Chrome is notorious for using a lot of CPU computing power as well as RAM. And with Chrome being the most popular browser out there, this can be a problem. So how to reduce Chrome CPU usage?
You can do quite a few things to lower Chrome CPU usage but remember that even then, Chrome will use a lot more power than other browsers. This is because Chrome keeps all extensions and tabs as separate processes in your operating system, which is good for performance and stability but also uses a lot of computing power.
The obvious answer would be to turn off all tabs that you are not currently using. If each tab is treated as a separate process, it means that running three tabs is equivalent to running three browsers at the same time. If you have ever opened the same game twice by accident, you have probably noticed that your computer will lag and freeze until you turn one of them off. While Chrome does not use anywhere near as much as a modern AAA game, it can still use a lot.
How to reduce Chrome CPU usage in some other ways, then? You can find the answer below.
How to Reduce Chrome CPU Usage?
Besides closing tabs that you are not using at the moment, you can also remove extensions that you do not need. When was the last time you opened the extensions menu? If the answer is two years ago or worse, chances are you have a ton of extensions that you don’t need. You can delete them by going to chrome://extensions.
Simply copy and paste this into your search bar and it will open the extensions menu. Go through each extension to see what it does and if you need it. There is a remove button next to the extension, so that part is self-explanatory.
Another thing that you can try is to disable hardware acceleration. This is a feature that allows a program to utilize your hardware most efficiently, but it often means that you will see a huge spike in CPU and RAM usage as well.
You can disable it by going into Chrome settings, typing “hardware acceleration” in the search bar, and turning off the option that says “Use hardware acceleration when available“. And just like that, you have disabled it. This solution works especially well if you use a CPU that has only four cores and four threads or fewer.
If you have already removed all unnecessary extensions, have only one or two tabs open, and have disabled hardware acceleration, then you might have a problem with malicious software. Malware, trackers, and adware are all types of software that will slow down not only your Chrome browser but also your whole computer.
You can remove malicious programs by going into Chrome settings and typing “Clean up computer” in the search bar. The option should now pop up and you simply need to click on it and then run a scan. This will detect most harmful software, but not everything.
If you want a better cleanup, downloading a third-party anti-malware program is a good idea. Programs like Malwarebytes are free, easy to install, and super easy to use as well. This will detect malware, adware, trackers, spyware, and other malicious software. You can choose to quarantine the programs or remove them outright.
If all else fails, resetting Chrome completely is your last resort. Again, go to Chrome settings, and type “restore” in the search bar. An option that says “Restore settings to their original defaults ” will pop up. Run it and it will then do a factory reset, which has the same effect as reinstalling the program.
Conclusion
Chrome is a great, fast, and stable browser that many people use daily. The only problem is that it uses a lot of computing power. So how to reduce Chrome CPU usage? Closing tabs, deleting extensions, running malware scans, turning off hardware acceleration, and restoring the default settings are all viable options. While Chrome will always use more CPU and RAM than other browsers, it remains one of the most reliable, fast, and stable browsers out there.
