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How to Fix Google Chrome Not Responding or Opening Issues
Here’s how to fix Google Chrome not responding → Clean, reset or reinstall
10 min. read
Updated onJuly 11, 2024
updated onJuly 11, 2024
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Google Chrome is the most popular browser in the world, but this doesn’t mean it’s 100% bug-free. Thus, Google Chrome not responding instances are not as scarce as you’d think.
Indeed, Chrome is a very stable, fast, and reliable browser. However, users reported Chrome not working on several occasions. Needless to say, this can be frustrating as it prevents you from connecting to the Internet.
So, why is Google Chrome unresponsive? Let’s take a closer look and find out.
Why is Google Chrome not responding?
→ Sometimes, third-party applications can cause these problems to occur. To fix the issue, it’s advised to perform a full system scan and check if that helps.
→ If Google Chrome keeps freezing, the installation might be corrupted or to process might be stuck. Reinstalling the browser orusing a task killercan help.
Sometimes the extensions for your browser might create problems with the browser itself, which can result in a notice saying that thepage is not responding.
→ Take a deeper look at the extensions and do not immediately rule out your security software.
→ As always, the cache piling up can lead to anomalies and this is no exception.
Here are some similar problems that users reported:
Chrome can become unresponsive or bugged on any device or OS that you use it. The following are some errors reported by users:
This being said, let’s see how to fix the Google Chrome not responding error and get back to surfing the Internet. Keep on reading!
How do I fix Google Chrome not responding?
1. Use a better browser
If this isn’t your first problem with Chrome, we think that the easiest solution of them all is to simply make the switch to a better one.
Sinceexporting your bookmarks and settings is easy and fast, all that is left is to choose an alternative. We recommend Opera One. It’s based on Chromium so you will feel just at home with it.
But you will also have access to the Opera sidebar and lots of new features. Basically, you can organize yourself better and be more productive. It’s also quite fast. Probably faster than Chrome itself.
Opera One
2. Add Chrome to your firewall exception list
According to users, sometimes Google Chrome might not respond if there’s an issue with your firewall.
Your firewall is designed to restrict Internet access to certain apps, and in order to make sure that everything is working properly, you need to allow Google Chrome through your firewall.
Google Chrome should be automatically allowed to go through your firewall, but if it’s not, be sure to follow these instructions to fix the problem.
Most users don’t use Windows Firewall because of issues such as this. We recommend using one of thesethird-party firewallsfor better and more customized protection.
3. Scan your computer for malware
One of the main causes of this problem can be malware infection. Malware can sometimes interfere with your browser and cause Google Chrome to not respond.
This can be a big problem, but you should be able to fix it by performing a detailed antivirus scan. To ensure that your system is protected, we advise you to use a good third-party antivirus solution such asESET HOME Security Essential.
This antivirus offers great protection as well as advanced security features ensuring that your system is protected at all times.
A multi-layered approach makes this solution great: it combines traditional email signatures and scanning with Machine Learning and cloud capabilities. This means that it will detect viruses faster, better, and without being too resource-intensive.
⇒Get ESET HOME Security Essential
4. Clear your DNS cache
If Google Chrome is not responding, the issue might be your DNS cache. This is just a minor problem, and in order to fix it, you just have to remove the cache.
Finally, if you’renot able to open Command Prompt as an admin, take a closer look at our guide.
5. Uninstall and reinstall the browser
To completely uninstall Google Chrome, we advise you to use uninstaller software. This application will remove Chrome along with all files and registry entries associated with it.
Why is it a better choice? The default uninstaller is less effective because it removes some of the files that were installed originally. Various registry changes that occurred while using it and other files that were created are ignored.
Usingspecialized uninstaller softwareyou will remove any program from the system and eliminate all the residual files instantly. It’s like you never had the software installed in the first place.
Hence, download an efficient uninstaller and remove Chrome. While you’re at it, you might as well select some other old and forgotten software. You can select multiple programs and it will remove them all.
6. Run an SFC scan
Once the DISM scan is finished, check if the issue is still there. If the problem still persists, you might want to try running the SFC scan once again and check if that helps.
File corruption can also cause this issue to occur, and to fix the problem you need to repair the corrupted files.
This is relatively simple, and you can do it by running an SFC scan. Alternatively, you can also try thesetools that repair corrupted files.
7. Make sure you’re running the latest Chrome version
If Google Chrome is not responding on your PC, it’s possible that it’s out of date. Sometimes certain bugs can occur once in a while and cause issues with Chrome, therefore it’s crucial to keep Chrome up to date.
8. Clear the cache, browsing history, and cookies
Once Chrome cleans the cache, the Google Chrome not responding issue will be resolved.
Another common cause for Chrome to stop responding is your cache. If the cache is corrupted, that might lead to certain issues with Chrome, therefore we advise you to clean your cache.
You can alsotry CCleanerto clear the data for you!
9. Disable extensions
Google Chrome supports a variety of extensions that can enhance Chrome with new features.
Even though Chrome extensions can be incredibly useful, some extensions can be quite demanding in terms of resources, and others might be buggy and cause Chrome to stop responding.
To fix the problem, it’s advised to find and disable certain extensions and check if that helps. When Chrome restarts, check if the problem still appears.
If not, it means that one of the extensions was causing it. To find which extension is the problem, enable extensions one by one until you find the problematic one. Once you find it, remove it or update it and check if that solves your problem.
10. Check the proxy settings
According to users, if Chrome is not responding, the issue might be your proxy. Proxy is a great way to protect your privacy online, but sometimes proxy can cause certain issues to occur.
After you disable the proxy, the issue will be resolved. Obviously, this will leave a hole in your privacy protection. Feel free to check out thesebest third-party proxy toolsto compensate.
11. Reset Google Chrome
Still, resetting will erase your browsing history. No worries, we havethe ultimate guide for restoring your browsing data.
What can I do if Chrome is not responding when uploading files?
Instead of using browsers, users may upload folders using the applications that come with cloud storage.
There are programs available for Google Drive, DropBox, and OneDrive that allow users to synchronize the storage on their local hard drives with the storage in the cloud.
These programs often set up a cloud storage folder into which users may drag and drop files and folders in File Explorer in order to upload content to the cloud.
The websites of the users’ cloud storage services provide users the ability to download the synchronizing applications.
For more solutions to Chrome not uploading files, check out our post on what to do if thefolder upload is not supported by your browser.
We hope the solutions listed above helped you to fix Google Chrome’s responsiveness issues. If you’ve come across other workarounds, you can list the troubleshooting steps in the comments section below. Moreover, ifChrome keeps capturing your screen, we’ve got you covered.
More about the topics:Google Chrome Errors
Madalina Dinita
Networking & Security Specialist
Madalina has been a Windows fan ever since she got her hands on her first Windows XP computer.
She is interested in all things technology, especially emerging technologies – AI and DNA computing in particular.
Prior to joining the WindowsReport team, she worked in the corporate world for a number of years.
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Madalina Dinita
Networking & Security Specialist
Madalina is a Windows fan since forever, especially interested in AI, emerging technologies, privacy, and security.
