Symptoms
- Pages look broken or missing content
- Browser is noticeably slower than before
- A specific site stopped working after adding an extension
- High memory use shown in Chrome's task manager
Likely causes
- CommonAd blocker or content blocker interfering with page elementsOverly aggressive blocking rules can remove parts of a page that aren't actually ads.
- CommonExtension updated with a bugAuto-updating extensions can introduce new bugs without you doing anything.
- PossibleToo many extensions running simultaneouslyEach extension uses some memory and CPU even when idle.
- PossibleExtension conflict with another extensionTwo extensions modifying the same page can clash unpredictably.
What to do
- Open chrome://extensions and disable all extensions temporarily.
- Reload the problematic page to see if it now works correctly.
- Re-enable extensions one at a time, reloading the page after each, until you find the one causing the issue.
- Update the identified extension to its latest version, or check its reviews for similar recent reports.
- Remove the extension if no update fixes it, and look for an alternative.
- Use Chrome's built-in task manager (Shift+Esc or Search+Esc) to check which extensions use the most memory if slowness is the main complaint.
When to call a pro
Not applicable; this is a browser configuration issue.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.