Google Chrome Crashing on Mac? 4 Practical Fixes to Try First

Chrome is usually the default browser that people will just open up without really giving much thought, until it stops working, freezes, vanishes, or crashes when doing something. Being faced with Google Chrome crashing on Mac can be really frustrating, mostly when it keeps happening with no apparent reason. A bunch of Chrome cache, troublesome extensions, a shortage of system resources, or even a temporary issue with the OS can all be factors. Fortunately, you are not forced to dive straight into the complicated fixes. Some simple changes in the Cleanup and Settings can usually get Chrome back to normal.

Google Chrome Crashing Mac

Why Does Google Chrome Keep Crashing on My Mac​

If Google Chrome keeps crashing on your Mac, you shouldn't be surprised that there are many possible reasons. From storing too much cached data to having too many browser extensions, outdated Chrome/ macOS versions, low memory, or a temporary browser glitch, there are many things that could cause Chrome to be unstable. In fact, it could be more of a hardware resource issue, where the browser doesn't have access to enough resources. Figuring out what's causing Chrome to crash means that you can pick a targeted solution rather than going around with trial and error.

Proven Fixes for Google Chrome Crashing on Mac​

If Google Chrome on Mac keeps crashing, you can follow an efficient method that starts with the simplest fixes and gradually moves to deeper cleaning or browser-related adjustments. The table will help you match each method with what it is suitable for. Let's first look at the table before we dive into the method steps.

Repair Method Best For Browser Reset? Implementation Speed
1. Force Quit Chrome and Restart Your Mac Temporary Chrome crashes and freezes No Very Fast
2. Clear Chrome Browsing Cache and Extension Clutter Accumulated browser data and troublesome extensions No Fast
3. Clean Up Mac System Junk Using Aiseesoft Mac Cleaner Unnecessary files and system clutter No Fast
4. Disable Hardware Acceleration in Chrome Settings Chrome crashes related to graphics processing No Fast

1. Force Quit Chrome and Restart Your Mac

If Chrome freezes unexpectedly or Google Chrome crashes immediately after opening on a Mac, it's possible that just force-quitting will suffice to eliminate the temporary glitch. A restart of the Mac can also provide Chrome and macOS with a clean slate.

Step 1.
Click the Apple menu on your main screen. Force Quit will be listed there. Selecting that will close all the windows and processes that your Mac currently has open except for Finder.
Step 2.
In the list of active applications, click on Google Chrome. Then hit the button labeled Force Quit. If a prompt appears, just confirm and agree to the action.’
Click Force Quit
Step 3.
After a while, you should see that your computer has closed the Force Quit dialog box, so then you'll be able to close this window too.
Step 4.
Select Restart from the Apple menu again, so that you'll be able to reboot your Mac.
Restart The Mac
Step 5.
When the rebooting cycle is complete, you can start Google Chrome and see if the browser works properly now.

Tip: If you can't get Chrome to load at all, you can open Force Quit Applications directly with Option + Command + Esc.

2. Clear Chrome Browsing Cache and Extension Clutter

A large browser cache or incompatible extensions can also be the reason that Chrome becomes unstable. That's why, if my Google Chrome keeps crashing on Mac, clearing the cache and temporarily disabling Chrome extensions is a good idea.

Clear Chrome Cache

Step 1.
Launch Google Chrome on your Mac. Go to the three-dot menu, which is located in the corner at the top-right.
Step 2.
Click on Delete browsing data. Set the time frame to All time.
Step 3.
Tick Cached images and files and click Delete data.
Step 4.
Turn off and then start Chrome again, and see if the problems persist.
Clear Browsing Cache

Check Chrome Extensions

Step 1.
Click on the three-dot menu in Chrome. Navigate to Extensions > Manage Extensions.
Step 2.
Look at the list of available extensions. Disable the extensions that you do not use frequently.
Step 3.
If Chrome is working fine again, enable the disabled Extensions one by one until you discover the Extension that was causing instability. Delete Extensions that are not being used any longer.
Disable Chrome Extension

3. Clean Up Mac System Junk Using Aiseesoft Mac Cleaner

If Chrome is still unstable after you have cleared its own cache, then the issue could also be an accumulation of unnecessary files taking up disk space on your Mac. You can clean your system and remove junk files and other garbage that might be consuming your valuable storage. Aiseesoft Mac Cleaner is definitely a way worth trying when you are stuck with the persistent problem of Google Chrome crashing on a Mac.

Steps on How to Use Aiseesoft Mac Cleaner

Step 1.
Get and install Aiseesoft Mac Cleaner on your Mac computer.
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Step 2.
Launch the app and wait for it to start scanning your Mac. Cleaner is the second option on the menu of choices, so you should click it here.
Select The Cleaner
Step 3.
One kind of file that Clean is good at finding is System Junk, which refers to files that the system does not need. After making sure which type of files you want to scan, you are required to click on Scan and then wait till the scan ends.
Scan The Files
Step 4.
Click View after the scanner finishes the operation of the scanner to take a glance at the files that were found. Highlight the files that you no longer need and want to delete.
View The Files
Step 5.
Hit Clean to begin, restart your Mac, then reopen Chrome to make sure your Mac has resolved the crashing problem, if any.
Hit Clean Button

Tip: Make sure to do a proper review of your files before you delete them mostly if your data is of a sizable amount.

4. Disable Hardware Acceleration in Chrome Settings

To make use of hardware acceleration that Chrome offers for some tasks, it relies on your Mac's graphics processor. This can make things run a bit better, but sometimes hardware acceleration is also the reason why you get Mac freezes or crashes. You can try turning it off if the previously mentioned solutions have not worked out.

Step 1.
First, launch the Google Chrome application on your Mac computer. Then, look at the top-right corner of the window and click the hamburger menu to show the options.
Step 2.
From there, choose the Settings option. Navigate to the System item, which is listed under the Settings menu and on the left-side panel.
Step 3.
Locate the Use graphics accelerator if available feature. Then toggle the button to Disable.
Step 4.
At the prompt, you have to click Relaunch before the browser shuts down. We suggest that once Chrome has been restarted, you try browsing the web again, and if it starts to crash, then the workaround may not be effective.
Toggle Off Hardware Acceleration

FAQs Regarding Google Chrome Keeps Crashing on Mac​

Why does Chrome crash only on one particular website?

Probably the problem lies with that website rather than with Google Chrome, since Chrome functions perfectly in all other places. One way you can figure out the reason is by testing the website in either a private window or a different browser that you may use and then comparing the result.

Where can I get Google Chrome crash reports on Mac?

Provided that Google Chrome doesn't crash instantly, you can type 'chrome://crashes' in the search box and press Enter. Crash reports that have been uploaded could be extremely helpful if you have to troubleshoot Chrome if something keeps happening the same way again.

Is there a possibility that your anti-virus software is causing the Chrome crash?

There are instances when anti-virus or security software, after their respective updates or reconfigurations, may clash with Chrome processes and, as a result, Chrome may crash. If you have installed or updated security software recently and since then Chrome has been crashing, you should determine whether Chrome is blocked or not by the security software.

Conclusion

If you are facing the issue of Google Chrome keeps crashing on Mac, try the basic fixes first, like refreshing the browser window, removing unnecessary files in your browser, and checking the Chrome settings. If you're still facing it, clearing your Mac of clutter might do the trick, as you may have system-related problems, and Chrome is just the symptom in this case.

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