Google will significantly improve Chrome's Background Tabs Performance

Google works constantly to improve Chrome browser performance, recently, we reported Chrome will let you select and discard specific tabs. The company is now experimenting with a new feature that helps background tabs load smoother and feel more responsive when you switch to them.

How will Google improve background tab performance in Chrome?

Normally, Chrome prioritizes renderer processes for active tabs (foreground) over background tabs. This means active tabs get more resources from your computer’s CPU to load content faster and appear smoother.

This can sometimes make background tabs feel unresponsive or slow when you switch to them. Google is now working to bridge this gap in performance by giving background tabs a temporary edge during their crucial loading stage.

Previously, when a background tab started, its renderer process would immediately be assigned a lower priority. This could make the background tab lag when you switched to it because it hadn’t yet finished loading content.

Thanks to Background Tab Boost (sort of), Chrome keeps the foreground tab’s renderer process priority even after the background tab starts loading. This higher priority is maintained until the background tab basic structure of the content has been finished loading.

A new commit spotted by us, Windows Report, reveals that Google has plans to improve background tabs performance and responsiveness on par with active tabs.

Introduce kRenderProcessBoostForLoading feature. Chrome deprioritizes renderer processes when the process serves backgrounded contents. This CL adds a new feature that keeps foregrounded renderer process priority from CommitNavigation to DOMContentLoad.

Google notes.

In simpler terms, the new feature gives background tabs a temporary boost during a critical stage of loading. This can help background tabs load faster.

Google Chrome is also testing a new way to show features and tips via notifications on Windows. Additionally, they’re working on improving Windows Hello sign-in performance. Chrome may also make it mandatory to verify with a screen lock to access passwords.

What do you think about Google’s plans to improve the background tab performance? Let us know in the comments below.