12 Fixes For Chrome Won't Open Or Launch On Windows (2023)

Chrome has become an integral part of everyone’s daily life. It doesn’t matter what information you seek; you will find it on Chrome. But, when your Chrome doesn’t work, it has the power to frustrate you to the extent that nobody wants to imagine.

So, if you have found yourself in such a situation, you must be desperate to find a solution. Please read this article to understand all the possible solutions one can look for to fix Chrome won’t open issues.

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Reasons For Chrome Not Opening In Windows 10/11

There are plenty of reasons for Chrome won’t open. Your Windows might need an update. Or, if you have recently updated your Windows, it’s no longer compatible with Chrome. Also, sometimes there is a slight system glitch.

Restarting the system should fix the problem if there is a technical glitch. But if it doesn’t, it means that some virus has infected Chrome’s storage files. This can give birth to a butterfly effect.

In short, one simple alteration in the settings can lead to several alterations. Due to this, Chrome can stop responding and won’t open when you try to launch it. Some of the programs that might be shutting down Chrome are:

Windows Firewall or third-party Firewall
Third-party Antivirus Programs
Spyware Detection Tools

Best Method For Google Chrome Not Opening

Reboot The System & Update Chrome
Reset Chrome’s Settings In Safe Mode
Create A Shortcut For Chrome And Rename It
Delete The User Profile From Chrome’s Folder
Run Chrome’s Malware And Virus Detector
Perform A Network Reset On Your System
Reinitialize Chrome.dll File
Disable Antivirus Programs
Stop Chrome’s Process From Task Manager
Use Chrome’s Compatibility Mode
Modify Permission Settings
Undo The Updates

How To Fix Google Chrome Not Opening On Your Computer / Laptop?

1. Reboot The System & Update Chrome

Restart button for windows 10 and Google Chrome's about system is up to date

Before proceeding with the more complex solutions, you should perform the basic ones. The basic solutions include rebooting your system and updating Chrome.

To reboot your PC:

Go to the Start menu and take your mouse pointer to the Shut Down Option in the right panel.
Now click on the arrow icon that’s beside the Shit Down option.
Tap on restart.

Restarting the system force stops all the active programs on your system. Thus, if any active programs were causing the issue, it would no longer be the reason.

To update the Chrome browser:rong>

Click on the three dots on the browser or press the Alt and E keys on your keyboard.
A small menu of Settings will open. Select the Help option from it.
Another small bar will open; select “About Google Chrome” from it.
If your Google Chrome is not up-to-date, an Update Button will be visible to you. Tap on it.

After updating Chrome, relaunch it and check if it opens. Suppose it doesn’t, then move to the other solutions mentioned ahead.

2. Reset Chrome’s Settings In Safe Mode

The reset settings prompt for Google Chrome Browser

Sometimes the altered settings may cause an effect because Chrome doesn’t open. So, the smart thing to do is reset Chrome’s settings. As Chrome won’t open, you need to reset the settings in Safe mode. Follow these instructions to reset the settings in safe mode:

Search CMD in the Start menu’s search bar. Right-click on the result “cmd” and select “Run as administrator.”
Paste this command in the field:

bcdedit/set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy

Hit the enter key on your keyboard to run the above command.
Restart your system.

The above instructions will enable the F8 key method on Windows 10. Follow the steps ahead to enter the safe mode using the F8 key method:

Switch on your computer. If it is already on, turn it off and then turn it on again.
Tap on the F8 key repeatedly when nothing is on the screen.
Performing the previous steps will display the Boot Options menu. Please tap on the Safe Mode option to enter it.

Now that you have entered the Safe Mode, it’s time to reset the settings:

Go to Chrome and select Menu.
From the menu, open Settings.
Select the Advanced option, which is at the bottom.
Tap on “Restore settings to their original defaults.”
Now, choose the Reset Settings option.

Once the settings are reset, your computer system will restart. Relaunch Chrome to see if it has fixed the issue.

