Chrome Keeps Crashing? Here's How to Stop It

Google Chrome crashing repeatedly can make your computer feel unusable, especially if Chrome is your primary browser for work. When chrome keeps crashing becomes an issue, the cause is usually something you can fix yourself. Chrome may crash on startup, freeze when you open a new tab, or display the "Aw, Snap!" error page on every site you visit. The root cause is almost always an extension conflict, excessive memory usage, or corrupted browser data. This guide walks you through each fix in order of likelihood.

Update Chrome to the Latest Version

Outdated Chrome versions have known bugs that cause crashes. Chrome should update automatically, but if it is crashing, the update process may be stuck.

1. Open Chrome. If it stays open long enough, go to the three-dot menu > Help > About Google Chrome.
2. Chrome will check for updates and install them automatically.
3. Click Relaunch to restart Chrome with the update.
4. If Chrome crashes before you can access the menu, uninstall and reinstall Chrome with a fresh download.

Disable Extensions

Extensions are the most common cause of Chrome crashes. A single poorly coded or malicious extension can make Chrome unstable.

1. Open Chrome and type chrome://extensions in the address bar.
2. Toggle off every extension on the page.
3. Use Chrome normally for a few minutes to see if the crashing stops.
4. If Chrome is now stable, turn extensions back on one at a time. After enabling each one, use Chrome for a minute. The extension that triggers the crash when re-enabled is the culprit. Remove it.

If Chrome crashes before you can reach the extensions page, launch it with extensions disabled. On Windows, press Win+R and type: chrome.exe --disable-extensions. On Mac, open Terminal and type: open -a "Google Chrome" --args --disable-extensions.

Clear Cache and Browsing Data

Corrupted cache files can cause Chrome to crash when loading pages or even during startup.

1. Open Chrome and press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac).
2. Set the time range to All time.
3. Check Cached images and files and Cookies and other site data.
4. Click Delete data.
5. Restart Chrome.

Free Up System Memory

Chrome is known for high memory usage, especially with many tabs open. When your system runs out of RAM, Chrome tabs crash with the "Aw, Snap!" error.

• Close unnecessary tabs. Each tab uses between 50 and 300 MB of RAM. If you have 20+ tabs open, you may be using several gigabytes just for Chrome.
• Use Chrome's built-in Task Manager. Press Shift+Esc inside Chrome to open it. Sort by Memory to find which tabs and extensions use the most. End processes for tabs you do not need.
• Enable Memory Saver. Go to chrome://settings/performance and turn on Memory Saver. This feature suspends inactive tabs to free up RAM for the tabs you are actively using.
• Close other applications. Video editing software, virtual machines, and other browsers running simultaneously can starve Chrome of memory.

According to Google's official Chrome crash troubleshooting guide, memory exhaustion and extension conflicts account for the vast majority of recurring Chrome crashes.

Reset Chrome Settings

If individual fixes do not help, resetting Chrome restores all settings to their defaults without deleting your bookmarks, passwords, or browsing history.

1. Go to chrome://settings/reset.
2. Click Restore settings to their original defaults.
3. Click Reset settings.

This disables all extensions, clears cookies and site data, resets the startup page, new tab page, search engine, and pinned tabs. You will need to re-enable the extensions you want to keep, one at a time, testing stability after each.

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Check for Malware

Browser hijackers and adware are a common cause of Chrome instability. They inject code into Chrome processes, causing crashes, redirects, and unwanted popups.

• Run a full system scan with your antivirus software.
• On Windows, run Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Full scan.
• Consider running a scan with Malwarebytes (free version) which specializes in finding browser-targeted malware.

If Chrome won't open at all instead of crashing after it starts, our guide on Chrome not opening covers startup-specific fixes including profile resets and process management.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Chrome crash only on certain websites?

Site-specific crashes are usually caused by heavy JavaScript or media content overwhelming Chrome, especially on older hardware. It can also be caused by a corrupt cache entry for that site. Clear the cache for that specific site by clicking the lock icon in the address bar > Site settings > Clear data.

Does Chrome crash more with too many extensions?

Yes. Every extension runs in its own process and consumes memory and CPU. Having more than 10 active extensions significantly increases the chance of crashes, especially on computers with 8 GB of RAM or less. Only keep extensions you actively use.

Why does Chrome crash when I open a new tab?

New tab crashes are typically caused by a corrupted new tab page extension, a custom new tab page that fails to load, or an issue with Chrome's prerendering feature. Reset Chrome settings to restore the default new tab page, or navigate to chrome://settings/onStartup and change the startup behavior.

Is it better to use another browser if Chrome keeps crashing?

If you have tried all the fixes above and Chrome still crashes, trying a Chromium-based alternative like Microsoft Edge or Brave can help determine whether the issue is Chrome-specific or system-wide. If other browsers also crash, the problem is with your operating system, hardware (often RAM), or a system-level software conflict.