Fix Google Chrome Out of Memory Error on Windows 10

If Chrome crashes with an “out of memory” error on Windows 10, the fix is usually to close unused tabs, disable memory-hogging extensions, or adjust Chrome’s built-in memory saver settings. For persistent errors, clearing cached data or resetting Chrome’s profile often resolves the issue without reinstalling.

Why Chrome Runs Out of Memory

Chrome is known for its high memory usage because it runs each tab, extension, and plugin as a separate process. This design improves stability and security, but it also means that with many tabs open, Chrome can consume several gigabytes of RAM. On a Windows 10 machine with 4GB or 8GB of RAM, that can quickly exhaust available memory, especially if other applications like video editors or virtual machines are running.

When Windows runs low on physical memory, it starts using the page file (virtual memory) on your hard drive or SSD. This is much slower than RAM, and when even that fills up, Chrome displays the “out of memory” error and may crash or freeze. The error can also appear if a single tab—like a complex web app or a video stream—uses an unusually large amount of memory.

Immediate Fixes to Try First

Before diving into advanced settings, try these quick steps. They often solve the problem in seconds:

Close unused tabs: Each open tab uses memory, so closing tabs you don’t need frees up RAM immediately.
Restart Chrome: Fully close Chrome (including background processes) and reopen it. This clears temporary memory leaks.
Restart your computer: A reboot clears all memory and stops background processes that may be consuming RAM.
Check for other memory-hungry apps: Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and look at the Memory column. If another app is using several GB, close it or restart it.
Run a malware scan: Some malicious software can consume memory without your knowledge. Use Windows Defender or a trusted third-party scanner.

If the error still appears, move on to the more targeted fixes below.

Use Chrome’s Built-in Memory Saver

Chrome includes a feature called Memory Saver that automatically frees memory from inactive tabs. When you have many tabs open, Memory Saver puts tabs you haven’t used in a while to sleep, so they don’t consume RAM. When you click on a sleeping tab, it reloads.

To enable it:

Open Chrome and click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
Select Settings.
Click Performance in the left sidebar.
Toggle on Memory Saver.
Optionally, you can add sites to “Always keep these sites active” if you don’t want them to sleep.

This feature is available in recent versions of Chrome (from around 2023 onward). If you don’t see the Performance section, update Chrome to the latest version first.

Disable or Remove Memory-Hogging Extensions

Extensions are a common cause of high memory usage. Some extensions run background processes that consume RAM even when you aren’t using them. To find out which extensions are using the most memory:

Type chrome://system in the address bar and press Enter. This shows system information, but not per-extension memory.
Better: Open Chrome’s Task Manager by pressing Shift+Esc (or go to the three-dot menu > More tools > Task Manager).
Click the “Memory footprint” column header to sort by memory usage.
Look for entries labeled “Extension” and note which ones are using the most memory.

Once you identify a culprit, you can disable it temporarily (go to chrome://extensions and toggle off the switch) or remove it entirely. If you need the extension, try to find a lighter alternative or use it only when needed.

Clear Cached Data and Reset Chrome

Corrupted cache or browser data can also cause memory errors. Clearing the cache forces Chrome to reload fresh data and can free up memory. Here’s how:

Click the three-dot menu and select Settings.
Go to Privacy and security > Clear browsing data.
Choose a time range (e.g., “All time”) and check Cached images and files.
Click Clear data.

If that doesn’t help, resetting Chrome can fix deeper issues. This restores default settings and disables all extensions, but it does not delete your bookmarks or passwords. To reset:

Go to Settings > Reset settings.
Click Restore settings to their original defaults.
Confirm by clicking Reset settings.

After the reset, check if the memory error persists. If it does, the problem may be with your Chrome profile itself. You can try creating a new user profile to see if that helps.

Adjust Windows Virtual Memory Settings

Windows uses a page file (virtual memory) to supplement physical RAM. If the page file is too small, Chrome may hit the “out of memory” error even if you have free RAM. By default, Windows manages the page file size automatically, but you can increase it manually:

Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter.
Go to the Advanced tab and click Settings under Performance.
Go to the Advanced tab again and click Change under Virtual memory.
Uncheck “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives.”
Select your system drive (usually C:), choose Custom size, and set an initial and maximum size (e.g., 1.5x your RAM for initial, 3x for max).
Click Set, then OK, and restart your computer.

Be careful not to set the page file too large, as it uses disk space. A common recommendation is 1.5 to 3 times your physical RAM, but this depends on how much RAM you have and your disk space. If you have 8GB of RAM, a page file of 12GB to 24GB is usually sufficient.

When to Consider Hardware Upgrades

If you regularly have many tabs open or use memory-intensive web apps, the long-term fix may be to add more RAM to your computer. Windows 10 itself uses about 2GB of RAM when idle, and Chrome with a few tabs can easily use 1-2GB. With 4GB of RAM, you’re likely to hit memory limits frequently.

Before buying RAM, check your system’s specifications and see if it’s upgradeable. Many laptops have soldered RAM, making upgrades impossible. For desktops, adding RAM is usually straightforward. Upgrading from 8GB to 16GB is often the most cost-effective solution for heavy Chrome users.

Another option is to switch to a lighter browser like Microsoft Edge (which is Chromium-based but has better memory management) or Firefox, but that’s a personal choice. If you prefer Chrome, the fixes above should help you manage memory better.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Chrome use so much memory?

Chrome uses multiple processes for security and stability—one for the browser, one for each tab, and one for each extension. This design prevents a single crash from taking down the whole browser, but it also means more memory usage. Each process has its own overhead, so with many tabs, memory consumption adds up quickly.

Does the “out of memory” error mean my computer is broken?

No, it usually means your computer is running low on available memory at that moment. It’s a temporary condition that can be fixed by closing tabs, restarting Chrome, or freeing up memory from other apps. If it happens constantly, it may indicate that your system has too little RAM for your usage pattern.

Will clearing cache delete my passwords?

Clearing cached images and files does not delete passwords. Passwords are stored separately in Chrome’s password manager. However, if you choose “All time” and also check “Passwords and other sign-in data,” that will delete saved passwords. Be careful to only select “Cached images and files” when trying to fix memory issues.

Can I increase Chrome’s memory limit?

Chrome doesn’t have a user-configurable memory limit. It uses as much memory as it needs, up to what the operating system allows. You can control how much memory Chrome uses by limiting the number of tabs and extensions, and by enabling Memory Saver. The only way to truly increase the limit is to add more RAM to your computer.

Is it safe to reset Chrome?

Yes, resetting Chrome is safe. It restores default settings, disables extensions, and clears temporary data, but it does not delete your bookmarks, history, or saved passwords. You may need to re-login to some websites and reconfigure your preferences, but your data is preserved.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →