“Google Chrome has stopped working” is a common error experienced by the Chrome users. If you use Chrome exclusively or as your default browser, there are times when this error pops up.
Fixing this error is a cake walk. And, many times, Chrome is not working because it can’t access certain websites.
You can refresh these web pages to see if Chrome resumes. If this doesn’t help, let’s dig deep into why Chrome has stopped working on your Windows 10 PC.
Why has Google Chrome Stopped Working on Windows 10?
Before trying out the solutions presented below, let’s learn more on why Google Chrome stopped working on Windows 10. It is tricky to identify the root cause of Google Chrome stopped working error on your PC, but we’ll give it a go.
Chrome is a popular browser, and likewise, its issues are equally prevalent among Windows users. Now, according to most cases, there are a few specific reasons why the browser stops working on Windows 10.
- Suspicious plug-ins – Sometimes, too many extensions on Chrome can be the problem. Some plug-ins can be bad for your PC, and you can risk your data security. You could unknowingly allow such extensions the permissions to download new apps, malware and what not.
- Conflicting software – If you’ve recently installed a software or game and suddenly Chrome has stopped working, get rid of it right away. The software is interfering with the Chrome app and forcefully disabling you from using the browser.
- Improper installation – While installing Chrome, make sure unwanted programs and services aren’t running in the background. Some processes (view them on Task Manager) can interfere with Chrome’s installation and stop it from launching.
- Windows updates – On the same lines of conflicting software, latest upgrades for your Windows 10 system can also stem this issue. After installing an update for Windows 10 or some other software on your PC, your Chrome browser may malfunction.
To sort out the cause of Google Chrome stopped working error on Windows 10, you can try out each solution shown below. These methods categorically fix the browser by taking the above factors into consideration.
Troubleshooting the “Google Chrome Stopped Working” Error on Windows 10
Get your Google Chrome browser fixed with these easy-to-follow methods below. Try them out one by one to see which solutions works the best in fixing Chrome on your Windows 10 PC.
1. Remove Some Extensions and Apps on Chrome
Google Chrome doesn’t have any obvious way to specifically update its installed extensions. So, in most cases, these ‘outdated’ apps and extensions are the reason why Google Chrome keeps crashing in Windows 10 .
The first step to fix “Google Chrome has stopped working” error is removing a few of Chrome extensions and browser apps.
To remove or disable Chrome extensions,
-
- Open the Chrome browser
- Type “ chrome://extensions/ ” in the address bar (URL bar)
- Press the Enter key
- Now, you’ll see all the extensions in a panel form
- You can click on ‘ Remove ’ to uninstall them
- You can toggle an extension off to disable it
To remove Chrome apps,
- Launch the Chrome browser
-
Enter the following text in the address/URL bar
chrome://apps/ - Press the Enter key
- Browse through the list of apps
- Right-click on the ones you want to remove
- Click on ‘ Remove from Chrome ’
Now, you don’t need to remove these extensions or apps per se. You can simple disable them by switching the toggle on them. But, if you don’t require them, removing is a better option.
Choose for yourself.
2. Allow Admin Privileges to Chrome
Google Chrome can work better with administrative privileges. You can allow additional permissions for the browser. This can specifically help Chrome in overcoming internal technical issues.
- Go to the desktop on right-click on the Chrome icon
- Click on ‘ Properties ’ from the dropdown menu
- In the Properties window, go to the Compatibility tab
- Here, click on the button that says – Change Settings for All Users
- When you see the UAC prompt, click on Yes to continue
- Now, uncheck the option – Run this program in Compatibility Mode
- Under the Privilege Level section, enable the option that says Run this program as an administrator
- Click on Apply and OK to save these modifications
- Close the Properties windows and open Chrome
Going forward, this fix can help you run Chrome whenever the browser gets stuck due to lack of permissions.
3. Rename Default Folder
Next method is renaming Google Chrome’s Default folder from Windows Local Settings folder. You can try this fix only if the “Google Chrome has stopped working” error occurs recurrently.
Instead of renaming the folder, you can also try manually moving the Default subfolder from your User Data folder.
To rename the default folder,
- Press and hold the ‘ Windows ’ key and ‘ R ’ key to launch Run program
- For Windows 10/8/7, enter the following address in the Open dialog box
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\
-
- Click on OK
- In the window that opens up, search for a folder named ‘ Default ’
- Now, right-click on it and rename the folder to ‘ Backup ’
- At this stage, you are in the User Data folder
- Now, right-click on the newly-renamed Backup folder
- Select ‘ Move ’ from the context menu
- Now, go back by one level and into the Chrome folder
- Paste /move the Backup folder here
This could fix the problem, so re-launch Chrome and check if the “Google Chrome has stopped working” error shows up or not.
BEST PRACTICE
Run SFC Scan
Another way to scan for corrupted Chrome files – you can run the System File Checker (SFC) scan. With an SFC scan, you can detect corrupted files and repair them automatically.
To run an SFC scan,
- Type ‘ cmd ’ in the Windows 10 search box
- Go to Command Prompt program from the search results
- Right-click on it and select ‘ Run as administrator ’ from the context menu
- Type the command ‘ sfc/scannow ’ in the Command Prompt window
- Press the Enter key to execute the scan
- Wait for the scan to finish (this make take a couple of minutes)
- Restart your PC
4. Check for Conflicting Software & Uninstall It
Chrome also offers a troubleshooter to detect the factor that has caused the “Google Chrome has stopped working” error. Many users report that other software can conflict with Chrome to stop it from working.
