YouTube Lagging on Chrome? 10 Working Fixes [2023]

In Summary

The majority of us turn to YouTube while searching for videos on various topics online.
This program can be accessed using a browser or its application, although YouTube can only be accessed on computers through a browser.
Users accessing YouTube on Chrome have been reporting lags, which can be caused by a number of things. Hence, we’ve come up with 10 different solutions you can use to fix the issue.

YouTube is the most widely used platform for sharing videos online because it has excellent performance, offers a wide range of video content, frequently introduces new features, and has numerous other outstanding design features. This video sharing app can be used over the Internet or through the app, which is only available for smartphones. And since there is no native YouTube app for PCs, users have to access the service via web browsers.

Meanwhile, YouTube users experience lag issues when using the Chrome browser to watch videos or navigate the site; these issues usually do not occur when using other browsers. Your streaming experience is practically interrupted, which is extremely frustrating. In most cases, browser bugs, software malfunctions, and poor Internet connections are the main causes of this problem, which fortunately can be fixed with some simple troubleshooting methods.

Now, let’s go over different ways to fix YouTube lagging on Chrome and other details you should know about the issue.

Why does YouTube keeps lagging on Chrome?

There are a few possible causes, including a slow internet connection, when YouTube starts to lag on Chrome. The performance of streaming websites like YouTube depends on a strong, stable Internet connection; otherwise, the site may lag. That could be the problem in this case of YouTube.

Cache and other browser data often accumulate too much, which inevitably leads to browser performance issues. So, this is another factor that can cause YouTube to lag when accessed via Chrome. Moreover, outdated browsers are sometimes responsible for Chrome’s stuttering YouTube issues, as they have significant bugs that could cause the problem, which are fixed by updated browsers.

In addition, your device’s display and audio drivers affect how videos play in programs like Chrome, which can lead to laggy YouTube performance. Considering all the previously mentioned factors, we have found the best solution to the YouTube problem, but first let us highlight the causes we just discussed.

Poor internet connection
Insufficient memory
Corrupt or excessive browsing data
Outdated audio and display drivers
Outdated browser

Fix YouTube Keeps Lagging on Chrome

Looking for a solution to fix YouTube lagging on Google Chrome? Here are a few proven solutions you should use:

Fix 1: Check your internet connection

You can stream YouTube videos only if your internet connection is stable. But what happens if your internet connection is bad? If you use the video app with an unstable internet connection, you’ll undoubtedly experience delays, which may be the cause of your YouTube problem. To get a better Internet connection, you can try moving your computer closer to the router you’re using. Likewise, you can use the Internet Speed Test services to check the speed of your Internet connection.

According to Google, the minimum sustained speed to stream 4K YouTube videos is 20 Mbps. Similarly, the minimum speed to stream Full HD (1080p) YouTube video is 5 Mbps.

If you find that your Internet speed is slow, you should set YouTube resolution to Auto to ensure that the video quality you use matches your Internet speed. Follow these steps to set YouTube video resolution to Auto:

1. While a video is playing on YouTube, hit the gear icon to show video settings.

2. Click on Quality and scroll down to select Auto.

But if this approach didn’t fix the issue or you are sure your internet connection is stable, go to the next solution.

ALSO READ: YouTube Comments not Loading? Top 10 Ways to Fix!

Fix 2: Disable Hardware Acceleration in Chrome to fix YouTube lagging

Another solution that has proven helpful to fix YouTube lagging issue for some users is to disable the hardware acceleration feature in Chrome. Here is how to do that:

1. Open Chrome and click the three-dot menu at the browser’s top-right corner.

2. Select Settings and tap on System.

3. Toggle off the Use hardware acceleration when available option.

Fix 3: Clear Chrome’s browsing data

Chrome stores your browsing data to improve your experience when using the browser. However, if too much of this data is stored or the browser’s cache is corrupted, you will experience performance degradation. Therefore, it is recommended to clear your browsing data, and here you will learn how to do that:

1. On Chrome, click the three-dot menu at the top-right corner.

2. Select More tools and tap on Clear browsing data…

3. Check all the boxes on the resulting page and click on Clear Data.

Fix 4: Restart the browser

The Chrome browser is made to handle heavy loads, but when you load the program excessively, it may lead to high memory usage on your computer. Also, high RAM usage leads to lag on the application running on your PC. This indicates that high RAM usage may be the cause of YouTube lagging on Chrome. Meanwhile, the best workaround in this situation is to close and reopen Chrome. Hopefully, YouTube will work without any issues after doing that.

Also Read: 10 Ways to Fix YouTube App Crashing on Your Android and iPhone

Fix 5: Remove suspicious extension

The main reason for using extensions is to add new features to your browser, but some of these extensions only cause glitches in your browser. It has been reported that extensions like AdBlock cause Chrome to lag. Consider removing suspicious extensions from Chrome, and YouTube stuttering and buffering issues will likely be resolved.

