Chrome Keeps Crashing or Freezing How to Fix It

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Chrome Keeps Crashing or Freezing How to Fix It

Chrome shows "Aw, Snap!", freezes with "Not responding", or closes without warning. This guide goes from the quickest fixes to the more thorough ones. Most people are sorted after the first four steps.

Step 1: Restart Chrome Properly

Chrome can keep running in the background after you close its window, so a normal close doesn't always clear the problem.

Close all Chrome windows.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and end any Google Chrome entries still listed.
Open Chrome again. If it crashed only once, restart the PC too.

If only one page shows "Aw, Snap!", click Reload first. A single page crash doesn't always mean Chrome itself has a problem.

Step 2: Close Tabs and Free Memory

Too many open tabs is the most common reason Chrome freezes or crashes, especially on PCs with 8 GB of RAM or less.

Press Shift + Esc inside Chrome to open Chrome's own Task Manager. It shows which tab or extension uses the most memory and CPU; select it and click End process.
Turn on Memory Saver: Settings > Performance > Memory Saver. Chrome then frees memory from tabs you're not using.
Close other heavy apps while you browse.

We have a full guide on Google Chrome using too much RAM.

Step 3: Update Chrome

Crashes are often fixed in updates.

Click the three dots at the top right > Help > About Google Chrome.
Chrome checks and installs any update. Click Relaunch.

Also install pending updates in Settings > Windows Update.

Step 4: Check Extensions

A faulty or outdated extension can crash every page.

Open a new Incognito window (Ctrl + Shift + N). Extensions are off there by default.
If Chrome is stable in Incognito, an extension is likely the cause.
Type chrome://extensions in the address bar and turn all extensions off.
Turn them back on one at a time, using Chrome for a while in between, to find the culprit. Remove it, or look for an update.

Remove any extension you don't remember installing. Unknown extensions can also be adware; see top 10 signs your computer has malware.

Step 5: Test Graphics Acceleration

If Chrome crashes, flickers, or shows black or garbled areas, the graphics driver may be the problem.

Go to Settings > System.
Turn off Use graphics acceleration when available and click Relaunch.

If that fixes it, update your graphics driver from Windows Update (Advanced options > Optional updates) or the graphics card or laptop maker's website, then turn acceleration back on. Leaving it off makes videos and some sites slower.

Step 6: Clear the Cache and Cookies

Corrupt cached data can crash specific sites.

Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete.
Choose a time range (try All time if the problem has lasted a while).
Tick Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files, then click Delete data.

You'll be signed out of most websites afterwards.

Step 7: Try a New Chrome Profile

A damaged profile causes crashes that nothing else fixes.

Click your profile picture at the top right.
Choose Add Chrome profile and set up a new profile (you can continue without signing in).
Use Chrome in the new profile for a while.

If it's stable, the old profile is damaged. Sign in to the new profile with your Google account to sync your bookmarks and passwords, then remove the old profile once everything is there. If you don't use sync, export your bookmarks first (Bookmarks > Bookmark manager > three dots > Export bookmarks).

Step 8: Reset Chrome Settings

Go to Settings > Reset settings.
Click Restore settings to their original defaults > Reset settings.

This resets the start page, search engine, pinned tabs and site permissions, and turns off extensions. Your bookmarks, history and saved passwords stay.

Step 9: Check for Conflicting Software

Some security suites, older VPNs and system "optimizer" tools inject code into browsers and make them crash. If Chrome started crashing after installing one, update or uninstall it to test. Also run a full scan with Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options > Full scan. For a thorough clean-up, see how to remove malware from Windows.

Step 10: Reinstall Chrome

Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find Google Chrome, click the three dots and choose Uninstall.
Restart the PC.
Download Chrome again from google.com/chrome and install it.

If you're signed in with sync turned on, your bookmarks and passwords come back when you sign in.

Still Crashing?

If Chrome and other programs crash too, the problem is the PC, not the browser. Low memory, a failing drive or a damaged Windows installation are the usual causes. Start with Windows running slow: 15 fixes and test the memory. In the meantime, Microsoft Edge or Firefox can open the same sites, and Chrome sync lets you use your bookmarks elsewhere.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What does Aw, Snap mean in Chrome?

It means the page's process crashed. Reload the page first. If it keeps happening, the cause is usually low memory, an extension, or a damaged profile, and the steps in this guide cover each.

Will resetting Chrome delete my bookmarks and passwords?

No. Restore settings to their original defaults resets the start page, search engine, pinned tabs and site settings, and turns off extensions. Bookmarks, history and saved passwords are kept.

Why does Chrome freeze when I open many tabs?

Each tab uses memory. With many tabs, the PC runs out of RAM and slows down or crashes. Close tabs you don't need and turn on Memory Saver in Chrome's Performance settings.

Should I turn off hardware acceleration in Chrome?

Only as a test. If turning it off stops flicker, black screens or crashes, the graphics driver is likely at fault. Update the driver and try turning it back on.