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In desktop Chrome, open the three-dot menu → Settings → Performance, then switch on Energy Saver. Choose the activation behavior shown in your version. The feature is available on Windows, macOS, and battery-equipped Chromebooks; it is not the same as a phone setting or ChromeOS’s system-wide Battery Saver.
Turn on Energy Saver in Chrome
- Open Google Chrome on your Windows PC, Mac, or Chromebook.
- Select the three-dot More menu in the upper-right corner.
- Choose Settings.
- Select Performance in the left sidebar.
- Find Energy Saver and switch it on.
- Select the activation option offered by your Chrome release.
You can open the same page directly by entering chrome://settings/performance in the address bar. This shortcut is convenient, but Chrome may change internal page addresses or labels in future releases. Google’s current instructions are documented at Chrome Help.
When Energy Saver activates
Energy Saver is conditional, not permanently active. Chrome is designed to use it when a compatible computer is running on battery or reaches the low-battery condition selected in your settings. It does not operate while the computer is plugged in, according to Google’s current documentation. A desktop without a battery therefore has no practical use for this control.
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Older Chrome announcements described a fixed 20% trigger. That was the original 2022 behavior; current Chrome uses broader “low battery” wording and may offer different choices depending on your version, operating system, device, or administrator policy. Follow the wording displayed in your Performance page rather than assuming every installation uses 20%.
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What Energy Saver changes
Chrome reduces its image-capture rate, limits background work, and can stop eligible CPU-intensive background tabs. Google specifically excludes tabs being used for video conferencing or audio playback from that documented background-tab rule. The result is workload-dependent: reading and ordinary browsing may save power, while demanding sites may look or behave differently.
You may notice less-smooth scrolling or animations, reduced video frame rates, or changes in browser-game and WebGL performance. Chrome’s developer documentation explains that display-refresh behavior and requestAnimationFrame() timing can also be affected (Chrome Developers).
Temporarily bypass Energy Saver
When the mode is active, Chrome may show an Energy Saver indicator beside the address bar. Select it and choose Turn off now when a tab must keep updating or visual smoothness matters. Treat this as a temporary, session-level bypass unless your current interface says otherwise.
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Use the bypass for browser games, high-frame-rate video, animation-heavy creative tools, real-time dashboards, uploads or timers that rely on background activity, and web-development rendering tests. You can also turn Energy Saver off globally from Settings → Performance.
ChromeOS Battery Saver is different
Chromebooks have two related controls:
- Chrome Energy Saver: a browser feature found under Chrome Settings → Performance.
- ChromeOS Battery Saver: a system-wide power mode that can dim the display, turn off the keyboard backlight, throttle the CPU, enable Chrome Energy Saver, and enable Android Battery Saver for Android apps.
To manage ChromeOS Battery Saver, select the battery icon in the lower-right corner, then Settings → System preferences → Power → Battery Saver. It is unavailable while the Chromebook is plugged in and turns off when power is connected. See Google’s ChromeOS instructions.
Energy Saver versus Memory Saver
| Feature | Main purpose | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Saver | Battery life | Reduces visual and background activity |
| Memory Saver | RAM usage | Deactivates eligible inactive tabs, which reload when revisited |
They are separate controls on Chrome’s Performance page. Enable Memory Saver as well if many open tabs are consuming RAM, but do not interpret a Memory Saver exclusion—such as keeping a site active—as an Energy Saver exemption.
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If Energy Saver is missing or seems ineffective
- Check the platform: Google documents this Performance feature for desktop Chrome on Windows, macOS, and battery-equipped Chromebooks. Android and iPhone Chrome do not provide the same desktop Performance panel.
- Check the power state: plugging in prevents the mode from activating, even though the setting can remain enabled.
- Update Chrome: open Settings → About Chrome, install available updates, then reopen Performance. The feature began rolling out with Chrome 108, and labels can change.
- Check management policies: on a work or school browser, open
chrome://policy. An administrator may hide, lock, or override the setting; do not change organization-controlled policies without approval. - Set expectations: savings vary with tabs, video, games, extensions, brightness, display refresh rate, operating-system power settings, and battery health. There is no universal extra-hours guarantee.
If a background tab stops updating, use the Energy Saver indicator’s Turn off now option. If a tab is being unloaded because of Memory Saver instead, manage that feature’s “always keep these sites active” list.
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Additional ways to extend battery life
Energy Saver only changes Chrome. For a larger overall reduction, also lower display brightness, reduce the refresh rate when supported, close unused windows and tabs, disable unnecessary extensions, pause demanding web apps, and enable your operating system’s native low-power mode. Chrome’s browser task manager can help identify unusually intensive tabs or extensions.
Developer flags such as chrome://flags/#battery-saver-mode-available and chrome://discards are for testing site behavior, not normal setup. Flags are experimental and may disappear or cause instability.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does Chrome Energy Saver work on Android or iPhone?
Google documents Energy Saver as a desktop Chrome feature for Windows, macOS, and battery-equipped Chromebooks. Mobile Chrome does not expose the same Settings → Performance control.
Does Energy Saver work while Chrome is charging?
It does not activate while the computer is plugged in. It is intended for battery or low-battery operation.
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It can change video performance, but Google’s documented background-tab rule excludes tabs used for video conferencing or audio playback.
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Can I permanently exclude one website from Energy Saver?
Google documents the toolbar’s Turn off now control as a temporary bypass. Do not confuse it with Memory Saver’s separate always-keep-sites-active list.
Is the 20% battery trigger still universal?
No. Twenty percent was described in the original 2022 announcement. Current Chrome may use configurable low-battery or unplugged wording, so follow your Performance page.
The Bottom Line
Enable Settings → Performance → Energy Saver when battery life is more important than maximum visual smoothness. Disable it or use Turn off now for games, high-frame-rate video, real-time pages, and other workloads that need continuous background or rendering performance.
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