On Windows and Linux, Chrome keeps running after you close its last window when the setting Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed is on. To turn it off:
- Open Chrome and select the three-dot More menu > Settings.
- Select System.
- Turn off Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed.
Or copy this address into the address bar to open the System settings directly: chrome://settings/system
On a Mac, Chrome has no background apps setting. Closing a window can leave Chrome open, so press Command + Q to quit it.
What background mode does
Google’s documentation for this setting explains it. In background mode, a Chrome process starts when you sign in to your computer and keeps running after the last browser window is closed, so background apps and your browsing session stay active. While it runs, Chrome shows an icon in the system tray, and you can always close it from there.
The same documentation says background mode is off at first, but you can change it. If your work or school manages Chrome and has set this policy, you can’t change the setting yourself.
Quit Chrome completely
Closing windows with the X does not always quit Chrome. These shortcuts, from Google’s Chrome keyboard shortcuts list, quit the whole browser:
- Windows and Linux: press Alt + F, then X.
- Mac: press Command + Q.
If Chrome is in background mode on Windows, you can also close it from its icon in the system tray.
If Chrome won’t quit
If Chrome has frozen and won’t close normally:
- Windows: open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, select Google Chrome and end the task. Microsoft lists the shortcut in its Windows keyboard shortcuts.
- Mac: press Option + Command + Esc to open the Force Quit window, select Google Chrome, then select Force Quit. Apple explains this in How to force an app to quit on Mac.
To find which tab or extension is using memory or CPU before you quit, use Chrome’s own task manager: on Windows or Linux press Shift + Esc. Our Chrome task manager guide explains how to read it.
Should you turn background mode off?
If you don’t rely on a background app, yes. With it off, closing the last window ends Chrome. The trade-off is that background apps stop when you close Chrome, instead of staying active.