3 Easy Ways to Force Quit a Chrome Tab that's Not Closing

If a tab doesn't close normally, you can force it

Browsers » Chrome

4 min. read

Updated on October 4, 2023

by Madhuparna Roy

updated on October 4, 2023

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Key notes

If your Chrome tab is unresponsive and is not closing, it could be due to a malfunction in the JavaScript, due to a bug, or a lack of memory due to too many open tabs.
At this point, you find no other alternative but to exit all tabs or close the browser completely in the mid of an important task.
However. there are a few methods that can help you exit a single tab that's unresponsive, and continue working with the other tabs in Chrome.

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Is your Google Chrome tab not closing even if you try to? Well, that’s a common scenario as many users have been facing this issue for some time.

It’s clearly frustrating as you may have to exit all tabs or shut down Chrome completely due to a single unresponsive tab.

While it could be a memory issue due to multiple open tabs, there could be other reasons also behind the frozen tab.

But, if you are trying to open a new tab in Chrome and it won’t open, you can try out the fixes mentioned in our detailed post here.

Why can I not close tabs in Chrome?

If a Chrome tab is unresponsive and you are unable to close it, it could be due to:

An infinite loop created in JavaScript while coding
A bug preventing the tab/s to close
The tab has crashed
Insufficient memory due to multiple open tabs
Pending Chrome updates

The good news is, that we have a few ways that can help you fix the Google Chrome tab not closing issue.

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How do you close a tab that won’t close in Chrome?

1. Close the Chrome tab using hotkeys

Select the Chrome tab that has stopped responding.
Press the Ctrl + W keys simultaneously on your keyboard.
The unresponsive Chrome tab will close now.

2. Use the right-click context menu

In Chrome, select the unresponsive tab, right-click on it, and click on Close.
This will close the tab with immediate effect.
You can now continue to use Chrome normally as the problem tab is now closed.

3. Uninstall, run Chkdsk & reinstall Chrome

Press the Win + I keys together to launch the Run console.
Type appwiz.cpl in the search bar and hit Enter.
In the Programs and Features window in Control Panel, go to Uninstall or change a program.
Look for Google Chrome in the list, right-click on it, and select Uninstall.
Once uninstalled, press the Win + R shortcut keys again.
Now, type cmd in the search field and press the Ctrl + Shift + Enter hotkeys to open the Command Prompt window with admin rights.
In the elevated Command Prompt, run the below command: chkdsk
It takes a while, so wait patiently till it’s over. Once done, close the Command Prompt window and restart your PC.
Now, visit the Google Chrome official page and download & install the browser again.

You can now check if the tabs are working fine and you can close all tabs normally.

How do you force close an unresponsive tab in Chrome?

If you encounter a Chrome tab that simply won’t close, no matter what you do, you can force close it. This can be easily done via Task Manager, in a few clicks.

1. Launch Google Chrome on your device.
2. Click on the three dots on the upper right side of the browser.
3. Press on More tools and then select Task manager.
4. Under Task, look for the tab, and select it.
5. Now, press End process towards the bottom right.
6. You have now successfully closed the tab and the unresponsive tab issue is resolved.

If you are still facing the same issue where the Chrome tab is not closing, you can check for any latest updates for the browser.

As you proceed to check for updates, Chrome will automatically look for the latest version and install the update automatically.

At the same time, make sure you disable or remove any Chrome extension that may be causing the tab to be unresponsive.

However, if an error occurs while checking for updates in Chrome, you can follow our detailed post for more information.

If you encounter any other Chrome error that’s not yet covered, you can let us know in the comments box below.