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Chrome High CPU Usage: How to Stop it on Windows 10 & 11
Everything you need to stabilize your browser’s CPU usage
11 min. read
Updated onAugust 6, 2024
updated onAugust 6, 2024
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Most browsers, or any app, consume a certain amount of resources. But Google Chrome’s high CPU usage has troubled a lot of users.
Google Chromeis the most used browser, even though it uses a lot of CPU. But there are a lot of unanswered questions here. Is Chrome supposed to consume so many resources, or is it just the case with you? Would modifying the Chrome settings help?
Read the following sections to find out the answer to these and other questions, along with the most effective solutions if Chrome’s CPU usage is high.
Is it normal for Chrome to use a lot of CPU?
Google Chrome is known for high CPU and memory usage. So, if you ever see it doing that, fret not! Things are perfectly normal.
But if the CPU usage goes past 70-80% or remains at that level even if you are not running several tabs simultaneously, there might be a problem.
It could be an installed extension, malware on your PC, the Chrome files may be corrupt, or you might be using Google Chrome on a virtual machine causing high CPU usage, among other reasons. Here are some of the cases:
Quick Tip:
To overcome this issue faster, start surfing the web with a browser that is already way lighter, without any tweaking. We highly recommend Opera One as a great Chrome alternative.
It uses way less memory and CPU, even with multiple open tabs. Plus, it has a battery-save mode that restricts non-vital tasks, offering better performance.
Opera One
Why is my Chrome CPU usage so high when playing games?
The CPU usage might be high if you are playing a game on Chrome or somehow connected to the browser. Several online games lead could lead to the problem.
Another reason behind it is streaming high-quality content, so high CPU usage is not uncommon if the game has high specifications or very detailed graphics. Or it could just as well be an extension installed by the game or the user to boost its performance.
Here are some of the cases where the issue is reported:
Why is Chrome always running in the background?
Some apps and extensions require Chrome to run in the background for effective functioning. These include email notifications or chat apps.
But you can always disable Chrome from running in the background by modifying the browser settings. Google Chrome does offer an option for it.
Here’s how you can disable that:
That’s it! Now, Google Chrome would no more run in the background after you close it, which should, to a certain extent, fix the high CPU usage issue.
What happens if you force stop Chrome?
When you force-stop Chrome, the browser, and all the related processes will terminate immediately. This should be avoided since force-stopping Chrome can affect the browser files, and the correct way is to terminate it using theClosebutton.
But, if the browser is not responding and you can’t access the various controls, force-stopping Chrome is the only option. Though try to avoid doing it as far as possible.
Can high CPU usage damage your computer?
High CPU usage will certainly slow down the computer but wouldn’t damage it if you have the temperature under control. Many users who perform video rendering or are into extensive gaming run their CPU at 100% for hours without causing any damage to it.
So, keep the temperature under check, somewhere near 50 °C. As soon as the temperature goes beyond 75 °C, it could damage the computer.
But again, most modern computers would automatically shut down on reaching this level and wouldn’t turn on until the temperature returned to the normal range.
You can also regularlymonitor the CPU temperaturein case the CPU usage is high andmanually control the computer fanto cool it down when the temperature rises above 75 °C.
How do I stop Chrome from using so much CPU?
Google Chrome high CPU usage on Windows 11
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Navigate to theCompatibilitytab.
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Tick the checkbox forRun this program as an administratorand click onOKto save the changes.
If you started encountering Chrome’s high CPU usage after installing an extension, it could just as well be responsible for the issue. In this case, simply removing the extension should do the trick.
Windows will now scan and install the best available driver on the computer. This method is really simple and quick.Updating the graphics drivershould fix Chrome’s high CPU usage and improve its performance, along with other programs.
However, if the Device Manager cannot locate an update, you can trymanually installing the latest driver version.
Or, if you want quicker results and automate the task, so you’ll never have driver issues in the future, useOutbyte Driver Updater. It’s a light software that can find and install new driver versions as soon as they drop.
Chrome high CPU usage on Windows 10
A corrupt cache or other Chrome data often leads to high CPU usage. In this case, clearing all the data and starting fresh is the best way.
For many users, it was a virus behind Google Chrome’s high CPU usage, and running a full system scan did the trick. If you don’t use Windows Security, run the scan using anyeffective third-party antivirus.
Software Reporter is a feature that comes bundled with Chrome. It collects data about harmful software, extensions, or processes on your computer and sends it to Google.
Many users mentioned that it was the Software Reporter tool behind Chrome’s high CPU usage in Windows. There are other ways to disable the feature, but the Registry method is by far the best though you will have to be careful while making the changes.
Chrome 100% CPU usage on Windows 7
If nothing else works in Windows to fix high Chrome CPU usage, you can always reset the browser to its default settings. This method has worked for the majority of users.
Chrome high CPU usage on Mac
If you don’t get the desired results after trying both solutions, useCCleaner. It’s a handy tool that will help you tweak some settings to speed up Windows 7 and stop high CPU.
Chrome high CPU usage on Ubuntu
Sometimes, problems with the browser arise due to issues that creep in during the installation, and the best way out of this is to reinstall Chrome itself.
After you have reinstalled Chrome, the high CPU usage problem should be fixed, and you wouldn’t notice any lag or issues with the computer related to Google Chrome from now on.
Chrome high CPU usage on Linux
How much CPU should Chrome use?
There is no definite answer to this. For some users, Google Chrome might use 30% of the CPU, while for others, the CPU usage would be high, somewhere between 60-80% or even 100% if multiple problematic extensions are installed.
So, it all depends on the browser settings and how you have set it up. To keep your computer’s performance unaffected, keep the CPU usage below 60%, and you should be good to go.
That’s all there is to high CPU usage issue with Chrome on every operating system, and by the time you reach this part of the article, the problem should be eliminated.
Also, find out how to fixhigh memory usage in Chrome. Many also reportedChrome Helper Renderer high CPU usageproblems, but we covered those in another guide.
Tell us which fix worked for you and your thoughts on Chrome’s high resource consumption in the comments below.
More about the topics:Google Chrome,High CPU usage
Kazim Ali Alvi
Windows Hardware Expert
Kazim has always been fond of technology, be it scrolling through the settings on his iPhone, Android device, or Windows PC. He’s specialized in hardware devices, always ready to remove a screw or two to find out the real cause of a problem.
Long-time Windows user, Kazim is ready to provide a solution for your every software & hardware error on Windows 11, Windows 10 and any previous iteration. He’s also one of our experts in Networking & Security.
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Kazim Ali Alvi
Windows Hardware Expert
Kazim is specialized in hardware devices, always ready to remove a screw or two to find out the real cause of a problem.
