The Google Chrome Web browser behaves much differently than other browsers such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. By default, the Chrome browser creates an entirely separate operating system process for every single tab or extra extension you are using. If you have several different tabs open and a variety of third party extensions installed you may notice five or more processes running simultaneously. If you're looking for a Google Chrome multiple processes fix, there are several different ways to disable each process or to prevent Chrome from opening so many processes in the first place.
Function of Multiple Chrome Processes
Normally, when a Web browser experiences a problem or uses up too much memory, the entire program has to close, which means you lose anything you were working on and all your tabs will shut down. By separating out each tab and extension into a separate process, the browser can remain active even if a single tab has to close.
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Using multiple processes also results in faster surfing speeds as computer memory is allocated only to the currently open tab. Rarely, though, you could have a multiple Chrome processes virus that is actually a fake application rather than the real Chrome.
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Try the Chrome Task Manager
The Google Chrome Web browser has its own built-in task manager window to list each process currently running. If you need to see each process Google Chrome is using, access the task manager by clicking the wrench icon in the upper-right corner of the screen, selecting "More Tools" and then clicking "Task Manager." New Mexico State University advises you can click the name of any tab or extension you want to shut down and click the "End Process" button.
Use the Windows Task Manager
Because all the Google Chrome tabs currently open have their own separate process, each of the processes will appear in your operating system's task manager window. To access the standard Windows task manager screen, Oklahoma State University says you can press the "Ctrl," "Alt" and "Delete" keys together and click the "Task Manager" button to access a window that will show all programs and processes running on your machine.
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Select the "More Details" button and scroll down to "Google Chrome" to find the multiple active Chrome processes. Click the process you want to close and choose "End Process."
Chrome Process-Per-Site Setting
If you don't want Chrome to open a new process for every single tab, its possible to set the browser to create only a single process for multiple tabs all browsing the same site. To change the setting, right-click the Google Chrome shortcut icon on your desktop and select "Properties." Click the "Target" text box and scroll to the end of the line. Insert the phrase "--process-per-site" after the end of the text currently in the box and click "Apply."
