Google Chrome is a very popular browser by users, often also preferred to Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari and other alternative browsers. In its effectiveness, Chrome however, fails some problems, especially related to excessive consumption of memory. The Google browser uses a lot of memory to work perfectly. Over time this can be a problem, greatly slowing program and navigation performance.
Fortunately, there are several methods to improve the performance of Google Chrome. It is indeed possible to set the amount of memory that Google Chrome will use, or disable some functions used by the program. This guide shows you the key solutions to speed up Chrome.
Method 1: Increase The Chrome Cache
The first solution to optimize this browser is to increase the size of the cache. The Google Chrome cache stores information on websites (images, text and other) on the computer that need to be retrieved more than once to improve browsing speed. The purpose of the cache is therefore to avoid picking up repeated information from the server, retrieving it quickly from the local copy on the client. If we increase the size of the program cache – without exaggeration – we will increase the speed of Google Chrome accordingly.
Before increasing the Google Chrome cache size, you need to check the current size and the maximum cache size limit. Follow this procedure to check the cache size and other information from Google Chrome.
- Open Chrome Google
- In the address bar, type “chrome: // net-internals / # HttpCache” and press Enter
- Click on Cache in the left vertical bar
Among the various information, you can view the current size (in bytes) and the maximum cache size used by Google Chrome. Write down the highlighted values.
At this point, you can increase the size of the cache with this procedure:
- Close Google Chrome
- Right click on the Google Chrome icon on the desktop, used to launch the browser. If the Google Chrome link is not available, create one.
- Select Properties
- Select the Link tab
- At the end of the destination path, add this line “-disk-cache-size = 10000000” where 10000000 is the value you want to assign in bytes. You can assign any size. As a reference, remember that 1073741824 bytes equals 1 GB
- Click on Apply and then OK.
Once the operation is complete, you can reopen Google Chrome and repeat the verification operation to check the new Cache allocation.
Method 2: Remove The Chrome Extensions
Browser extensions add functionality to Google Chrome and can be installed from the Chrome Store. Extensions also consume system resources and when they are unwanted they can also cause damage. Disabling unwanted or unused extensions is a great way to speed up Chrome. Follow this procedure to disable extensions:
- Open Chrome Google
- Type “chrome: // extensions” in the address bar and press
All extensions loaded in the Browser will be displayed. To disable the ones we do not need, simply deselect the Activate option. In this way the extension will not be deleted but simply deactivated and available for future reactivation. If we believe that the extension will never be able to use it, it is possible to delete it permanently by clicking on the icon in the shape of a bin, next to each single element to be deleted.
Method 3: Remove Unwanted Applications
In addition to extensions, Google Chrome provides for the integration of some apps within the Browser. Like extensions, apps can also slow down and make internet browsing ineffective with this browser. To cancel or check the installed apps follow this procedure:
- Open Chrome Google
- Type “chrome: // apps” in the address bar and press Enter
- They will display all the apps installed in the browser
- Right- click on the app you want to remove and select Remove from Chrome …
- Click Remove again to confirm
Method 4: Use The Forecast Service
Using Google Chrome’s forecasting service allows you to load pages faster. This option is enabled by default but may have been disabled and you should check it is not.
- Open Chrome Google
- Access the Google Chrome menu by clicking on the three vertical points in the upper right corner
- Select Settings
- Scroll down and select Show advanced settings …
- In the Privacy and Security session, verify that the option “Use a prediction service to speed up page loading” is selected and activate it otherwise
Method 5: Exploiting Experimental Functions
The experimental features of Google Chrome are innovative features not yet tested or released to users. Despite being unripe and risky in terms of browser stability, some of them can be exploited to increase the performance of Google Chrome. To access the experimental features of Chrome follow this procedure:
- Open Chrome Google
- In the address bar, type ” chrome: // flags” and press Enter
- At this point we will display a list of all the “experiments” available for Chrome
- Search for and activate these functions using the CTRL + F key combination to get the search box at the top right of the program
- Look for “Experimental canvas functions” and click on Enable in the button below the tab
- Look for “Fast closing tabs / windows” and click on Enable in the button below the tab
- Look for “Number of raster threads”, click on the drop down menu and select the value “4”
- Look for “Automatic card deletion”, click on the drop down menu and select “Enable”
- Look for “Default section width”, click on the drop down menu and select “512”
- Look for “Default section height”, click on the drop down menu and select “512”
Restore The Default Settings
Finally, let’s try the easiest way to try to improve the performance of Google Chrome. With a simple option you can restore the default settings of Google Chrome to its original state, removing any problems or damage. To restore Google Chrome follow this procedure:
- Open Google Chrome
- Access the settings menu by clicking on the three vertical dots at the top right
- Click on “Show advanced settings” at the bottom of the page
- Click on “Restore settings” at the bottom of the page
- Confirm by pressing “Reset”