Google Chrome Keeps Crashing or Freezing — How to Stop It
Crashing tabs, "Aw, Snap!" errors, or a Chrome that won't open at all — these are the fixes that actually stick.
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Chrome crashes almost always come down to a bad extension, a full cache, or a corrupted profile. Here's how to find the culprit without losing your bookmarks.
1. Close memory-hungry tabs and restart
Open Chrome's own Task Manager with Shift + Esc to see which tab or extension is eating memory, and end it. Then fully quit and reopen Chrome.
2. Test in Incognito (extensions off)
Open an Incognito window (Ctrl + Shift + N). Extensions are disabled there by default. If Chrome is stable in Incognito, an extension is your problem.
3. Disable extensions one by one
Go to chrome://extensions and turn them all off, then re-enable them one at a time until the crash returns. The last one you switched on is the culprit — remove it.
4. Clear cache and cookies
Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete, choose All time, and clear cached images and files. A bloated cache causes "Aw, Snap!" errors.
5. Update Chrome
Go to Menu > Help > About Google Chrome. It checks for updates automatically — let it install and relaunch.
6. Reset or reinstall Chrome
Still crashing? Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults clears bad configuration without touching bookmarks or saved passwords. If even that fails, uninstall and reinstall Chrome — your data syncs back if you're signed in.
Frequently asked questions
Will resetting Chrome delete my bookmarks and passwords?
No. Resetting clears settings, pinned tabs and extensions, but your bookmarks, history and saved passwords stay — and sync back if you're signed in.
What does 'Aw, Snap!' mean?
It means a tab ran out of memory or hit corrupted cache data. Clearing the cache and disabling heavy extensions resolves it.
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