Google Chrome, one of the most popular web browsers globally, offers various features to improve user experience, speed, and performance. However, with the increasing number of open tabs, managing memory and performance can become challenging. To address this, browsers like Chrome have introduced features to reduce the load caused by inactive tabs. One such feature is Sleeping Tabs, which conserves resources by putting inactive tabs to “sleep”. In this guide, we’ll show you how to enable or disable sleeping tabs in Chrome.

What Are Sleeping Tabs in Chrome?

Sleeping Tabs, also known as “tab freezing” or “tab discard”, is a feature that automatically pauses inactive tabs to free up memory and processing power. This feature helps improve system performance, especially for users who open many tabs simultaneously. When you return to a sleeping tab, Chrome automatically reloads it, bringing it back to its previous state.

This feature is particularly useful on devices with limited RAM or when performing resource-intensive tasks, as it helps prevent slowdowns or crashes by freeing up resources from idle tabs.

Why Enable Sleeping Tabs?

• Improved System Performance: Sleeping tabs reduce memory consumption and CPU usage, leading to a faster and more responsive browser experience.
• Longer Battery Life: On laptops and mobile devices, putting inactive tabs to sleep helps extend battery life by reducing resource consumption.
• Better Browsing Speed: By limiting the resources used by inactive tabs, Chrome allocates more power to the active ones, improving the overall browsing experience.

Why Disable Sleeping Tabs?

• Need for Constant Monitoring: Some users may need certain tabs, such as live dashboards or auto-refreshing pages, to stay active even when not in the foreground.
• Convenience: Reloading tabs that you frequently switch between can become annoying, especially if they take a long time to load.

How to Enable or Disable Sleeping Tabs in Chrome

Google Chrome now includes a Memory Saver feature that makes it easy to manage tabs and reduce memory consumption automatically. When this feature is enabled, inactive tabs go into a sleep state, saving system resources without closing the tabs. You can still easily access the tabs again when needed, and Chrome will reload them once you click on them.

Steps to Enable Sleeping Tabs on Chrome Using Memory Saver

If you want to optimize performance and ensure inactive tabs don’t consume memory, follow the steps below to enable and disable Sleeping Tabs in Chrome using Memory Saver.

1. Open Google Chrome and click on the three vertical dots in the upper right corner.
2. Navigate to Settings and select Performance.
3. Under the Memory section, toggle on Memory Saver.
4. When multiple tabs are open but not in use, they will automatically go into sleep mode, freeing up memory and resources.

How to Keep Specific Tabs Active (Exceptions)

If there are specific websites or tabs you want to keep active even when Memory Saver is on, Chrome provides the option to exempt them from sleeping.

Steps to Keep Tabs Active:

1. Follow steps 1-3 from above to turn ON the Memory Saver option.
2. In the General section, look for the option labeled Always keep these sites active.
3. Click the Add button, and you can either:
   • • Choose the website from the list of currently open tabs, or
     • Manually enter the URL of the site you want to keep active.
4. Chrome will now ensure that these specified websites will not go to sleep, even if Memory Saver is enabled for other tabs.

How to Pin a Tab to Disable Sleeping Tabs in Chrome:

Another way to prevent certain tabs from being discarded is by pinning them. Pinned tabs remain open and active in your browser.

How to Pin Tabs to Prevent Sleeping:

1. Right-click on the tab you want to keep active.
2. From the context menu, select Pin.
3. The tab will shrink and move to the left side of the tab bar, staying active even if other tabs go into sleep mode.

How to Manually Put a Tab into Sleep Mode in Chrome

Sometimes, you may want to manually put an open tab into sleep mode in your browser to save system resources, particularly when you’re juggling multiple tabs and want to focus on only a few. Fortunately, Google Chrome offers a secret workaround that lets you manually discard any tab and put it into sleep mode using a hidden built-in feature. Follow the steps below to manually put a tab into Sleep Mode in Chrome.

1. Open Google Chrome on your computer.
2. In the address bar, type chrome://discards and press Enter.
3. The page will display a list of all open or running tabs.
4. Next to the tab you want to put into sleep mode, click Urgent Discard or Proactive Discard under the “Action” column.
5. The selected tab will be removed from memory and put into sleep mode.
6. To reactivate the tab, simply click on it in the tab bar, and the browser will reload the page.

How to Reactivate a Discarded Tab on Google Chrome

When you’re ready to use the tab again:

1. Simply click on the tab in your browser’s tab bar.
2. The browser will reload the tab, waking it up from sleep mode, and restoring the content.

Alternative Method: Using Chrome Extensions

If you want more control over which tabs should sleep and which should stay active, there are several third-party Chrome extensions available to enable or disable sleeping tabs in Chrome. Some popular extensions include:

• The Great Suspender: This extension allows you to set specific time intervals for tabs to go to sleep and gives you options to whitelist certain websites.
• Auto Tab Discard: Offers a highly customizable experience with options to manage tab suspension based on various criteria, including tab age, inactivity, and more.

These extensions provide advanced options compared to the built-in tab discarding feature and can offer greater flexibility for power users.

FAQs

1. Will Sleeping Tabs Save My Browser State?

Yes, when a tab is put to sleep, Chrome will save the current state of the tab. When you switch back to it, the tab will reload, and you can continue browsing from where you left off.

2. Can I Exclude Certain Tabs from Sleeping?

By default, Chrome does not offer an option to whitelist specific tabs from sleeping. However, third-party extensions like The Great Suspender allow you to exclude certain websites from being suspended.

3. Will Sleeping Tabs Affect My Downloads?

No, active downloads will not be affected by sleeping tabs. Chrome will keep download processes running even if the tab itself is put to sleep.

4. Is the Sleeping Tabs Feature Available on Mobile?

Chrome’s tab discarding feature is primarily a desktop function. However, on Android devices, Chrome automatically manages memory by discarding inactive tabs to improve performance.

Wrapping Up: Put Your Browser Tabs to Sleep

Sleeping Tabs is a powerful feature in Chrome designed to optimize performance, reduce memory usage, and extend battery life. While the default setting works for most users, enabling or disabling it gives you the flexibility to tailor your browsing experience. Whether you’re looking to conserve resources or keep your tabs active for constant monitoring, Chrome’s tab discarding feature can be customized to suit your needs.

By following this guide, you now know how to enable or disable sleeping tabs in Chrome, along with some handy tips on using extensions for further customization. Enjoy a smoother, faster browsing experience with the right tab management strategy!