How to Fix Chrome Crashing (Aw Snap Error)

Experiencing frequent Chrome crashes or the dreaded “Aw, Snap!” error can be frustrating, especially when it disrupts your browsing. The “Aw, Snap!” message typically indicates an issue with loading the webpage, caused by corrupted data, conflicts, or system resource limitations. This guide will help you fix Chrome crashing issues, including crash loops and crashes on startup, with solutions tailored for various platforms.

Quick Fixes to Try First

• Click the “Reload” button on the Aw Snap page.
• Press F5 or Ctrl+R (Cmd+R on Mac) to reload the page.
• Open the problematic page in a new tab.
• Close other tabs to free up memory.
• Restart Chrome completely.
• Check if the website is down using Downdetector.

Detailed Solutions

1. Clear Browser Cache and Data

1. Select More > Delete browsing data.
2. Set the Time range to All time.
3. Select Cached images and files and cookies. Leave passwords and other data you want to keep unselected.
4. Click Delete data. You may need to sign in to websites again.

2. Disable All Extensions

1. Paste chrome://extensions into the address bar.
2. Toggle off all extensions.
3. Check if the crashing stops, then re-enable extensions one by one to identify the culprit.
4. Remove any problematic extensions.

3. Disable Hardware Acceleration

1. Go to Settings > System.
2. Turn off Use graphics acceleration when available (see our hardware acceleration guide).
3. Click Relaunch to apply changes.

4. Update Chrome

1. Click on the menu icon and select Help > About Google Chrome. If that fails, see how to update Chrome.
2. Chrome will automatically check for updates.
3. Wait for the update to complete and restart Chrome when prompted.

5. Update Graphics Drivers

• Windows: Open Device Manager, expand Display adapters, and select Update driver. Alternatively, download drivers from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel websites.
• Mac: Graphics drivers come with macOS. Use System Settings > General > Software Update to check for updates.
• Restart your computer after updating the drivers.

6. Check for Malware

1. Perform a full antivirus scan to look for infections. Chrome’s old “Clean up computer” tool has been retired, so it is no longer in Chrome’s settings.
2. Remove programs you don’t recognize, as Google describes in Remove unwanted ads, pop-ups & malware, or follow our malware removal guide.

7. Disable Experimental Flags

1. Paste chrome://flags into the address bar.
2. Click Reset all to turn off experimental features.
3. Restart Chrome.

8. Create a New User Profile

1. At the top right of Chrome, select your Profile icon.
2. Select Add Chrome profile to create a new profile.
3. Test if the crashing persists with the new profile.
4. If stable, migrate your data to the new profile.

9. Increase System Resources

• Close other applications and unnecessary tabs.
• Check available RAM and consider upgrading if it’s consistently low.
• Windows: Increase virtual memory.

10. Reset Chrome to Defaults

1. Go to Settings > Reset settings.
2. Click Restore settings to their original defaults.
3. Click Reset settings. Google says your bookmarks and passwords are kept; your search engine, startup pages, pinned tabs and site settings return to defaults, cookies are cleared and extensions and themes are turned off. See our reset Chrome guide.

Platform-Specific Tips

Windows

• Check Windows Event Viewer for crash details.
• Check whether your antivirus has blocked or quarantined Chrome.
• Try compatibility mode: Right-click Chrome, go to Properties > Compatibility, and select an older version of Windows.
• Clear temporary files: Use %temp% in the Run dialog.
• Ensure Windows is up to date.

macOS

• Check crash reports using the Console app under Crash Reports.
• On an Intel-based Mac, reset NVRAM: restart and hold Option+Command+P+R for about 20 seconds. Macs with Apple silicon don’t need this.
• Start up in Safe Mode to test stability (on an Intel-based Mac, hold Shift during startup; on Apple silicon, follow Apple’s steps for starting up from the startup options).
• Use Disk Utility to check disk health.
• Keep plenty of free disk space.
• Update macOS to the latest version.
• Remove Chrome from Login Items if it’s causing startup crashes.

Linux

• Run Chrome from the terminal to see crash messages.
• Try running with google-chrome --disable-gpu for testing.
• Update graphics drivers like mesa or nvidia-driver.
• Use dmesg to check for kernel errors.
• Verify glibc and other dependencies are up to date.
• Consider trying Chrome Beta or Chromium.

Android

• Force stop Chrome: Settings > Apps > Chrome > Force Stop.
• Clear cache: Storage > Clear cache.
• Clear all data: Storage > Clear storage (this removes everything Chrome stores on the phone, including passwords that are not saved to your Google Account).
• Check for app updates in the Play Store.
• Restart your phone.
• Boot in Safe Mode to test stability.

iOS

• Force close Chrome by swiping up and away from the app switcher.
• Restart your iPhone or iPad.
• Update iOS to the latest version.
• Delete and reinstall Chrome from the App Store.
• Ensure there is enough free storage space.
• Reset all settings: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings. Apple says this deletes no data or media but resets settings such as network and privacy settings.
• Sign out and back into your Google account.

Specific Aw Snap Error Codes

STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION

• Indicates a memory access error, often due to extensions. Our STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION guide covers it in detail.
• Disable all extensions and test.
• Update Windows and drivers.
• Check for malware and consider testing your RAM.

SIGILL / STATUS_INVALID_IMAGE_HASH

• Update Chrome first.
• Update graphics drivers and disable hardware acceleration.
• May indicate incompatible CPU instructions.

OUT_OF_MEMORY

• Close tabs and other applications to free up memory.
• Consider increasing system RAM.
• Increase page file size on Windows.
• Check for memory leaks in extensions or tabs.

RESULT_CODE_HUNG

• The page stopped responding. Reload it.
• If it happens on one site only, the site may be the cause; try again later.
• Disable heavy extensions that might slow down page loading.

Advanced Solutions

1. Reinstall Chrome Completely

1. Uninstall Chrome from your system.
2. Delete user data folders. This erases your local profile, including bookmarks, passwords and history that are not synced to your Google Account, so turn on sync or export them first:
   • Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome
   • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome
   • Linux: ~/.config/google-chrome
3. Download a fresh copy for Windows, Mac or Linux.
4. Test Chrome before signing in or installing extensions.

2. Use Chrome Canary or Beta

1. Download Chrome Canary or Beta from google.com/chrome/canary.
2. Install and test to see if newer versions resolve the issue.

3. Check Crash Reports

1. Paste chrome://crashes into the address bar to see recent crash reports.
2. To send reports to Google, turn on crash reporting, as Google suggests in Fix Chrome if it crashes or won’t open.
3. Review patterns in crash times to identify issues.

4. Launch with Minimal Flags

1. Create a Chrome shortcut with flags: --disable-extensions --disable-gpu.
2. If stable, add flags back one by one to identify the problematic component.

5. Check for Conflicting Software

• Antivirus software can conflict with Chrome.
• VPN software may interfere with browsing.
• Screen recording software could cause issues.
• Review any recently installed software for conflicts.

In conclusion, the “Aw, Snap!” error and Chrome crashes can have multiple causes, but with these comprehensive solutions, you can identify and fix the problem to ensure a smoother browsing experience.