3. Create A Shortcut For Chrome And Rename It

Instead of going too deep into the solution, sometimes a simple renaming of the folder can work. So, before trying other fixes, create a shortcut for Chrome’s folder and rename it. To do so, follow these instructions:

Hold the Windows logo key and E key on your keyboard together.
Now navigate to this location:
C: Program Files (*86)\Google\Chrome\Application.
The Application folder will open. Right-tap on Chrome’s icon and select the Rename option.
Let’s rename it as “Chromeb.”
Right-tap on the renamed folder and select “Send to.”
Now select Desktop (Create Shortcut). This will create a shortcut on the desktop.
Go to your desktop, right-click Chromeb, and select the rename option.
Rename the folder back to “Chrome”.
Double click on the renamed folder to check if it launches with any issues.

To pin the new Chrome on your taskbar, follow these steps:

First, you need to unpin the old chrome. Right-tap on Chrome’s icon. Several options will display. Select the Unpin from the taskbar option.
Double-tap on the new Chrome icon to open it. Doing so will make it visible on the taskbar.
Right-tap on the Chrome that is visible on the taskbar and choose “Pin to taskbar.”

The above steps will pin the Chrome browser on your taskbar.

4. Delete The User Profile From Chrome’s Folder

Use account information in Google Chrome browser

Sometimes a virus can corrupt a user profile. As a result, Chrome might stop working. You will need to delete the user profile to prevent this from happening. Doing so is not easy, so follow this step-by-step guide:

Launch the run window by pressing the Windows logo key and the R key on your keyboard.
Type the following in the empty field of the run program:
%Userprofile%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User data
Hit the enter key on your keyboard. Doing this will open the Data folder on your PC.
Scroll till you find the Default folder.
After you find it, please select it and right-tap on it. Copy the default folder by tapping on the Copy option.
Go into the easiest location on your hard drive that you can remember easily—right-tap on the empty field and select Paste to paste the copied folder. Or press Ctrl along with V to do the same.
Open the User data folder tab and choose the default folder to delete it. Press the Delete key on your keyboard.
This will be the backup of the original folder.

Try launching Chrome if the problem continues, then try resetting Chrome by:

Typing the following in Chrome’s window:

chrome://settings/reset profile settings

The settings window of Chrome will open. Now select the Reset settings option to reset the settings of your browser.

5. Run Chrome’s Malware And Virus Detector

cleanup option in the advanced settings of Chrome browser

Few people are aware that Chrome has an inbuilt malware and virus detector. So, if Chrome has been under attack of malware or a virus, then running a virus detector would solve the issue.

But, you can only use this feature if you can open Chrome’s window. Follow the given steps to run Chrome’s virus detector:

Open Chrome.
Now press the Alt key with the E key on your keyboard and select the Settings option from the menu bar.
Extend the Advanced settings and select the Reset and Clean up option.
Choose Clean up computer.
If the menu bar doesn’t open, then paste or type the following in the search bar:
chrome://settings/cleanup
Tap on the Find button to check for harmful software.

Chrome will prompt you if there is any harmful software. After completing the process, relaunch Chrome to check if the problem persists.

6. Perform A Network Reset On Your System

Network and internet settings in Windows 10

Sometimes the problem is not even related to the outcome it produces. Likewise, network issues may be causing your Chrome not to respond. Thus, the real culprit is your network, and resetting it might solve everything. You can reset your network settings by:

Tap the Windows logo key and I key together to open Settings.
Choose Network and Internet from the options displayed on the screen.
Take the cursor to the right pane in Settings and scroll till you find the Network reset option. After you find it, tap on it.

Once the settings are reset, reboot your system. After your system powers on, try launching Chrome to check if it has solved the error.

7. Reinitialize Chrome.dll File

Chrome’s “.dll” files store data on instructions for executable files. Sometimes this file gets corrupted, which might cause Chrome won’t open the issue. To perform it, follow these instructions:

Right-tap on Chrome’s shortcut folder. Choose “Open File Location” from the available options.
Several folders with numbered names will appear. Open all the folders and right tap on the Chrome.dll file. Choose Delete.
After deleting all the files, close all the opened tabs.
Hold the Windows logo key with R and type CMD in the empty field. Hit the enter key.
To switch to administrative privileges, press Ctrl, Shift, & Enter keys together.
Now to recover your system from socket errors, type the following command and then hit the Enter key:

.netsh winsock reset ipconfig /flushdns

Sit through the process and let it finish. Once it’s finished, reboot your PC. Relaunch Chrome to check if the issue is fixed or not.

