Ever since the beta launch in 2010, Google Chrome has managed to become one of the fastest and most powerful browsers yet.
As of 2020, Chrome is now considered the fastest browser among Firefox, Safari, and Edge, which have all clamored for the title.
So why do users still experience slow browsing woes even when they’re using the fastest browser?
Generally, it all depends on your settings, the power of your computer, and how much data contributes to that slow rendering. With a few changes to these features, you can significantly increase your Chrome browser speed and improve your overall user experience.
1. Turn on “Page Prefetch”
A network action prediction is a Chrome feature that allows you to pre-render a webpage before it actually loads on your screen. Google refers to this feature as “page prefetch” since this describes the action prediction process.
When page prefetch is turned on, the browser renders a webpage during the downtime when a user is not currently on the page. This way, the browser “predicts” certain webpages and loads them in case the user chooses to open those pages later.
To start using page prefetch, go to the top right corner of your Chrome browser and click the three vertical dots (the “More” button). Locate the “Privacy and Security” tab, then click on Cookies and Other Site Data. Finally, turn on “Preload pages for faster browsing and searching.”
2. Clear Browser Cache
Browser cache is similarly designed to make the user experience more efficient, like page prefetch. Your browser stores copies of texts, images, videos, and various data so that it doesn’t have to reload them from scratch.
While reloading data from a copy is designed to expedite the page loading process, too much of this data can do the opposite. Go to “More” and find “More Tools.” Then click “Clear Browsing Data.”
3. Manage Your Extensions
Too many extensions can also slow your browsing. Due to the amount of memory and resources that extensions demand, your computer can even start overheating and hyperventilating with its fans.
The reason for this is that some extensions require permission from the user to read and change data on the webpages you open. This takes time and uses up computer memory.
4. Check Your Computer Performance
Outside of your Chrome browser, you can identify the most demanding extensions, and applications right from your computer’s operations management tab.
On a PC, you can check the Task Manager, and on a Mac, you can check the Activity Monitor to see the exact percentage of memory used by your extensions or applications.
The main contributing factors to your computer’s browsing performance are RAM and the CPU level.
If you find other extensions or applications that are more demanding on your computer, you should delete the ones you don’t need.
5. Update Google Chrome
Sometimes all you need is a quick Chrome update to revamp your browsing power. If you’d like to do this, go to “More” and click “Update Google Chrome.” If you don’t see this option in your settings, then you already have the latest version installed.
You can also restore default settings on Chrome to get rid of any extra data you’ve collected. If you go to the “Advanced” tab in your Chrome settings, you can simply click “Reset Settings” on Mac, or “Reset and Cleanup” on Windows.
See Faster Results in Your Chrome Browser
Improving your Chrome browser just requires a few changes to your computer and browsing performance. Once you know what slows your browsing down, you can eliminate these factors.
If you need more tips to help improve your browser, check out some of our content. Or, get in touch with us to help you manage your data with IT solutions.