Restarting Google Chrome helps you fix minor issues and enable some extensions in the browser. It’s easy to close and reopen Chrome on your desktop and mobile devices, and we’ll show you how.
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Restart Google Chrome with an address bar command
On desktop and Android phones, Chrome offers a dedicated command to stop and restart the browser. Unfortunately, this command does not work in Chrome on iPhone and iPad.
To use it, select the address bar in Chrome and type the following command. Then press Enter:
Warning: Save your unsaved work in the browser because running the command closes all your open tabs.
chrome://restart
Chrome will close and then reopen immediately. If you want to restore your closed tabs, see the last section of this guide.
Restart Google Chrome the traditional way
Traditionally, you close Chrome like you would any other app installed on your desktop or mobile device. Then relaunch it.
Close and reopen Chrome on Windows, Linux, and Chromebook
To launch Chrome now, search for “Chrome” in your app drawer and select it. This reopens the browser.
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Close and reopen Chrome on Mac
Close and reopen Chrome on iPhone X or later and iPad
Close and reopen Chrome on iPhone SE, iPhone 8 or earlier
If you’re using an iPhone SE, iPhone 8, or earlier iPhone, double-press the Home button to show your recent apps. Find Chrome here and swipe over to close it.
Next, tap Chrome on your home screen to launch the browser.
Close and reopen Chrome on Android
On Android, at the bottom of your phone screen, tap or tap the recent apps button. Find Chrome in the list and swipe it up to close it.
Next, find Chrome in your app drawer and tap it to reopen it.
Restore tabs when restarting Chrome
On your mobile, Chrome automatically restores your tabs when you relaunch the browser. But, on desktops this does not happen by default and it can just open your home page.
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To manually restore closed tabs in Chrome to the desktop, then when Chrome relaunch, click on the three dots in the upper right corner of the browser.
In the menu that opens, select History > X Tabs > Restore Window. Here, “X” is the number of tabs you had open.
Chrome will restore all of your tabs to a new window. And you are ready.
Make sure to keep Chrome updated on your devices so it annoys you less.
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