Chrome browser slows down on MacBook Pro

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CromeYellow Author

Level 1

59 points

Chrome browser slows down on MacBook Pro

I am running the latest Catalina OSX on a MacBook Pro 16 inch (2019). Chrome is my

main, default browser. It works fine, until for some reason it just starts

slowing down, with a noticeable delay lag in accessing web pages. When this lag

issue appear, even trying to access Chrome "Preferences" takes a long

time.

To resolve the Chrome lag issue, I restart the MBP, and typically, it takes longer

than usual for the system to restart, but when it does come back, the Chrome

browser is fine again...until the lag issue appears again.

When this happens, no other program or browser on my MBP is slow, not Safari, not

Firefox.

I have tried toggling hardware acceleration on and off within Chrome settings.

I have tried uninstalling Chrome completely, both the program itself in the

Applications folders and its bits and pieces in Library/Google/Google Software

Update (not sure where else to look for Google Chrome pieces?), and then reinstalling it.

This issue with Chrome browser happens only on my MacBook Pro, not on my iMac Pro,

not on my iMac Retina.

I had this same issue on my MBP 15 inch (2018). I seem to recall having this issue also on a slightly older iMac too (2013 iMac, pre-Retina).

Posted on Dec 18, 2019 9:17 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

CromeYellow Author

Level 1

59 points

Dec 18, 2019 9:56 AM in response to babowa

As you know, a restart is the first line of defense when something is going wrong with your system.

But that a restart brings back the Chrome browser working fast again, means that something is building up that slows it down. When this happens, clearing Chrome browser cache does not help only a restart helps.

If it were an "always slow" situation with Chrome I would say it depends on those other issues you mention, but it just is something that happens after using the browser for long enough, always. Very annoying.

Also if you look here, someone else mentioning the slow Chrome issue in the past:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7196431

that is precisely what happens when I have to restart following this "slow Chrome" issue, the fan on the MBP starts working overtime during the restart process, which implies that some kind of system overload just happened.

Plus why doesn't it happen with my iMac Pro or iMac Retina? Only on the MBP.

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Answer 2

babowa

Level 9

78,097 points

Dec 18, 2019 10:08 AM in response to CromeYellow

You would have to test on the other machines under the exact same circumstances including specs of the machine, tabs or any other process open,etc. I cannot test it because I do not use anything Google.

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Answer 3

CromeYellow Author

Level 1

59 points

Jan 23, 2020 8:48 AM in response to babowa

This "Chrome browser slows down" issue remains. I have disabled Avast "web shield" and all but one (ZenMate) extension on the browser, but still at some point the browser slows down and when it does even trying to open the More Tools / Extensions tab takes a very long time, and only a system restart cures the issue...until it recurs.

I do not run ZenMate much and it is not running when the browser slows down.

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Answer 4

babowa

Level 9

78,097 points

Jan 23, 2020 9:56 AM in response to CromeYellow

There is no fix until you uninstall both the needless Avast and the Chrome browser. As I said, Chrome is a known resource hog and AV software will also contribute to the problem running in the background. Chrome may be better if you had 32 GB of RAM and the best processor, but it may not even with those.

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Answer 5

CromeYellow Author

Level 1

59 points

Feb 4, 2020 12:53 PM in response to babowa

I like Chrome. But that Chrome would bog down every now and then and clog up the entire computer like this on a MacBook Pro, and not on an iMac Pro or iMac Retina, where the MacBook Pro cloned off the iMacs, makes no sense.

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Answer 6

TylerSz

Level 1

10 points

Feb 7, 2020 4:27 PM in response to CromeYellow

I did not have this problem on my older Macbook Pro 2015, and I just upgraded to the Macbook Pro 16". Settings and software all the same (although OS new, I was running a OS 2 versions old before); I used the migration assistant to just transfer. When it happens, I go to another browser and it seems fine, so currently I'm thinking it has something to do with Chrome and my new Macbook.

Not sure what to do! I expect the top-of-the-line Macbook Pro to handle basic internet browsing and not be worse than my 5 year old Macbook Pro...!

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Answer 7

CromeYellow Author

Level 1

59 points

Feb 8, 2020 10:22 AM in response to TylerSz

Make sure, on your MacBook Pro, to leave Hardware Acceleration OFF for the Chrome Browser under settings. This might help some.

As far as MacBook Pros: Actually I don't recall having this issue before I got the MacBook Pro 2018, and I definitely have it with the MacBook Pro 2019 16 inch.

But I do recall having the issue on an older iMac too (2013 iMac, pre-Retina).

Definitely do not have the issue on my iMac Pro (2017, 18 core, 2.3 GHz Intel Xeon W) or on my iMac Retina (Late 2015, 4Ghz Core i7), both iMacs are maxed out for memory. With the iMacs there is no need to uncheck the Chrome Hardware Acceleration.

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Answer 8

CromeYellow Author

Level 1

59 points

Mar 25, 2020 11:03 AM in response to CromeYellow

This issue remains on my 16" MBP 2019. It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, the restart of the computer itself takes a very long time if I wait for it to restart from the upper left hand corner Apple logo, or else I get tired of waiting and just do a manual, push the power button down, hard restart.

So whatever the Crome Browser is doing is jamming the Finder or System itself, and is resolved only by a restart.

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Answer 9

babowa

Level 9

78,097 points

Dec 18, 2019 9:37 AM in response to CromeYellow

Well, Chrome is a resource hog so it will depend on RAM, CPU, and how many tabs or other apps you have running at the same time.

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Answer 10

babowa

Level 9

78,097 points

Feb 4, 2020 2:55 PM in response to CromeYellow

Well, the specs/RAM/processor/speed/GPU are most likely different. I would agree that, say, a maxed out iMac Pro would not be bogged down by it. The OS would have nothing to do with it.

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Answer 11

babowa

Level 9

78,097 points

Feb 7, 2020 8:23 PM in response to TylerSz

As I said previously, Chrome is a resource hog. I cannot help because I simply do not do anything Google.

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