Chrome is an exceptional browser and one of the most popular options available right now. Around 3.45 billion people use Chrome and have it installed on their devices. However, the problem with Chrome is that it’s a known resource hog. It does require quite a lot of resources from your device, and it can get very slow at times. However, there are methods you can use to speed it up.
Why is Chrome slow on your Mac?
There are all kinds of reasons behind that. A lot of the time, it has to do with clutter that ends up within the Chrome folder. For example, you may have a lot of extensions installed, and those can make the device run slowly. On top of that, the extensions could be out of date, same with the operating system.
Not having the latest Chrome version could lead to slowdowns. Either that, or you have a problem with the cache files, or maybe you use a lot of tabs. That will require tons of RAM and CPU, which can easily become a problem. Addressing that and knowing how to manage the situation is extremely important. And it will surely make things a whole lot easier to manage.
Update your Chrome installation
A good way to speed it up is to make sure that your Chrome installation is up to date. A lack of updates can prove to be problematic. Thankfully, you can enter the About Chrome section and when you check that, it will automatically update your Chrome installation. It’s a great thing to keep in mind, because keeping Chrome updated will give you access to new features, security updates and a better experience. Plus, they always try to speed up Chrome via updates, so here you will get the best, fastest version available.
Reset your Chrome installation
Sometimes, if a lot of clutter ends up on the device, you will need to remove it. Resetting Chrome is a good idea because it reverts your Chrome installation to its default. That means no extensions, no clutter or unnecessary data. If you see that Chrome is running slow, create a backup of all important data, such as bookmarks or passwords. Then, you reset your Chrome installation, and the entire experience will be a whole lot better.
Use a Mac cleanup tool
The role of a cleanup tool is to remove all those unnecessary browser files, such as cache for example. Some of these tools also have an uninstaller. You could uninstall and then reinstall Chrome. It’s similar to a reset, but here you are removing pretty much every file from the device pertaining to Chrome, and not just the Chrome folder itself.
Do a malware scan
It might not always be the case, but the truth is that malware could end up causing a slowdown for your device. That’s why you can never be too careful when it comes to this type of stuff. Scanning for malware is a necessity these days, because it can appear from anything. A simple click on an infected link could bring tons of malware on your device. That’s why an anti-malware tool can be extremely useful, and it can prevent severe problems down the line.
Remove unused extensions
Those Chrome extensions will require certain resources and that can be difficult to manage. The best approach in a situation like this is to enter the Extensions folder and see which ones you want to keep. In case you have any extensions that are out of date, update those or remove them, if you’re not going to use them anymore. It’s definitely a good idea to take your time and browse those extensions, as it will streamline the process and provide a better result.
Other actionable tips:
- For a lot of people, the best approach when you have Chrome slowing down is to close tabs. If you have over 20 tabs open, that might lead to a slowdown for your browser. Try to keep open only those tabs you need.
- Also, check the internet connection. Sometimes, there can be slowdowns caused by the internet provider or your router, for example. Addressing that will always help and it will certainly make the process easier.
- Updating your Mac OS also helps quite a bit. You never know what speed upgrades were made by Apple, so it makes sense to keep the OS up to date all the time.
Conclusion
It’s clear that Chrome can be very slow at times. That’s why you want to know what causes the slowdown, but also the different methods you can use to speed it up. Yes, it can be difficult to tackle at times, but the return can be great and that’s what matters. At the end of the day, you want to take your time, study how Chrome affects your computer, and how you can address those issues accordingly!
