Google Chrome doesn't use enough RAM, so it will soon launch in the foreground when you boot up your Windows 11 PC

Google Chrome on Windows
It's easy to joke about Chrome using lots of RAM, but its latest feature in testing could save you some time. (Image credit: Chris Wedel | Android Central)

Unused RAM is wasted RAM, right? Assuming your PC can handle the load of some extra Chrome tabs at startup, a new feature could help you jump into the web quicker.

Google has a new feature in the works that will make it easier to hop into your browser. Chrome is already testing the option to have the browser open up when you start your PC.

Chrome already has a few options for startup that control how the browser acts when opened: Open the New Tab page, Continue where you left off, and Open a specific page or set of pages.

The new startup option to have Chrome open when you boot up your PC can be used in conjunction with the preexisting choices.

My headline about Chrome using more RAM is somewhat in jest. While the browser does gobble up RAM, the startup feature seems useful in certain cases. It's also off by default.

At my work PC, I sit at my desk and open a browser immediately. I usually open my browser to the same five websites. It would save me a few clicks to have a browser open when I start my PC.

Microsoft Edge has a similar feature that opens the browser when you sign in to Windows, but that feature has Edge open in the background.

A pink banner that says "What do you think?" and shows a dial pointing to a mid-range hue on a gradient.

Chrome is already notorious for gobbling up RAM—does it really need a head start on your system resources before you've even opened a tab? Let me know if this 'shortcut' is a feature or just more bloat.


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Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.

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