On desktop Chrome, turn on Memory Saver at Settings → Performance and start with Balanced (recommended). It frees memory by deactivating tabs you are not using; when you return to one, Chrome reloads it, so there can be a delay. If that interrupts your work, use a less aggressive level or add the site to the active-site exceptions.
Use Memory Saver to reduce memory use from inactive tabs
Google Chrome Help describes the feature this way: “To save your computer’s memory and help active tabs run smoothly, Chrome deactivates tabs that you aren’t currently using.” Open Settings → Performance on a computer and switch on Memory Saver. The setting targets inactive tabs rather than guaranteeing a specific reduction in Chrome’s total memory use.
When Chrome deactivates a tab, it may need to reload when you return. Choose a level based on how long you are willing to leave tabs inactive and how disruptive a reload would be:
| Memory Saver level | When tabs are deactivated | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate | After a longer period of inactivity | Choose this if you want to reduce the chance of a tab being reloaded when you come back soon. |
| Balanced (recommended) | At Chrome’s recommended balance of memory savings and tab availability | A sensible starting point for most people. |
| Maximum | After a shorter period of inactivity | Choose this if freeing memory is more important than keeping inactive tabs ready to resume. |
Google does not publish a memory-saving amount or benchmark for these levels, so the documentation supports comparing their behavior—not promising a particular number of megabytes or a speed increase. [Google Chrome Help: Personalize Chrome performance]
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Keep specific sites active
If Chrome’s reload interrupts work on a particular site, add it under Always keep these sites active in the Memory Saver settings. This is useful for sites where you need a tab to remain available, while letting Memory Saver manage other inactive tabs.
Check which tabs and extensions use memory
Memory Saver is the direct setting for inactive tabs, but it helps to identify what is using memory before changing anything else. Open More → More tools → Task Manager, then sort by the Memory column to find resource-heavy tabs or extensions. Google also recommends closing tabs you do not need and disabling or removing extensions you no longer use. These are cleanup steps rather than Memory Saver settings. [Google Chrome Help: Fix Chrome if it crashes or won’t open]
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Decide whether to turn off Preload pages
Preload pages is intended to make browsing and searching faster by loading pages Chrome thinks you might visit. Chrome offers Standard and Extended preloading choices. Turning preloading off is an optional tradeoff if you prefer less speculative background activity to the speed benefit; Google does not state how much memory, if any, this saves. [Google Chrome Help: Preload pages]
Do not use Energy Saver as a memory setting
Energy Saver is designed to extend battery life, not reduce memory use. Google says it reduces image capture rate and other background tasks, and warns that users may notice changes in gaming and video performance. It is not the appropriate first choice for managing Chrome’s memory. [Google Chrome Help: Personalize Chrome performance]
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Know when Memory Saver may leave a tab active
Chrome lists circumstances that can prevent a tab from being deactivated. These include active audio or video, calls, screen sharing, page notifications, active downloads, partially filled forms, pinned tabs, and connected devices. If a tab remains active, check whether one of these applies before assuming Memory Saver is not enabled. [Google Chrome Help: Personalize Chrome performance]
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This walkthrough is for Chrome on a computer. Google says performance settings cannot be personalized on Chrome for iOS or Android. [Google Chrome Help: Personalize Chrome performance]
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