Chrome Not Working on Mac: A Comprehensive Guide

Posted By Volodymyr Chubei | 19 Feb 2025

If Google Chrome doesn’t work on your Mac, it can cause difficulties and inconvenience. The browser may not open, freeze, or display pages incorrectly. In this article, we'll look at the possible reasons why Chrome isn't working on macOS and provide you with the necessary details on how to fix these problems quickly.

How To Fix Google Chrome On Mac

If Chrome won't start or isn't working properly on your Mac, you can fix the problem in a few simple steps. Below, you'll find the steps that can help you troubleshoot and get your browser back to working condition.

1. Restart the browser

A simple restart of Chrome can fix most temporary glitches:

Tap the Apple icon in the top left corner of the screen.
Click on Force Quit.
Select Google Chrome from the list and click Force Quit.
Open the program and check for the correct operation.

2. Clear cache and cookies

Cache and cookie data accumulates as you use the software, which may cause conflicts.

To clear them:

Open Chrome, click on the top right three dots and select Settings.
Click on the Privacy and Security tab and then on Clear Browsing Data.
Select on "All Time."
Check the Cookies and other websites data and Cached images and files checkboxes.
Click Clear Data.

Restart the browser to apply the changes.

3. Check the Internet connection

Sometimes problems with Google Chrome not working on Mac are not related to the browser itself, but to your Internet connection. Try the following to check and fix the Internet connection on Mac:

Recheck the correctness of the Internet connection (direct, Wi-Fi or mobile network);
Try navigating other websites to see if there is a connection and how stable it is
reboot the router/modem/router.

4. Check for Chrome updates

An outdated browser version can cause Google Chrome crashing on Mac.

To update your browser:

Open Chrome, click on the three dots in the top right screen corner and select Settings.
Go to About Chrome.
If an update is available, it will start downloading automatically. After the update is installed, click Relaunch to restart the browser.

5. Disable extensions

Some extensions may cause conflicts or slow Chrome down.

To check them out, do the following:

Open Chrome.
Go to Settings and then to the Extensions tab.
Disable all extensions using the switch next to them.
Restart the browser.

Include extensions one by one to identify the problematic one.

6. Check for macOS updates

If your operating system version is outdated, this may be the reason for incompatibility with the latest Chrome updates.

To update macOS:

Go to System Preferences and then to Software Update.
Click Update Now if an update is available.

After the update is complete, restart your Mac and test your browser.

7. Disable hardware acceleration

Hardware acceleration can cause glitches when playing multimedia or surfing the web:

Open Chrome.
Go to Settings, Advanced, System.
Disable the Use hardware acceleration when available option.
Restart the browser.

8. Delete a corrupted user profile

If the problem persists, it may be due to corrupted profile data:

Close Chrome.
Open Finder and select Go and then Go to Folder.
Enter the path: ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome.
Locate the user profile folder and remove it to the trash.

Chrome will then create a new profile the next time you launch it.

9. Run Chrome in incognito mode

In this mode, all extensions are disabled and the browser runs at the lowest settings. Press Command+Shift+N to open a new window in incognito mode. If the browser does not work properly, it is most likely that the problem is caused by extensions or a failure in the settings.

10. Reinstall Chrome

If the methods we suggested above didn't help, uninstall the browser and install it again:

Close Chrome and open to the Applications folder via Finder.
Find the Google Chrome app, select it, and click on Move to Trash.
Go to Finder, then the Go tab and Go to Folder.
Specify the path: ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome.
To eliminate possible corrupted data, delete all folders associated with the browser.
Download the software from the official website by selecting the right version for macOS.
Run the installer and follow the instructions.
Open your browser and sign in to your Google account to restore your synchronized data.

Once reinstalled, Chrome will run with clean settings, which will eliminate most of the possible problems.

Google Chrome Keeps Crashing on Mac

If Chrome crashes for no apparent reason, the problem may be due to RAM overload with conflicting extensions or corrupted system files. Let's consider the main causes and steps on how to fix google chrome crashing issues on ma.

1. RAM overload

The Chrome web browser is known for its high resource consumption, especially when there are lots of open tabs or active extensions. If your Mac's RAM is overloaded, it can cause crashes.

Solution :

Close unnecessary applications and tabs.
Use Activity Monitor to identify the processes that consume the most resources.
If overloading persists, perform RAM optimization using tools such as the CleanMyMac X utility.

2. Conflicting extensions

Extensions that are added to improve your browser can sometimes cause conflicts with the latest versions of Chrome or with each other.

Solution:

Go to Chrome and open Settings and then to Extensions.
Deactivate all extensions by removing the switches.
Restart Chrome.
Turn on extensions one at a time to identify which one causes the crashes.

3. Damaged files

Browser or browser profile files can get corrupted, resulting in unstable operation and constant crashes.

Uninstall the browser, including the associated profile files (see step 10 of "How to Fix Google Chrome on Mac" for details). Download the latest version of Chrome from the official website and install it.

What to Do When Chrome Not Responding on Mac

If Chrome on Mac freezes and stops responding, follow these steps:

1. Forced termination via Activity Monitor

If Chrome hangs, it can be terminated through "System Monitoring":

Open Activity Monitor via Finder, go to Applications and then to Utilities.
Type "Google Chrome" into the search bar in the upper right corner.
Select Chrome processes from the list.
Press Force Quit in the upper left corner or use the keyboard shortcut Command+Option+Esc to end the process.

Once done, restart Chrome and see if the problem disappears.

Also: Safari Not Working on MacBook

2. Free up RAM

If your Mac runs low on resources, it may be the cause of browser freezes.

Solution:

Close applications that are not in use, especially those that take up a lot of RAM (such as video editors or games).
Open Activity Monitor to check the system load.
Free up resources with tools such as CleanMyMac X. Launch the application, select the Memory module, and click Free Up Memory to free up RAM.

3. Reset the browser settings

If Chrome keeps freezing, it may be due to errors in your settings. In this case, perform a factory reset:

Open Chrome and type in the address bar: chrome://settings/reset.
Press Enter to open the restore settings section.
Select Restore settings to their factory defaults.
In the window that appears, click Reset Settings to confirm the action.

What will happen:

all settings will be reset to default values;
cache files, cookies and temporary data will be deleted;
extensions will remain disabled, but will not be removed.

After the reset, restart Chrome and sign in to your Google account to restore your bookmarks and settings.

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FAQ

1. Is Chrome no longer supported on Mac?

Chrome continues to be supported, but the browser needs to be updated regularly to work properly.

2. How do I fix Google Chrome not responding on my Mac?

Clear the cache and try disabling extensions one by one. If this does not help, reinstall the browser.

3. Why isn't Google Chrome opening on my Mac?

The problem is often caused by corrupted files or an outdated version. It is recommended to reinstall the browser to fix the problem.

4. How do I get Google Chrome to work on my MacBook?

Make sure your browser is up-to-date, check your Internet connection, and reset your Chrome settings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Volodymyr Chubei
Computer Repair Specialist at TechToro.io

Volodymyr was born in Ukraine and has found his passion for electronics from his childhood. At the age of 13, he was capable of soldering some basic elements of a logic board and today he is one of the co-founders of TechToro.io