Multiple chrome.exe processes in Task Manager

I know that each new tab on Google Chrome have its own process, but I have 14 chrome.exe processes running actually as I can see it on the Task Manager, and only two tabs are opened on Google Chrome.

Could it be due to Chrome extensions? What other reason can open more chrome.exe process and how to avoid it?

mcha

Posted 2010-08-11T12:28:08.460

Reputation: 686

5What makes you think that having many Chrome processes is killing your CPU? – heavyd – 2010-08-11T12:31:31.310

in Task Manager, Sum of all chrome.exe process is around 300M i have two tabs open : superuser + google.com – mcha – 2010-08-11T12:36:08.537

Using Task Manager to see "how much memory" is being used is misleading at best. Much of that memory will be shared between the various chrome.exe processes as well as other processes for common system libraries. – afrazier – 2010-08-11T12:51:24.547

4And memory consumption doesn't "kill" your CPU anyway. CPU usage does! – Shinrai – 2010-08-11T14:12:53.837

Answers

You're always going to have at least n + 1 chrome.exe processes, where n is the number of unique domains you have open across all visible tabs. The +1 is for the "Browser" process coordinating everything else. (e.g. I have 5 tabs open, 4 for SuperUser, 1 for another site. I have 2 Tab processes open)
You'll also have processes for any extensions that might have a background window open. (e.g. Adblock Plus, Ghostery, Stylish, NinjaKit all require an extra process)

Hit Shift+Esc or go to Chrome's Task Manager (under the Tools menu/sub-menu depending on which version of Chrome you're running) to see a list of all the processes and what they're being used for.

afrazier

Posted 2010-08-11T12:28:08.460

Reputation: 21 316

There is unexplained points. Even after closing some tabs, the number of background processes of Chrome remains as it is! Why does it not be decreased? – SaidbakR – 2016-10-10T13:11:19.607

Thanks, i see that the extensions i have, are consuming too much. – mcha – 2010-08-11T12:53:01.920

1i'd upvote more than once if i could, i was about to ask why i have 26 chrome.exe instances for just 10 tabs, but they're all extensions. a thousand thankyous! – Antony Scott – 2010-12-14T16:54:36.797

Is there any flash running in the tabs you've opened? Chrome starts a separate process for each flash-instance IIRC, and that might be why you have 14 chrome.exe opened.

Burbas

Posted 2010-08-11T12:28:08.460

Reputation: 121

I have two tabs opened actually, one for superuser and the other one is google.com – mcha – 2010-08-11T12:35:23.110

+1 - It does, and I think sometimes it starts a new thread for other reasons as well. It's not very CPU intensive, though. – JNK – 2010-08-11T12:35:29.370

You could try using the "FlashBlock" Google Chrome extension to see whether it is actually Flash which is causing these extra Chrome.exe instances.

I seem to have about 14 instances of Chrome.exe as well and I have this turned on myself, with about 5 tabs of various pages open. – Richard Lucas – 2010-08-11T12:38:55.977

Its an .exe for every plugin you have installed

so your main browser 1.exe + 1 .exe for every plugin

moe

Posted 2010-08-11T12:28:08.460

Reputation: 11

My case I was still able to see around 10-15 chrome.exe in the task manager even if I haven't started Google Chrome on machine start-up.

The reason was I checked the option 'Always run in the background', this option can be found in settings or in your taskbar in the system icons you might have a Google Chrome icon, right click it and you will see that option. Just uncheck it and there wont be any chrome.exe in the task manager.

Anmol Saraf

Posted 2010-08-11T12:28:08.460

Reputation: 205