Google Chrome
3. Chrome will automatically check for updates
4. If an update is available, click Relaunch to apply it
5. Chrome will restart with the latest version

Enable automatic updates to prevent this issue: Chrome should update automatically, but firewalls or enterprise policies can block updates.

Method 5: Disable Hardware Acceleration

Hardware acceleration uses your GPU to render pages faster, but it can cause freezing on systems with older or incompatible graphics drivers.

1. Open Chrome and go to Settings (three dots > Settings)
2. Scroll down and click System in the left sidebar
3. Toggle OFF Use hardware acceleration when available
4. Click Relaunch to restart Chrome

If this fixes the problem, consider updating your graphics drivers. Visit your GPU manufacturer’s website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) to download the latest drivers.

Method 6: Create a New Chrome Profile

A corrupted user profile can cause persistent freezing. Creating a new profile gives you a fresh start.

1. Click your profile icon in the top right corner of Chrome
2. Click Add at the bottom of the dropdown
3. Choose Continue without an account or sign in with Google
4. Name your new profile and click Done
5. Use this new profile to see if freezing persists

If the new profile works fine, your old profile is corrupted. You can export bookmarks from the old profile and import them into the new one.

Method 7: Reset Chrome to Default Settings

Resetting Chrome removes all customizations and returns it to factory state, fixing most configuration-related issues.

1. Open Chrome and go to Settings
2. Click Reset settings in the left sidebar
3. Click Restore settings to their original defaults
4. Read the warning and click Reset settings
5. Restart Chrome

This will disable extensions, clear temporary data, and reset all settings. Your bookmarks, history, and saved passwords will be preserved.

Method 8: Check for Malware

Malware can hijack Chrome and cause freezing, redirects, and unwanted pop-ups.

Use Chrome’s Built-in Cleanup Tool (Windows):

1. Go to Chrome Settings
2. Click Reset and clean up (or search for “clean”)
3. Click Clean up computer
4. Click Find to scan for harmful software
5. Remove any detected threats

Run a Full Antivirus Scan:

• Use Windows Defender or your preferred antivirus
• Run a full system scan, not just a quick scan
• Quarantine or remove any detected threats
• Restart your computer after cleaning

Method 9: Reduce Open Tabs and Memory Usage

Each Chrome tab uses significant memory. Too many tabs can exhaust your RAM and cause freezing.

Check Chrome’s Memory Usage:

1. Press Shift + Esc in Chrome to open Chrome’s Task Manager
2. See which tabs and extensions use the most memory
3. Select memory-hungry tabs and click End process

Reduce Memory Usage:

• Close unnecessary tabs (bookmark them for later)
• Use a tab management extension like “The Great Suspender” to suspend inactive tabs
• Avoid keeping video streaming sites open in multiple tabs
• Close tabs from resource-heavy sites like Google Docs, Sheets, or social media

Method 10: Reinstall Chrome Completely

If nothing else works, a clean reinstall often fixes persistent issues.

Windows:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features
2. Find Google Chrome and click Uninstall
3. Press Win + R, type %localappdata%, press Enter
4. Delete the Google > Chrome folder
5. Also delete Chrome folder in %appdata%
6. Download fresh installer from google.com/chrome
7. Install and sign in with your Google account to sync data

Mac:

1. Quit Chrome completely
2. Drag Chrome from Applications to Trash
3. Go to ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome and delete the folder
4. Empty Trash
5. Download and reinstall Chrome

Preventing Future Freezes

• Keep Chrome updated to the latest version
• Limit extensions to only essential ones
• Regularly clear cache and cookies (monthly)
• Don’t keep more than 10-15 tabs open
• Ensure you have at least 8GB RAM for heavy browsing
• Keep your operating system and graphics drivers updated

FAQ

Why does Chrome keep freezing on my computer?

Chrome freezes most commonly due to insufficient RAM, too many open tabs, problematic extensions, or corrupted cache. Start by closing unnecessary tabs and disabling extensions to identify the cause.

How do I unfreeze Chrome without closing it?

Open Chrome’s built-in Task Manager with Shift + Esc, identify the tab causing issues (highest memory/CPU usage), and click “End process” on just that tab. This lets you keep other tabs open.

Why does Chrome use so much memory?

Chrome runs each tab as a separate process for security and stability. This means more tabs equals more memory usage. Extensions also add to memory consumption. Use Chrome’s Task Manager (Shift + Esc) to see what’s using the most resources.

Will clearing cache delete my passwords?

No, clearing cache and cookies won’t delete saved passwords unless you specifically check “Passwords and other sign-in data” in the clear browsing data dialog. Your passwords are stored separately.

Is Chrome better than other browsers for memory usage?

Chrome is known for higher memory usage compared to Firefox or Edge. If you have limited RAM (4GB or less), consider switching to a lighter browser or using Chrome with fewer extensions and tabs.

Why does Chrome freeze only on certain websites?

Specific websites may have heavy JavaScript, auto-playing videos, or compatibility issues with your Chrome version or extensions. Try disabling extensions or using Incognito mode on problematic sites.