Thankfully, Google Chrome can detect conflicting software by itself.
- Open the Chrome browser
- Type “ chrome://conflicts ” in the URL bar
- Press the Enter key
- A list of conflicting software gets displayed
Once you identify the conflicting software, you can choose to uninstall it using the
Settings>Apps>Uninstall
method.
If you don’t have any conflicting software, Chrome advises you to install updates. You can install Chrome updates, just in case.
5. Add a Reliable Multicast Protocol (for LAN Connections)
There’s a feature exclusive for Windows 10 users connected to Local Area Networks. You can implement Reliable Multicast Programming to improve the performance of outgoing and incoming signals between the browser and your internet connection.
- Open the Run dialog (press Windows + R key)
- Type “ ncpa.cpl ” and hit the Enter key
- Go to the Network Connections section
- Right-click on the current network adapter and click on Properties
- Browse the items list and enable “ Microsoft Network Adapter Multiplexor Protocol ”
- Now, click on Install
- Select the option that says ‘ Protocol’
- Here, click on Add and choose – Reliable Multicast Protocol
- Click on OK to save and exit
- Restart your PC and open Chrome
You can undo the above if this doesn’t help kick-start Chrome on your Windows 10 system.
BEST PRACTICE
Check for Chrome Updates
If Chrome stopped working in Windows 10, you need to check for some updates. The browser’s outdated version is the reason why Chrome is not working on Windows 10.
To install updates on Chrome,
- Open the Chrome browser
- Look at the three vertical dots on the top-right corner of the browser
- If you see Green , Orange or Red color in those dots – it means that an update is available
- Now, click on those three dots
- Click on ‘ More ’ from the drop-down menu
- Select ‘ Update Google Chrome ’ by click on it
- Let the update installation conclude
- Re-open the browser thereafter
You can also update Google Chrome via the ‘ Windows Update & Security ’ feature in the Settings menu.
6. Remove Preferences Folder
You can also delete the Preferences folder to see if saved Chrome data isn’t causing this error. In a few cases, the “Google Chrome has stopped working” error in Windows 10 gets solved by this fix.
- Press the Windows key + R key
- This launches the Run program
- Copy and paste the following address in the Open dialog box
%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\
- Click on OK
- Double-click on the Default folder to open it
- Search for a file called ‘ Preferences ’
- Right-click on this file
- Click on ‘ Delete ’ from the drop-down menu
You can restart Chrome to check if this has resolved the issue or not. If the issue gets worse, always have a backup of the Preferences file before deleting it. In such case, you can place it back in the Defaults folder and restore Chrome to as it was.
7. Turn off “Sandbox” mode on Chrome
Chrome is more secure than ever, thanks to the Sandbox tool . This security feature is available in Google Chrome’s latest versions. So, if your Chrome is updated, you can disable the Sandbox tool to cut down the browser’s additional security measures.
- Right-click on Chrome icon and click on Properties
- Go to the Shortcut tab
- In the Target field, type “ -no-sandbox ” after the path address
- Click on OK and Apply
- Restart your PC and open Chrome
When you disable ‘Sandbox’ on Chrome, you allow the browser to execute codes that make unsafe web pages accessible. You can view web pages correctly, but your access information is no longer confidential.
8. Remove Harmful Programs
Chrome has its own scanner to check for harmful programs. It can detect which programs on your Windows 10 PC are stopping it from working.
- Open the Control menu on Chrome (click on three dots at the top-right corner)
- Click on Settings
- In the Settings page, go to Advanced
- Scroll down to the end and click on Clean up computer
- Allow Chrome to scan your PC for harmful (conflicting) apps and programs
Now, you can temporarily disable or remove the harmful apps listed in the scan. Restart your PC after uninstalling them and re-open Chrome to see if it’s working or not.
Google Chrome Stopped Working after Windows 10 Update? Here’s the Fix
As discussed earlier, Google Chrome can also run into trouble due to recent updates on your Windows 10 system. The above solutions may not fix Chrome when an update has stopped it from working.
In several cases , recent updates for Windows 10 – particularly the Fall/Creator’s update have put Google Chrome out of order.
It is easy to fix the broken Chrome, you need to simply uninstall the update . You can also restore your Windows 10 to an earlier point or try out other recovery options.
Meanwhile, developers at Microsoft has addressed this major issue and deployed a fix. You can install the KB4284848 update – it comes with software patches that can fix Chrome if it has stopped working due to Windows Update.
If Nothing Works, Reinstall Chrome
Any of the above solutions ought to fix the “Google Chrome has stopped working” error. If all failed, you can always reinstall Google Chrome.
This is quite a no-brainer fix to the issue. As a solution, reinstalling Chrome is not a “fix” but more of a makeshift option.
- Click on the Windows 10 Start menu
- Go to Settings window by clicking on the gear icon
- Go to the Apps sections
- Browse to “ Google Chrome ” and click on it
- Select ‘ Uninstall ’ and complete the process
- Now, click on the link below to download Google Chrome setup file
https://www.google.co.in/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html
- Run the setup and follow the instructions presented by Chrome’s installation wizard
After you reinstall Google Chrome successfully, there won’t be any “Google Chrome has stopped working” error throwing up – at least for a while.
Try out all the methods and pro tips presented above to see what fixes the error. Let us know by commenting below.
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