Chrome is fast when it is clean. After a year of extensions, hundreds of tabs and gigabytes of cache, it crawls. These fixes take about fifteen minutes and work on Windows laptops and PCs.

1. Close the tab pile — properly

Every tab uses memory even when untouched. Bookmark what matters (Ctrl + D), then close the rest. If Chrome reopens many tabs at startup, change Settings → On startup → Open the New Tab page.

2. Remove extensions you do not recognise or use

Open chrome://extensions. Each extension runs all day. Remove coupon, wallpaper, downloader and converter add-ons you do not actively use — and anything you never installed knowingly. This single step fixes most mysterious slowness and pop-ups.

3. Turn on Memory Saver

Settings → Performance: turn on Memory Saver so inactive tabs sleep instead of eating RAM. Especially helpful on 4 GB and 8 GB laptops.

4. Clear cache — not passwords

Ctrl + Shift + Delete → Time range: All time → tick Cached images and files only (leave passwords alone unless troubleshooting) → Clear data. A bloated cache makes Chrome slower, not faster.

Find the one heavy tab: Press Shift + Esc inside Chrome to open its own Task Manager. It shows exactly which tab or extension is eating CPU and memory — close or remove that one instead of guessing.

5. Turn off background running

Settings → System → turn off Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed. Keep hardware acceleration on unless you see screen glitches or video stutter.

6. Scan the PC for unwanted programs

If the Chrome homepage or search engine changed by itself, or new tabs open ads, an unwanted program is on the PC. Run a full scan with Windows Security, uninstall unknown programs from Settings → Apps, then use Settings → Reset settings in Chrome if needed — bookmarks and passwords stay.

7. Update Chrome and Windows

Chrome menu → Help → About — it updates itself. Also finish pending Windows updates; old graphics drivers are a common hidden cause of browser lag and video freezing.

Read also: Laptop itself slow too? 10 fixes for a very slow Windows laptop →

Frequently asked questions

Is Chrome slow because my laptop is old?

Partly, if RAM is only 4 GB. Memory Saver, fewer extensions and closing tabs help the most on such machines. Adding RAM or an SSD, if your laptop allows, helps more than any setting.

Will resetting Chrome delete my bookmarks and passwords?

No. Reset restores settings and disables extensions, but bookmarks, history and saved passwords stay. You will need to re-enable the extensions you actually want.

Why is only YouTube slow in Chrome?

Check extensions first, then test YouTube in an incognito window — if it is fast there, an extension or cached data is the cause, not your internet.