Google Chrome adds browser tools to extend battery life and save memory

Google Chrome is about to become less of a memory hog.

The popular web browser is getting a pair of new features to help keep your computer running smoothly even when you have a ton of tabs open or your battery is low. Over the next few weeks, Chrome users globally will get access to two new tools: Memory Saver and Energy Saver.

SEE ALSO: Google's Year in Search 2022 was dominated by, of course, 'Wordle'

Memory Saver is for folks who just can’t manage their tabs to save their lives. We all know someone who’s been promising to read an article for six months. Turn on this feature and Chrome will automatically shut off tabs you aren’t actively using so they take up less memory, thus keeping your computer from grinding to a halt. Simply go back to a tab that got memory saved and it’ll reload automatically.

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As for Energy Saver, enable that feature and Chrome will accommodate a low-powered computer. If you’re using Chrome while your device's battery hits 20 percent or less, Energy Saver will automatically limit background activity, images, and videos that it deems unnecessary. That should at least give you enough time to find a charger.

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Neither of these features are especially groundbreaking (there are already Chrome extensionsthat do what Memory Saver does), but it’s nice that Google's built them directly into the browser. Now, seriously, close all those tabs. You’re not going to read that think piece you queued up in April.