Introduction
Google Chrome’s Energy Saver helps your laptop’s battery last longer by reducing Chrome’s background work while you are on battery power. To turn it on, open chrome://settings/performance and switch on Energy Saver. Google says it is available on Windows, Mac and Chromebook devices that have a battery. This guide covers how to turn it on, when it activates and what it changes.
How to Enable Chrome Energy Saver
Windows, Mac and Chromebook
To enable Chrome Energy Saver on desktop platforms, follow these steps:
- Open Chrome and click on the three vertical dots in the top-right corner to open the menu.
- Select Settings from the dropdown.
- Select Performance in the menu on the left.
- Turn Energy Saver on.
- Choose when it should activate: Turn on only when your battery is at 20% or lower or Turn on when your computer is unplugged.
These steps follow Google’s help page Personalize Chrome performance.
Android and iOS
Chrome on phones and tablets has no Energy Saver setting. Google says you can’t personalize Chrome’s performance on iOS and Android. To save battery there, use your phone’s own battery saver or Low Power Mode, and keep Chrome updated on Android or iPhone and iPad.
When Chrome Energy Saver Activates
Energy Saver only works on battery power. Google says it doesn’t turn on when your device is plugged in. You choose one of two triggers:
- Turn on only when your battery is at 20% or lower: Energy Saver starts when the battery runs low.
- Turn on when your computer is unplugged: Energy Saver runs whenever you are on battery power.
To pause it for the current session, for example to let a background tab keep updating, select the Energy Saver icon next to the address bar, then Turn off now.
What Chrome Energy Saver Limits
According to Google’s help page, when Energy Saver is active:
- Chrome reduces its image capture rate and other background tasks.
- Chrome stops eligible CPU-intensive background tabs.
- Tabs that are on a video call or playing audio are not affected.
- You may notice changes in gaming and video performance.
Settings Options for Chrome Energy Saver
Energy Saver has only the on/off switch and the two trigger choices above. The same Performance page also holds Memory Saver, which makes unused tabs inactive to free memory, and the list of sites to always keep active.
Battery Life Impact
Google does not publish a battery-life figure. How much time you gain depends on your device and on how many busy background tabs you keep open. Google suggests turning Energy Saver on when you need the battery to last, such as on a long trip or a flight.
Conclusion
Chrome Energy Saver is an essential tool for users looking to optimize battery life without sacrificing browsing efficiency. By understanding how to enable and manage it across different platforms, you can extend the life of your device’s battery while maintaining a seamless browsing experience. For more detailed guidance, see Google Chrome Help.