Ever wished you could keep a Chrome tab open and running in the background while you do other stuff? Sometimes, Chrome tries to save memory by putting tabs you’re not using to sleep. But what if you’re keeping an eye on a website, watching a live event, or need a webpage for quick reference? We’ll show you how you can keep tabs active in Chrome without them dozing off. Here, we’ll explore three ways to do just that.
Also see: How to cycle through tabs in Chrome
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Option 1: Turning off Chrome’s “Memory Saver” feature
Chrome has this thing called “Memory Saver” that tries to free up your computer’s memory by dialing down on tabs you’re not looking at. But if you’ve got a tab that needs to stay awake, you might want to switch this feature off.
- Open up Chrome and look for three dots in a line at the top right. That’s the menu button. Click it to see more options.
- Find and click on “Settings” in the menu. This takes you to where you can change how Chrome behaves.
- In the settings, click on “Performance” from the list on the left.
- Look for “Memory Saver.” If it’s on, it’s trying to save space by snoozing tabs. Click the switch next to it to turn it off.
With “Memory Saver” off, Chrome won’t put your tabs to sleep anymore. But if you want to save memory and still keep certain tabs awake, the next tip has got you covered.
Handy hint: How to bookmark all tabs in Chrome
Option 2: Using the “Always keep these sites active” feature
Inside the “Memory Saver” feature, there’s an option to keep certain sites always active. This is perfect for when you have sites you don’t want to pause.
- Go back to the “Performance” settings in Chrome like we did before.
- Under “Memory Saver,” you’ll see “Always keep these sites active.”
- Click “Add” next to it, and a box will show up asking for the website’s URL you want to stay active.
- Type in the website and click “Add.” This site will now stay active, no matter what.
- If you change your mind later, just hit “Remove” next to the website’s URL.
This way, you can pick and choose which tabs stay active while still saving memory on others.
Related issue: Chrome keeps opening new tabs on its own
Option 3: Using extensions like “The Great Suspender”
Sometimes, you might need more control over your tabs than what Chrome offers. That’s where extensions like “The Great Suspender” come in. It’s designed to put tabs to sleep, but you can tell it to always keep certain sites awake.
- Head over to the “Chrome Web Store” to find extensions for Chrome.
- Use the search bar at the top to look for “The Great Suspender,” then hit Enter. Pick it out from the results.
- Click “Add to Chrome” to get the extension. Make sure you’re okay with what it does and the permissions it asks for.
- Once it’s installed, you’ll see its icon next to your other extensions. Click it and go to “Settings” to tweak how it works.
- In the settings, you can whitelist websites to keep them from being suspended.
Extensions give you extra options for managing your tabs, letting you find the right balance between keeping tabs ready and saving memory.
Summing things up
Getting around with lots of tabs and keeping them in line is important for both work and entertainment. Chrome’s got some very useful built-in features like “Memory Saver” and “Always keep these sites active” to help you manage your tabs just how you like them.
Plus, with extensions like “The Great Suspender,” you get even more freedom to fine-tune your tab management. Just remember, when you’re adding new extensions, it’s good to check out what they do and what permissions they need from you.
