If you find yourself needing to speed up Google Chrome regularly, you may just have an internet issue or a malware problem, both of which need to be addressed quickly.
A lazy browser is unacceptable when you have anime to stream and assignments to complete, so learning how to fix a slow browser is a task well worth the effort. Our first attempts to speed up Chrome usually involve refreshing the browser and reconnecting to the internet but these half-hearted solutions don’t always get the job done. Sometimes, the only way to fix a slow Chrome browser connection is to switch to a better network, because the free open ones are overloaded with users, but often, there are underlying problems that slow a browser down.
How to Fix a Slow Browser and Get Back to Your Work
Before you try to make Chrome or any other browser run faster, the first step is to check whether there is an issue with the internet connection. Both Wi-Fi and mobile internet networks are not always reliable and they slow down your access to the internet regardless of which app you’re using. You can always check first, by opening up a few other apps and services and checking if you’re able to access the internet without issues. If those apps fail to load, then you have an internet problem on your hands and should check with the service provider to see what is wrong.
A smarter and more reliable way to check is to run a speed test on your device and make a note of the numbers. A speed test measures the speed between your device and a test server, assessing how quickly data is sent and received, or uploaded and downloaded, across the connection. A speed of 20-40 Mbps (megabits per second) is sufficient for most streaming and searching needs but anything lower could require addressing before you fix the slow browser. 100 Mbps or anything higher is necessary for large, demanding games so if that’s what you’re trying to run, check to see if the speed matches up. Speedtest by Ookla, PCMag’s tester, or the Chrome browser’s very own speed test in connection with its Measurement Lab are some platforms you could run the test.
Update Your Device and Browser to Make Chrome Faster
Again, you may not have to fix a slow browser but a slow device instead. Check to make sure your device is up-to-date with the latest features to assure yourself that it isn’t the reason your browser is bothering you. Laptops that are constantly on with an opportunity to shut down and complete their updates frequently slow down or start to lag.
Once you’ve checked the device, go to your Chrome settings via the three dots on the right corner of your browser. Find the “About Chrome” page on the bottom of the left panel and you can check if your browser is up to date. If it isn’t, the browser will start updating automatically and you can see how fast the update is moving. When the update is complete, close all the browsers you have and open the page again to speed up Google Chrome.
If these precautions don’t fix a slow browser, you have some underlying issues that need to be addressed and eliminated to pick the pace back up.
Fix a Slow Chrome Browser by Closing Additional Tabs
Your browser may slow down when it is overloaded with traffic from your device or from your area overall. If you have many unnecessary tabs open right now like I do, bookmark those that you need for later and close any tabs that you do not need. Many pages have ads and videos that constantly run in the background and take up unnecessary bandwidth when they don’t need to. Moving your cursor over the tab name will open up a box that tells you just how much memory is being consumed by the tab. Even if it’s a negligible amount, it may be getting in the way of your connection.
Google’s memory saver mode is also available to deactivate tabs that you aren’t using. When you click on the tab the next time you need it, Google will reload the page for you and treat it like an active tab instead. If you have apps running in the background, it doesn’t hurt to close those as well to allow our device to focus on the browser page you need to load.
Get Rid of Unnecessary Extensions to Improve Chrome’s Performance
Extensions make life easier and allow you to integrate many capabilities that your browser doesn’t offer itself. Whether you still use Teleparty to stream shows with your buddies or you have an ad blocker to stop ads from running, extensions are a great addition to your browsing experience. However, they may be slowing your browser down. These rely on your internet to stay running and some of them aren’t fully optimized to stay out of the way of your browsing. These extensions also use some of the memory to stay running constantly.
Browser extensions are also not as well regulated and include code that might make your device more vulnerable to malware. Virus and malware could be another reason why your laptop is slow. To fix a slow browser and make Chrome faster, disable extensions you don’t currently need and delete those you don’t see yourself using anytime soon. Click on the puzzle piece box icon that should be close to your address bar in the top right corner. This should give you a list of the extensions you currently have pinned or that you use regularly. Choose the manage extensions button at the bottom of the menu for the full list of extensions. Clicking on the three dots next to each one will give you the option to “Remove from Chrome.”
If you are sure you want to get rid of them, click remove to get it out of the way. If you want to be more thorough with which extensions are demanding the most of your browser so you can eliminate them first, go to the task manager to check and remove those first.
Clear Your Browser Cookies, Cache, and Browsing History
Another way to fix a slow browser is to clear your cookies and cache data out. This can be a pain to do because clearing your cookies will mean logging back into every website you visit regularly. These cookies are data files that are transferred between your website and browser, in order to store data relevant to your visit to those websites. This includes your login details, recently searched terms in the website’s search bar, and categories of information that you look at, in order to advertise to you better. You should make it a habit to reject unnecessary cookies when you visit a new browser to limit the exchange of data and reduce the amount that gets stored about you.
Unfortunately, not all the cookies can be rejected so you should try and clear them out regularly to speed up Google Chrome and prevent any unnecessary connections with browsers you don’t want saving your data. This can also eliminate any malware that is stored with the cache files. You can click on the three-dot menu to find the “Clear browsing data” menu or press Control, Shift, and Delete to find the “Clear History” page.
Scan Your Device For Malware and Viruses
Installing a good antivirus should be your first move the moment you buy a new device. Running scans to search for any “bad” files and viruses regularly can save you from having your system hijacked by those who intend to misuse your information. You might have viruses downloading in the background without realizing it, which needs to be addressed to fix your slow browser and save you from facing problems that are far worse. You can also upgrade Chrome’s security to set checks in place and fix a slow browser. The “Enhanced Protection” feature can provide some assistance in keeping your data safe and checking your internet activity to detect any anomalies.
To fix a slow browser, try to ensure you aren’t trying to load a website that has its own problems loading or one that your browser recommended you do not visit. Certain website have their own ways of slowing down your browser and keeping you waiting with the tab open for longer, and they can harm your device in the long run. Avoid visiting shady websites and clicking on random links if you can help it.
Regularly clearing unwanted files on your device, running scans and disk defragmenters, checking the permissions on websites, clearing your cookies, and updating all of your software systems can make sure you don’t have to fix a slow browser. It will make Chrome fast, keep your data safe, and promise you a smooth, uninterrupted experience online.