Google Chrome now reveals tab memory usage in a snap

Google Chrome lifestyle
(Image credit: Chris Wedel / Android Central)

What you need to know

  • Chrome's latest update lets you hover over a tab to see its memory usage, making it easier to track system-heavy pages without the hassle of diving into menus.
  • The new Chrome feature shows "Memory usage" alongside page details in the card that shows up when you hover over a tab.
  • The tab memory usage feature is gradually rolling out for Mac, Windows, Linux, and ChromeOS.

Google Chrome's reputation for memory-hogging is no secret. But with its latest update, the web browser is finally giving you a quick and effortless way to identify those memory-hungry tabs that are slowing you down.

As spotted by 9to5Google, the search giant is rolling out a new feature for Google Chrome on desktop. The "Memory usage" feature lets you know exactly how much memory each of your tabs is munching on.

This information appears on top of the page name and domain in the card that pops up when you hover over a tab, and it's available on macOS, Windows, Linux, and ChromeOS.

Google Chrome memory usage monitor for each open tab

(Image credit: Future)

This update is all about giving users the lowdown on how much memory their open tabs are gobbling up, whether they're active or running in the background.

This new method is a much easier way to check which tabs are putting a heavy load on your system compared to how you had to do it before. Up until now, you had to go deep into the Chrome Task Manager to find out how much memory each tab was using. But now, thanks to this new feature, you can get that crucial info without digging through menus.

It comes in handy, especially if you're someone who juggles lots of open tabs and wants to keep your computer running normally. Think of it as a quick heads-up rather than a full-blown performance audit. This means the new feature only provides a quick peek, but it's not as detailed as the built-in task manager. You won't get all the nitty-gritty details, like running processes.

Chrome's new memory monitor joins its Memory and Energy Saver companions in keeping your browsing experience light. In plain terms, having a little indicator at the top will simplify getting rid of tabs you don't need.

Jay Bonggolto
News Writer & Reviewer

Jay Bonggolto always keeps a nose for news. He has been writing about consumer tech and apps for as long as he can remember, and he has used a variety of Android phones since falling in love with Jelly Bean. Send him a direct message via Twitter or LinkedIn.