Fixes for Chrome problems, grouped by what you see on screen. Pick the closest match below.
Start here: Chrome won’t open · Chrome keeps crashing · Chrome won’t update · “Your connection is not private” · Chrome is slow
Chrome Won’t Open or Keeps Crashing
- Chrome won’t open on Windows: Windows-specific steps when nothing happens on launch.
- Chrome won’t open on Mac: Mac-specific steps when Chrome does not start.
- Chrome crashes on startup: When Chrome closes as soon as it opens.
- A tab keeps crashing: When one tab or site keeps failing.
- Chrome freezes or stops responding: Unresponsive tabs and a frozen window.
- Troubleshoot without extensions: Rule out extensions and settings one at a time.
- STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION: What to try when this crash page appears.
- GPU process error: Crashes and blank pages tied to graphics.
Error Messages
- “This site can’t be reached”: The general connection error and its causes.
- ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT: When a site takes too long to answer.
- ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED: When a site or proxy refuses the connection.
- ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED: When Chrome cannot see an internet connection.
- ERR_NETWORK_CHANGED: When the network changes in the middle of loading.
- ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE: When the address cannot be reached on your network.
- DNS and connection errors: ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED and similar lookups that fail.
- DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN: When a site’s name cannot be found.
- ERR_NAME_RESOLUTION_FAILED: Another name lookup failure and how to clear it.
- Certificate (SSL) errors: Security certificate warnings on sites.
- ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH: When a site uses security settings Chrome will not accept.
- ERR_SSL_OBSOLETE_VERSION: When a site uses an outdated security protocol.
- “Not secure” warning: What the warning in the address bar means.
- ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS: Pages that keep redirecting in a loop.
- ERR_CACHE_MISS: Usually seen after going back to a form page.
- ERR_HTTP2_PROTOCOL_ERROR: A connection-level error on some sites.
- ERR_QUIC_PROTOCOL_ERROR: A connection-level error on some sites and networks.
- Proxy errors: ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED and other proxy problems.
- ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT: When an extension blocks part of a page.
- 403 Forbidden: What a 403 means and what you can do.
- 502 Bad Gateway: What a 502 means and what you can do.
- WebSocket connection errors: For live chat, games and other real-time sites.
- CORS errors: Cross-origin errors, mostly for web developers.
- “Not enough memory” (page error): When a page cannot open for lack of memory.
- “Not enough memory” (step by step): A second, step-by-step guide to the same error.
Slow Chrome, Memory and Battery
- High memory (RAM) use: Find what is using memory and reduce it.
- Make Chrome use less RAM: Settings and habits that keep memory down.
- High CPU use: When Chrome keeps the processor busy.
- Pages load slowly: Slow loading and laggy pages.
- Chrome is slow to start: Shorten the wait when Chrome opens.
- Chrome on an old computer: Getting the most from older hardware.
- Chrome slow on Windows 10: Windows-specific speed fixes.
- Chrome slow on Mac: Mac-specific speed fixes.
- Battery drain on laptops: Reduce the power Chrome uses.
- Battery drain on Mac: Mac laptops in particular.
- Chrome uses too much disk space: What takes up space and what is safe to clear.
- Chrome keeps running after you close it: Background apps and how to stop them.
- “Waiting for cache”: When pages stall on this status message.
- “Resolving host”: When pages stall while looking up the site.
- Scrolling problems: Laggy or jumpy scrolling.
Display Problems
- Black screen: When Chrome or a page shows only black.
- Black screen on Windows: The same problem, Windows-specific steps.
- White or blank pages: Pages that stay blank and white.
- Blurry text: Text that looks fuzzy or soft.
- Font and text display problems: Wrong, missing or jagged fonts.
- Zoom problems: Pages too big, too small or stuck at one zoom.
- Address bar missing: When the bar at the top disappears.
- Full screen problems: Getting into and out of full screen.
- New tab page not loading: A blank or broken new tab page.
- Images not loading: Pages that show text but no pictures.
- WebGL not working: 3D graphics and games that will not draw.
- Hardware acceleration problems: Flicker and glitches linked to the graphics card.
Download, Install and Update Problems
- Update problems: When Chrome will not update or acts up after one.
- “Update failed” errors: Specific update error messages.
- Download problems: Stuck, slow or failed file downloads.
- Downloads stuck or failing: A second guide to downloads that will not finish.
- Install problems: When the Chrome installer fails.
- Reinstall Chrome: Remove and install Chrome again.
- Clean install without losing data: Start fresh but keep bookmarks and passwords.
- Uninstall Chrome: Remove Chrome from your device.
- “Managed by your organization”: What the message means and when you can remove it.
- Policy conflicts: Settings locked or overridden by policies.
Unwanted Tabs, Pop-ups and Changes
- Chrome keeps opening new tabs: Tabs that open by themselves.
- New tab redirects to another site: When the new tab page has been taken over.
- Search engine keeps changing: When your search engine switches without asking.
- Redirects to unwanted sites: Pages that keep sending you somewhere else.
- Notifications won’t stop: Turn off pop-up notifications from sites.
- Cookie banners keep coming back: Why sites keep asking about cookies.
- Chrome keeps asking to be default: Stop the repeated default browser prompt.
- Chrome opens when the computer starts: Stop Chrome launching at sign-in.
Sound, Video, PDFs and Printing
- No sound: When Chrome plays no audio.
- Other sound problems: Muted tabs, wrong speakers and crackling audio.
- Videos won’t play: Videos that do not start at all.
- Video stutters or buffers: Videos that play badly.
- YouTube not working: YouTube-specific steps.
- Netflix not working: Netflix-specific steps.
- PDF viewer not working: PDFs that will not open in Chrome.
- Other PDF problems: PDFs that open wrongly or download instead.
- Printing problems: Print jobs that fail or look wrong.
- What happened to Flash: Why Flash content no longer plays.
Camera, Microphone, Keyboard and Touch
- Camera not working: When sites cannot use your webcam.
- Microphone not working: When sites cannot hear you.
- Video call problems (WebRTC): Calls that fail to connect.
- Touchscreen not working: Touch and gestures on touch screens.
- Spell check not working: When misspellings are not underlined.
- Autocomplete not working: Address bar and form suggestions.
Sign-in, Sync, Data and Settings
- “Sync is paused”: Get syncing again after Chrome signs you out.
- Sync problems: Bookmarks and passwords not matching across devices.
- Google sign-in problems: When you cannot sign in to Chrome.
- Bookmarks disappeared: Getting missing bookmarks back.
- Tabs not restoring: Getting closed tabs and windows back.
- Chrome not saving passwords: When the save prompt never appears.
- Autofill not working: Addresses and forms that do not fill.
- Profile errors: When your Chrome profile will not load.
- Permission problems: Sites that cannot use location, camera and more.
- Translate not working: When the translate option does not appear or fails.
- Extension problems: Extensions that crash or conflict.
- Extensions won’t install: When Add to Chrome fails.
- Websites not loading: Sites that load in other browsers but not Chrome.
- Site storage errors: Storage and quota errors on web apps.
More Guides
- Features: how to use what is built into Chrome
- Extensions: finding, installing and fixing extensions
- Comparisons: Chrome next to other browsers
- Privacy and security: settings that protect your data and accounts
- DevTools: Chrome’s tools for web developers
- All guides: every page on this site, in one list