Frequently Asked Question
Google Meets running slow or crashing? Try these steps!
Last Updated a year ago
When using Google Meets for classroom meetings, you may notice some performance issues, such as slowdown, choppiness, or outright crashing. We understand this can be frustrating, but here are a few things to keep in mind when using Google Meets that may help your device run better:
- Make sure to close any unnecessary tabs. Running a video conference application like Google Meets requires a fair amount of memory, and leaving a large number of tabs open at the same time can cause the performance to drop.
- Disable any Google Meet extensions (in particular, Grid View). Google is constantly updating and adding new features to Google Meet to provide the most stable product possible. Third-party extensions, such as the Google Meet Grid View extension, can cause performance issues when they become incompatible with Google's changes. Be sure to disable and/or remove these extensions and use the official features for maximum performance.
- Turn off any background effects or filters that you have applied through Meet. While these new features are fun to use, they are never optimized for all devices when first implemented. It's best to keep them off in favor of preserving the quality of your Google Meet.
- Disable other third-party extensions. Sometimes other Chrome extensions run background processes that can affect your device's performance. Disabling any extensions you are not actively using, and sometimes disabling all extensions, can help with this performance. If you still need access to these, you can re-enable them after your Meet has ended.
- Regularly power down the Chromebook by either using the Power key or by clicking Shut Down in the options menu. Leaving the Chromebook in sleep mode constantly can cause memory leaks that may affect your performance.
- Use the Chromebook while it is unplugged and not charging. Charging the device generates heat which puts an additional strain on the processor and can negatively impact performance.
- Try Performing a Hardware Reset. You can do this by following the steps in the linked Google Doc.
- Disable Hardware Acceleration. This is a feature in Chrome that is designed to help improve browser performance, but it can sometimes cause problems with Google Meet. The linked Google Doc here provides instruction on how to disable this feature.
If you find the above steps do not help with your Chromebook's performance, please let us know by submitting a ticket and a member of our team will be sure to assist you further!