The Chrome Task Manager shortcut is Shift + Esc on Windows and Linux. On a Chromebook, press Search + Esc (or Launcher + Esc). On a Mac there is no keyboard shortcut: use the menu bar and select Window > Task Manager. On every computer you can also select More (three dots) > More tools > Task manager.
Open Task Manager on Windows or Linux
- Shortcut: with a Chrome window in front, press Shift + Esc. Google lists this as “Open the Chrome Task Manager” in its Chrome keyboard shortcuts.
- Menu: at the top right, select More > More tools > Task manager.
Open Task Manager on a Mac
Google’s list of Mac shortcuts has no Task Manager shortcut, so use one of the menus:
- In the menu bar at the top of the screen, select Window > Task Manager.
- Or, at the top right of the Chrome window, select More > More tools > Task manager.
⌘ + Option + Esc is not Chrome’s Task Manager. It opens the Mac’s Force Quit window, and force quitting Chrome there closes all of Chrome at once. Google suggests it for when Chrome is stuck or won’t open.
Open Task Manager on a Chromebook
- Shortcut: press Search + Esc. If your keyboard has a Launcher key instead of a Search key, press Launcher + Esc.
- Menu: in Chrome, select More > More tools > Task manager.
Chrome’s Task Manager is not Windows Task Manager
Ctrl + Shift + Esc (one extra key) opens the Windows Task Manager, and Ctrl + Alt + Delete offers it on the security screen (Microsoft’s list). It shows Chrome as “Google Chrome” or “chrome.exe”, and ending it there closes every Chrome window. Chrome’s own Task Manager lists each tab, extension and helper process separately, so you can close just the one that is stuck.
Once it is open
Select a tab or extension and select End task (End process in older versions) to close it. Any unsaved work in it is lost. To find out which rows use the most memory, what each label means and what to do when Chrome freezes completely, see how to use Chrome Task Manager.