Why does chrome use so much CPU? Are you facing the same issues as I did with my Chrome browser? Do you get stuck and your screen freezes when you open many tabs on your Chrome browser? If it happened to you, you are not alone. It is one of the most common problems every chrome user is facing.
Your system starts freezing for a few seconds while you are browsing the Internet on your computer, then it resumes normally and then freezes again. When you try to see what’s wrong with it and open the task manager, there is a high percentage of CPU being consumed by Chrome. You may wonder how Chrome consumes so much of your CPU. Well, there are many possible reasons for the use of Chrome’s high CPU, but there are many possible solutions…
Why does chrome use so much CPU?
There are various reasons behind the high CPU usage. Many people claim that Chrome is one of the browsers that need the most from the CPU. I’ll say that the source of your CPU issues generally isn’t Chrome itself — but rather how you’re using it.
The following might be the main reasons behind high CPU usage:

CPU eating apps
Yes, there might be some apps consuming much CPU than other underuse. Right-click the title bar, or enter “Shift-Esc” to open Google Chrome’s Task Manager. Click the “CPU” button to find out which activity uses the most energy. Disable that if that’s not necessary.
Too many tabs
If there are too many tabs open, then it might also cause extra consumption of CPU. Cumulative use can drain your CPU (computer brain) or RAM (computer memory). This would also shorten the battery life dramatically — and give you higher bills of energy.
Too Many Extensions
Many extensions run multiple codes and are more likely to drain your hardware resources more than others. Some extensions are obsolete or simply improperly coded to trigger “plot hang-ups.” This is when a running process is unlikely to finish and just keeps spinning purposelessly.
It is possible that certain extensions trigger conflicts, particularly if they do the exact same function. Have you got two or more extensions that have similar roles? That might cause trouble.
If you have allowed a lot of extensions in your browser, there’s a good chance one or more of them will use a lot of CPU. You will decide whether you need them all (chances are you won’t).
HD videos playback
If you are watching HD videos on YouTube, etc. then your CPU might suffer in this case as well. If you stream HD videos, that will normally take up a lot of relative CPU and GPU resources unless you have a high-end computer on it. Constant streaming of HD videos requires so much CPU and if they are added with other tabs open, then you should not complain about your computer.
Some other reasons
Browsing high animations pages
- The pages contain a high number of ads
- Pages that contain auto-playing videos.
Among the most common causes in Chrome for high CPU usage is the amount and type of Chrome Extensions that you are using. As a general rule: when you add more software applications (such as extensions, plugins, and apps) to a system, your risk of slowing down your computer increases.
How Much CPU Usage is Normal?
If you are curious about how much CPU usage is normal, you are not alone. I was curious about these things and still have some curiosity. The Central Processing Unit or CPU is like the brain of any computer. If you load so much stuff on your brain, it would suffer. Similar is the case with CPU.
How much is standard CPU usage? Regular use of the CPU is 2-4 percent idle, 10-30% when playing less challenging games, up to 70 percent when playing more challenging games, and up to 100 percent when doing some extensive work. This should be about 5 percent up to 15 percent (total) depending on the efficiency of your CPU, browser, and video when watching YouTube.
We hope that you would find this article helpful in solving your query about why does chrome use so much CPU.