Google Chrome is an incredibly responsive browser. It can display search results in seconds, thanks to the new core algorithm. However, the same cannot be said for the download speed.
Update Google Chrome to the latest version
It might seem obvious, but running an outdated version of Chrome can cause lag. Generally, Google automatically updates the browser in the background, i.e. when you close and reopen it. If you haven't done this in a while, chances are you haven't gotten the latest firmware. Here's how to check:
- Open Chrome.
- Click on the three vertical dots in the upper right corner of the screen.
- If the icon is green, orange, or red, Google released an update a few days ago.
Once you've established that you need to upgrade, here's how to do it manually:
- Launch Chrome on your PC or Mac.
- Then click on the three vertical dots at the top right.
- From the drop-down panel, select "Update Google Chrome".
- Finally, press “Relaunch”.
You can also update the mobile version of the browser app. Here's how to do it with an Android device:
- Launch the Google Play Store app.
- In the top right corner of the screen, tap your profile picture.
- Select "Manage apps and device" from the options window.
- Look for Chrome in the "Available updates" section and update the app.
And here's how to do it with an iOS device:
- Open the App Store app and tap your profile icon.
- In the pop-up panel, search for "Available updates" and locate the Chrome app.
- Tap the "Update" button next to the app to get the latest version.
- Enter your Apple ID if prompted.
Clear browsing data
Sometimes an accumulation of browsing data can hinder the download process. Storing too many cookies is known to cause problems, so a thorough cleanup might be a good idea. Here's how to do it with a computer:
- Launch the Chrome browser and click on the three-dot menu at the top right corner of the window.
- From the drop-down list, select "More tools", then go to "Clear browsing data".
- A new window will open. Set a time range for deletion. For example, you can choose to erase the data accumulated over the last hour or delete everything.
- Next, check the boxes next to the type of data you want to delete.
- Finally, click on "Delete".
If you delete saved passwords, the information will be deleted from all synced devices.
You can also clear browsing data on your mobile app to optimize performance. Just follow these steps:
- Launch the Chrome mobile app.
- In the upper right corner, tap the three vertical dots. For iOS devices, these are the three horizontal dots.
- Go to "Settings" if you have an Android device and "History" if you are an iPhone user.
- From the list of options, select “Privacy and security”, then click on “Clear browsing data”.
- Select a time range and the type of data you want to delete.
- When you're done, tap "Erase" or "Done," depending on the device.
Delete unused extensions
Although Chrome extensions are incredibly useful, there is such a thing as having too many of them. If there's a plugin you haven't used in a while, it might be a good idea to delete it. Here's how:
- Launch Chrome on your PC or Mac.
- Next, click on the “More” menu in the upper right corner.
- From the drop-down list, select "More tools", then navigate to "Extensions".
- Scroll through the list of extensions and click on the "Remove" option next to the ones you want to remove.
- Once you're done, click "Delete" again to confirm.
Of course, you don't have to permanently get rid of your extensions. Instead, you can temporarily disable them while you download files to boost speed. Here's how:
- Launch Chrome and open the “More” menu.
- Go to "More tools", then "Extensions".
- Uncheck the small box next to the plugin you want to disable.
Close unused tabs
Again, this may seem overly simplistic, but closing unused tabs can sometimes increase download speed. This way, Chrome will focus all the bandwidth on the download process instead of distributing it to background resources. If you need important pages for future use, you can either bookmark them or find them among the browsing data.
It is also not recommended to use the browser while downloading files. You are free to take actions that will help Chrome work better or even work offline; just make sure you don't overload the internet bandwidth.
Make sure page prefetching is enabled
Chrome has a feature that allows it to cache pages linked to the one you're currently using to download files. If you want to speed things up a bit, make sure the feature is enabled before you start the process. Here's how:
- Go to Chrome and click on the three vertical dots in the upper right corner.
- Go to "Settings", then scroll down and select "Advanced" from the list of options.
- Then, under "Privacy and security", slide the option "Use the prediction service to load pages faster" to the left. This will enable pre-rendering.
Windows 10 users can enable Prefatch with Registry. Here's how:
- Hold the keyboard shortcut "Windows key + R" to access the "Run" dialog box.
- Type “Regedit” in the box and click “Enter”.
- Next, click on the “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Software Policies Google Chrome” section. Next, right-click on the browser and choose “New” > 32-bit DWORD Value” from the drop-down panel.
- Set the value to zero if you want prefetch to always be on.
- If you want the feature to only work on non-cellular networks, set it to one.
Finally, Mac users can enable the feature with a Terminal command:
- Open Finder and click "Go". Then select "Utilities".
- Launch the "Terminal" application.
- Enter the following command: “defaults write com.google.chrome NetworkPredictionOptions -integer .«
- If you want to enable pre-rendering for all networks, type zero instead of "n".
- If you want to enable it only for non-cellular networks, enter one.
Allow Parallel Download in Chrome
If you want to drastically improve your download speed, allowing parallel downloading in Chrome is an extremely effective way to do it. Although it is still considered an experimental feature, many users have found it very useful. Here's how to enable parallel download:
- Launch the Chrome browser on your computer.
- Paste “chrome://flags” in the address bar at the top of the window and press “Enter”.
- A new window will open—type “parallel download” in the built-in search box.
- Next, expand the drop-down menu in the "Parallel Download" section.
- Finally, choose “Enabled” from the list of settings.
Scan your device for malware and viruses
Harmful software is one of the most common causes of any type of problem. This is why it is advisable to regularly check your device for malware. This will not only improve download speed on Chrome, but potentially optimize overall app performance. Here's how:
- Launch Chrome on your computer.
- Click on the three vertical dots to access the “More” menu.
- Then open “Settings”. Scroll down to the "Reset and clean up" section and select "Clean up computer".
- Then choose "Scan" so that Chrome can check your device for any viruses or other harmful software.
- Finally, click on “Delete”.
Additional FAQs
Can I add a Google Chrome download speed limit?
Of course he does. Like other popular browsers, Chrome has a built-in feature that lets you control the download speed to avoid any issues with internet bandwidth. Here's how:
1. Launch the browser and click on the three vertical dots to access the drop-down menu.
2. Select "More Tools", then choose "Developer Tools" from the pop-up panel. A faster way to do this is to use the "CTRL + Shift + I" keyboard shortcut.
3. A new panel will appear. Click on the three vertical dots at the top right and choose "Settings" from the drop-down list.
4. Next, click on “Limitation” in the new “Settings” window, then on “Add a custom profile”.
5. Enter the file download speed limit to a preferred value in kb/s.
6. Finally, add a title to the new profile and click "Add" to complete the process.
Download files in a snap
Google Chrome is an overall fantastic browser that can sometimes lag when downloading files. This is most common when trying to download multiple files at once. Fortunately, there are several ways to make the browser run faster.
First, start with the basics, like checking if you have the latest version of the app and closing any extra tabs. You can then move on to more advanced features, such as enabling parallel downloads and pre-rendering. Finally, a very useful Chrome extension will allow you to manage downloaded files with increased speed and efficiency.
Is Chrome your favorite web browser? Have you ever encountered problems while downloading? Let us know in the comments section below.