Chrome Not Responding? How to Fix It on Windows and Mac

Chrome not responding looks different on each system. On Windows the title bar says Google Chrome (Not Responding) and the window turns pale. On a Mac you get the spinning wait cursor, and Force Quit lists Chrome as not responding. Either way, clicks do nothing.

This guide gets you out of it first, without losing your tabs, then works through the causes from most to least likely. Most people are fixed by step three.

The short answer#

• Wait 30 seconds, then force quit if it does not recover; restore tabs with Ctrl+Shift+T.
• Free memory: fewer live tabs, Memory Saver on.
• Test without extensions in an Incognito window.
• Check graphics, security software and your profile if it keeps happening.

What we measured on a Mac#

Tested on a MacBook Pro (M1 Pro) with 16 GB of RAM, macOS 26.3, Chrome 155, October 21, 2026. We made one tab stop responding on purpose with a script that kept it busy for 40 seconds, then opened Wikipedia in a new tab and timed it.

• The stuck tab did not answer for 8 seconds, which is when Chrome shows its Page Unresponsive dialog.
• The new tab loaded in 341 ms, against 310 ms normally.

So when only one tab is stuck, close that tab (or click Exit page) and keep everything else. When the whole of Chrome stops responding, the cause is broader, and the steps below apply.

What does Not Responding actually mean?#

Both Windows and macOS flag an app as not responding when it stops processing your clicks and keystrokes for a few seconds. Chrome is not necessarily crashed. It may be waiting on something slow: memory being swapped to disk, a stuck page, a file dialog talking to a slow drive, or another program inspecting Chrome's files. That is why waiting half a minute sometimes fixes it.

How do you close Chrome safely when it is stuck?#

1. Wait 30 seconds. If memory was short, the system may catch up.
2. Close only the stuck tab if you can. In Chrome's task manager (Shift+Esc on Windows, Window menu, then Task Manager on a Mac), select the tab and click End process.
3. Force quit Chrome. On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc, choose Google Chrome and click End task. On a Mac, press Command+Option+Esc, choose Google Chrome and click Force Quit.
4. Reopen and restore. Press Ctrl+Shift+T (Command+Shift+T on a Mac) to bring back your last session. If that does not work, see restore tabs in Chrome.

1. Low memory#

The most common cause on laptops with 8 GB or less. Every live tab keeps its page in memory, and when memory runs out, the system swaps to disk and every app stalls.

• Close tabs you do not need.
• Turn on Memory Saver in Settings, then Performance, so idle tabs give their memory back. See what Chrome Memory Saver does.
• Remove extensions you have not used in a month.

2. An extension#

Open the same sites in an Incognito window (Ctrl+Shift+N or Command+Shift+N). Most extensions do not run there. If Incognito never hangs, go to chrome://extensions, turn off half your extensions, and keep halving until the problem goes away. Our guide to Chrome extensions slowing down your computer walks through it.

3. Graphics acceleration and drivers#

If the whole window hangs, flickers or goes black:

1. Go to Settings, then System.
2. Turn off Use graphics acceleration when available and relaunch.
3. If that fixes it, update your graphics driver (Windows) or macOS, then try turning acceleration back on.

If Chrome freezes for a few seconds rather than hanging for good, see Chrome freezing.

4. Security software#

Antivirus and company security agents scan files Chrome writes and connections it makes. A slow scanner can freeze Chrome for seconds at a time. If Not Responding started after installing or updating security software, check its exclusions or talk to IT. On a work computer, do not remove it yourself.

5. Not responding when uploading files or printing#

These hangs come from the file and print dialogs, which Chrome hands to the operating system:

• Uploads: choose files from a local folder rather than a network drive or a cloud folder that is still syncing. Very large folders also take long to list.
• Printing: update the printer driver, or use Save as PDF to test whether the printer is the cause.

6. A nearly full disk#

Chrome writes cache, history and session data all the time. With little free space, those writes slow down and so does swapping. Keep at least 10% of your drive free.

7. An outdated Chrome#

Three-dot menu, then Help, then About Google Chrome. Relaunch if asked. If the problem started right after an update, see Chrome slow after update.

8. A damaged profile#

Click your profile picture, then Add, and use the new profile for a day without sync. If it never hangs, something in your main profile is the cause. Reset settings from Settings, then Reset settings, then Restore settings to their original defaults; Google's help page says bookmarks and passwords are kept, but cookies are cleared and extensions turned off.

Windows vs Mac: what is different?#

Keep Chrome responsive#

A browser that hangs is usually a browser at its limits. Keep fewer live tabs and fewer always-on extensions. Memory Saver helps automatically. For a fixed rule, Cleaner Pro sleeps tabs after 30 minutes without use, never touches the tab you are on or pinned tabs, and closes duplicate tabs in one click, for a one-time $19.99. If Chrome freezes completely rather than lagging, see Chrome freezing.

The bottom line#

When Chrome is not responding, wait, then close it safely and restore your tabs. Then fix the cause in order: memory, extensions, graphics, security software, disk space, updates and finally your profile.