Bea Beltran Tech 12.09.2022 03:Dec AM EST

Google Chrome Adds Memory, Energy Saver Modes for Mac

Google Chrome has an update that allows Mac to have better performance. The Memory Saver and Energy Saver modes will give users the option to control the usage of memory and battery life, which grants the user more time for PC usage.

Benefits of the Update

With the Memory Saver mode, the browser will grant less memory usage for the tabs not in use. This makes for better performance for the tabs you are actively using. This can also help when you are performing heavier tasks that demand a lot of memory, like video editing or gaming, as mentioned in MacRumors.

As for the Energy Saver mode, the browser will automatically decrease battery usage for tasks that eat up a lot of battery juice. The feature will initiate once the computer hits that 20% mark. Google Chrome will limit background activity, as well as animations and videos from websites that have visual effects.

To turn the features on, both can be found in the three-dot menu in Google Chrome. You can turn it on and off anytime, and select specific websites that you don't want the feature to affect. The latest update for the Chrome app for Mac will have this feature and will be launched for all users soon.

Alternatives for Optimization

If you can't get your hands on the feature yet, or you're not using a Mac, there are different ways for you to optimize your experience with your browser. Here are some steps you could take as suggested by Computer World.

There are apps and extension in Chrome that helps with a more customized experience for users. However, these could also lead to your browser slowing down as it also eats up memory. You should remove the apps and extensions you no longer need so they won't take up too much of your resources.
Some add-ons have access to all the sites you go through. If it does, you can designate certain sites that the add-on would be able to customize. You can do this by viewing the access, and changing "on all sites" to "on specific sites."
Manage your tabs. Having a lot of them open will surely slow your browser down. There are certain extensions that will do this work for you by creating custom workspaces, like Workona.
You can also add an extension that blocks certain scripts that slow your browser down. Some sites have a lot of tracking scripts. Ad-loading scripts, and video-playing scripts. Add those all up, and you'll understand why your browser is turtling out on you.
Make sure that the sites you visit are secured. For an extra layer of protection, you can go to Security and Privacy, open Security, and toggle Always Use Secure Connections. This will determine if the site is encrypted, and warn you if it's not.
If all else fails, you can put Google chrome in its default state. This means that every add-on or app you installed will be wiped out. This saves you the trouble of removing many add-ons and apps when you only need a few.