Fix 6: Close other opened tabs on Chrome

You can simply close some of the open tabs in the browser to solve this problem of YouTube lagging without having to restart Chrome. This approach is useful when there are too many tabs open or when a website prevents YouTube from working properly due to excessive memory and CPU hog.

Fix 7: Reset Chrome Flags

Chrome flags are there to add features that are not yet in the browser or have been removed from the browser. Since these features are not yet widely available, tampering with them could affect your browser’s performance. So, if you know that you have some flags enabled in Chrome, you should reset them to their default settings.

1. Type Chrome://flags in Chrome’s address box and press Enter.

2. Tap on Reset all to take Chrome flags back to their defaults.

Fix 8: Update device drivers

Display, video card, and audio drivers determine how well your computer’s screen and speakers work. If your drivers are outdated, you may experience delays when playing videos on your computer. To fix this, you should update your drivers to a newer version. The best way to update drivers on PC is to use Windows Update:

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.

2. Click on Windows Update on the vertical pane.

3. Now, hit Check for updates and select Download now to install the updates, which will include your drivers’.

Note:

You can also update your network and display drivers. You can also try updating your WLAN or LAN drivers or updating your operating system drivers. If that doesn’t work, you can run a system scanner to find and fix problems with your computer.

Fix 9: Disable VPN

Sometimes VPNs hamper the performance of some websites, which may be the case in this instance. To remove all doubts, just disable the VPN on your computer and try to use YouTube via Chrome. You can also try flushing the DNS cache and changing DNS to another popular service.

Also Read: [FIXED] “You’re Offline. Check Your Connection” Error on YouTube

Fix 10: Update Chrome

Are you using an outdated version of Chrome? If you aren’t sure, you can check if this is the case with the following steps. Outdated versions of the program have issues that have most likely been fixed in newer versions. For this reason, you should update Chrome to fix browser issues and take advantage of new features.

1. Open Chrome and click the three-dot menu at the top-right corner of its page.

2. Select Help and click on About Google Chrome.

3. On the resulting page, you’ll see a menu that checks for Chrome updates. If there is any update, install, and if there is none, leave the page.

How to Prevent YouTube Lagging on Chrome?

Now that you have fixed the YouTube lagging problem with Chrome learn how to prevent it from happening again.

First, updating the browser and driver software regularly can help you avoid some crashes and glitches.
Second, a stable Internet connection will ensure that videos load smoothly and without interruptions.
Third, clearing the browser data and cache regularly can help free up storage space on the device and improve video loading times.
Finally, maintaining a steady frame rate through a stable bandwidth connection ensures a better viewing experience for all videos.

YouTube Lagging on Chrome Issue Fixed

One of the above solutions should undoubtedly fix the YouTube lagging on Chrome issue. However, if the problem persists after trying all the solutions we have described, which is not very likely, you should use other browsers like Edge or Firefox to open YouTube on your computer. Let us know the solution that worked for you in the comments section below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the YouTube app on my PC?

YouTube does not have a native computer app like other devices, such as smartphones. Therefore, you can access YouTube at PC through the web app, which means using a browser. Although some features are missing, the web app still works like the regular YouTube app.

Why is my YouTube suddenly lagging?

Most of the time, YouTube lag on your computer or smartphone is probably caused by corrupted or excessive caches in your web browser. If your device's RAM isn't the problem, there are instances in which the problem is due to an unstable Internet connection or graphic-related issues.

How can I make YouTube run smoother?

To make YouTube run better in Chrome browser, you should clear your browsing data as well as cookies and caches regularly. This procedure is helpful because too much browsing data affects the functionality of the Chrome browser, which can cause YouTube to lag.

Can Chrome extensions be the cause of YouTube lag?

Technically, extensions should not negatively affect your browser's speed, but if you have too many installed, your browser may become a memory hog, causing lags. Also, some extensions are malicious and can affect your browser's performance. So, yes, extensions can cause YouTube slowdowns in Chrome.

What do I do if the YouTube app lags on my phone?

If you notice that your YouTube app is starting to lag, try these solutions:
1. Restart your phone
2. Clear YouTube cache
3. Uninstall and reinstall YouTube

How do I stop my YouTube videos from lagging?

There are a few solutions you can try to stop your YouTube videos lagging. First, disable hardware acceleration in your browser. Second, make sure you have a stable internet connection. Thirdly, clear your browser data and cache regularly. If the lag persists, it might be caused by outdated network or graphics drivers.

Why are YouTube videos glitching?

There are a number of reasons why YouTube videos may glitch. One possibility is that your system's hardware specifications are not sufficient to play high-definition videos on YouTube. Another reason could be that the system is not configured properly. To fix this issue, you should change the video resolution and check if it solves the problem. In addition, network or other issues can also cause YouTube videos to glitch and stutter.