iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
To open Chrome’s Task Manager, press Shift + Esc. You can also select More > More tools > Task manager from Chrome’s menu. From there, sort tasks by memory use, or end a page or extension that is not responding.
Open Chrome’s Task Manager
Use either method:
- Keyboard shortcut: Press Shift + Esc while Chrome is open. Google lists this shortcut for Chrome’s Task Manager.
- Chrome menu: Select More > More tools > Task manager. The menu route is documented in Google’s instructions for improving Chrome performance.
Task Manager is available in Chrome on Windows, Mac, and Linux, as well as on ChromeOS, according to Chrome Enterprise policy documentation.
Find a task using too much memory
The list shows browser tasks, which can include pages and extensions. Select the Memory heading to sort by memory usage, as Google recommends in its Chrome performance guidance.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →A large memory figure by itself does not prove that a page or extension is faulty. Use the sorted list to identify which task is using resources, then decide whether it is safe to close. The columns shown can vary by platform or Chrome version, so there is no reliable universal column list.
#1 Best Overall
- SLIM. LIGHTWEIGHT. READY TO GO: The all-new slim design is perfect for busy lives on the go.
- SKILLFULLY DESIGNED. MILITARY TOUGH: Built with premium craftsmanship to withstand the occasional drop or ding.
- ALL-DAY, ALL-IN-ONE CHARGING: Power through your school day – and beyond – with a long-lasting 12-hour battery.¹
- 3X FASTER THAN THE PREVIOUS GENERATION OF WIFI: Crush your schoolwork in record time with Wi-Fi that’s three times faster than the previous generation of Wi-Fi.
- YOUR PHONE AND CHROMEBOOK WORK BETTER TOGETHER: Easily transfer files between devices, and control your phone right from your Chromebook.
End a task that is stuck or unwanted
- Select the page, window, or extension you want to close in Task Manager.
- Select End process.
Be sure the task has no work you need to keep: Google warns, “Any unsaved work in your task will be lost.” Its performance instructions also recommend this method for force-closing an unresponsive tab, window, or extension.
If tabs keep refreshing or memory pressure returns
For Chromebook users whose tabs refresh constantly, Google recommends closing unused tabs, restarting the Chromebook, using Task Manager to close unused apps or windows, and considering whether to turn off extensions they do not need. These are Chromebook-specific suggestions, not a diagnosis for every Chrome installation.
Rank #2
- FOR HOME, WORK, & SCHOOL – With an Intel processor, 14-inch display, custom-tuned stereo speakers, and long battery life, this Chromebook laptop lets you knock out any assignment or binge-watch your favorite shows..Voltage:5.0 volts
- HD DISPLAY, PORTABLE DESIGN – See every bit of detail on this micro-edge, anti-glare, 14-inch HD (1366 x 768) display (1); easily take this thin and lightweight laptop PC from room to room, on trips, or in a backpack.
- ALL-DAY PERFORMANCE – Reliably tackle all your assignments at once with the quad-core, Intel Celeron N4120—the perfect processor for performance, power consumption, and value (2).
- 4K READY – Smoothly stream 4K content and play your favorite next-gen games with Intel UHD Graphics 600 (3) (4).
- MEMORY AND STORAGE – Enjoy a boost to your system’s performance with 4 GB of RAM while saving more of your favorite memories with 64 GB of reliable flash-based eMMC storage (5).
Why End process may be unavailable
On a managed device, an administrator can prevent users from ending tasks. You may still be able to open Task Manager, but End process will be dimmed. The setting is described in Chrome Enterprise policy documentation.
When to use your operating system’s process manager
Chrome Task Manager is for inspecting and ending browser tasks. If you are diagnosing high CPU use across Chrome processes on Windows, Google’s managed-browser performance troubleshooting guide points administrators to Windows Task Manager or another process manager to identify the relevant processes.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Intel Celeron N4120: 4 Cores & Threads, 1.1GHz Base Clock, Up to 2.6GHz Boost Clock, 4MB Cache, Intel UHD Graphics 600. The perfect combination of performance, power consumption, and value helps your device handle multitasking smoothly and reliably with four processing cores to divide up the work.
Rank #3
- Storage: 16GB Flash Memory
- OS: Chrome OS
- Screen Size: 11.6"
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
