How to Reduce Chrome RAM Usage

Quick Tips

• Close unused tabs or group them together.
• Turn off unnecessary extensions.
• Use Chrome’s built-in Task Manager.

If your computer starts lagging every time you open Chrome, it’s probably because Chrome is eating up your RAM. This happens a lot, especially if you keep many tabs open or have too many extensions running. Fortunately, several simple fixes can reduce Chrome’s RAM consumption and improve performance.

Fix 1. Use Chrome’s Task Manager

Chrome has its own Task Manager built in, just like your computer does. It shows you how much memory each tab and extension is using.

Step 1: Open Chrome.

Step 2: Press Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open the Chrome Task Manager.

Step 3: Look through the list and find tabs or extensions that are using a lot of memory.

Step 4: Click the one you want to close, then End Process.

This doesn’t delete anything, it just stops it from running right now. If you notice a certain site or extension always using too much RAM, you can shut it easily.

Fix 2. Turn Off or Remove Unused Extensions

Extensions are add-ons that can make Chrome more useful, but they also use memory. If you’ve added some over time, they could be slowing you down even if you’re not using them.

Step 1: In Chrome, click the three dots in the top right corner.

Step 2: Go to Extensions by clicking Extensions > Manage Extensions.

Step 3: Look through the list for extensions you don’t use often. You can toggle them off, which disables them but doesn’t delete them, or you can use Remove to remove them entirely.

Some extensions constantly run in the background. These can use a lot more RAM than you think.

Fix 3. Use Tab Groups or Close Unused Tabs

Every tab you open uses memory. If you leave many tabs open in the background, your RAM gets used up fast. You don’t have to close them all, but organizing them helps.

Step 1: Right-click on a tab and choose Add tab to new group.

Step 2: Give the group a name and color to better organize it.

Step 3: Bookmark tabs that you don’t want to lose but don’t want to keep open all the time.

If you don’t need a tab at all, just close it. Chrome will free up that memory right away.

Fix 4. Turn On Graphics Acceleration

This option shifts some of the work from your RAM to your computer’s GPU. This may not always help if some of the programs you run need to use RAM, but for some users, it makes Chrome run smoother.

Step 1: Open Chrome and click the three dots in the top right corner.

Step 2: Go to Settings > System.

Step 3: Turn on Use graphics acceleration when available.

Step 4: Restart Chrome by closing your browser and reopening a new one.

Try it and see if your system runs better now. If not, you can turn it back off.

Fix 5. Clear Out Background Processes

Chrome sometimes keeps programs running in the background, even after you close all your tabs. This uses memory without you realizing it.

Step 1: Open Chrome and click the three dots in the top right corner.

Step 2: Go to Settings > System.

Step 3: Toggle off Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed.

This ensures Chrome fully shuts down when you exit it and doesn’t leave anything running.