How to Troubleshoot Google Chrome on Mac

Google Chrome is by far the most widely used Web browser out there, and for a good reason. Over time, however, what was once a fast, lean, and efficient browser has turned into a resource hog that may run into a variety of issues. The browser could start to experience slowdowns, crashes, freezes, etc. For laptop users, there also is the battery drain, which has remained a serious issue even after several optimization patches that have delivered sizable improvements. To further alleviate some of the problems associated with Chrome on Mac systems, users can follow the suggestions outlined below.

To reduce the strain on your laptop's battery, start by identifying which is the biggest resource hog among your Chrome's extensions and tabs. Open Chrome, choose the 'Window' option in the top menu, and click on 'Task Manager.' Now, select the Memory Footprint column to sort the displayed items. Look through the listed sites and extensions, see which ones take up the most memory, and close them. Keep in mind that while you can still visit these websites you may want to not keep their tabs open all the time.

If your Chrome is running slow or often freezes, then it may be worthwhile to clear the browser's cache. These are small files that facilitate faster browsing but can pile up over a prolonged period and start to cause issues if your Mac is running low on space, especially. To delete Chrome's cache files manually, open the browser and choose 'Chrome' from the top menu. Select the 'Clear Browsing Data' from the available options and select the items you wish to delete. We recommended picking the history, cache, and cookies at least. When you are ready, click on 'Clear Data.' Keep in mind that this may reset information that has been saved into the browser previously so you may need to input it again the next time you visit the associated website.

Another option that users report having helped them reduce Chrome's energy consumption is to disable background synchronization. Open Chrome once more and go to the 'Settings' menu (the three-dots icon in the top right corner of the application's window). Now, select 'Privacy and Security' and then go to 'Site Settings.' Navigate through the options and click on 'Background sync.' All that is left to use the slider to disable the option.