8. Disable Antivirus Programs & Windows Firewall

Windows defender security advanced settings in Windows 10

Antivirus programs and Windows firewall applications restrict certain programs from running. These programs may see any of Chrome’s files as a threat to your system.

Or the file might get corrupted. So, it’s pretty evident that in such a situation, the application gets restricted. In your case, it’s the Chrome browser. To fix it, disable these programs for the time being. Steps to do so are as follows:

Take your cursor to the system, try and right-tap on the Antivirus program icon. From the options, choose Disable.
Now you will need to set the timer for the period that you want the program disabled. It would be better to choose the smallest time frame, say 15 minutes or 30 minutes.
After disabling the antivirus program, launch Chrome to check if the issue arises.
If it does, then try turning off Windows Firewall:
Hold the Windows logo key, and I key on your keyboard. Open Control Panel.
Select the System and Security option.
Now, open Windows Firewall.
Go to the “Turn Windows Firewall on or off” option. You will find it on the left pane.
Choose to Turn off the Windows Firewall option. This will switch off the Firewall program.

Reboot your PC and launch Chrome again. If this method doesn’t work, reset the changes that you made.

9. Stop Chrome’s Process From Task Manager

Here, ending Chrome’s process doesn’t mean closing Chrome’s window. Instead, you need to end Chrome’s process from the Task Manager. Doing so will force stop all the activities that Chrome is going through. It will also put an end to the technical glitches as well. Perform these simple steps to stop Chrome’s process:

Press the Shift, Ctrl, and Enter keys together.
Task Manager will open on your screen. Try to find Google Chrome from the list of applications available in the Task Manager window.
Once you find it, right-tap on it. Select the End Task option
Performing the above steps will end all Chrome’s background activities and processes. Launch Chrome again on your PC to check if the issue no longer exists.

10. Use Chrome’s Compatibility Mode

Google chrome settings compatibility tab

Sometimes updating Windows may result in Chrome not responding. This could be because of the compatibility it had with the previous version. You can stop this error by running Chrome in compatibility mode for the previous version. To do so, perform these simple steps:

Take the cursor to Chrome’s icon on your desktop and right-tap on it.
Select Properties from the list of options available.
Google Chrome Properties window will open. Select the Compatibility tab.
Choose Change Settings for all users.
Check the box of “Run this program in compatibility mode for.”
Now, choose the version of Windows that was compatible with the Google Chrome browser.
Do not forget to tap on OK & Apply to save and apply the changes you made.

After you have saved the settings, you can restart your PC for better results. Launch Chrome; the problem should not occur. If it does, move to the next method.

11. Modify Permission Settings

Google Chrome advanced permission and security settings

If your system was attacked by malware or a virus, it’s possible that it messed with the settings. Some viruses may also affect Chrome’s ownership. To resolve this, you need to regain ownership to put Chrome in control again.

Go to the shortcut folder of Chrome and right tap on it.
Select Properties from the options.
Open the Security tab.
Select “Advanced.”
Clicking on Advanced will open Advanced Security Settings. Select “Change.”
A new window will appear on the screen. Type the user name in the empty field. Tap on the Check names button. The name will display as Computer Name/User Name. Once your user name displays on the screen, select OK.
Open the Effective Access tab, which you will find in Advanced Security Settings. Tap on “Select a user.”
Select user or Group window will open again. Repeat the previous steps by typing the username in the empty field. Tap on the Check names button.
Tap on OK.
Now select Apply & OK in Advanced Security Settings Window. Do the same with the Properties window. Doing so will save all the changes that you have made.

Restart your PC and launch the Google Chrome browser. This time it should open. If it doesn’t, remove all the old shortcuts of google except for the one you created and relaunch Chrome. But, if the issue persists, it’s time to move on to the next solution.

12. Undo The Updates

Chrome updates itself in the background. But sometimes, it fails to finish the update due to technical or network issues. As a result, Chrome can become unstable and might even stop functioning. You can overcome this error by following these steps:

Navigate to C: Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application
In the Application folder, you will find folders that may appear in numbers. One is the older version, and the other is the new version.
Open each folder and check which one has fewer files.
If the older version has fewer files, copy all the files and subfolders of the new version’s folder.
Paste it into the folder of the old version.

After you have pasted all the files into the old folder, try launching Chrome. This time the problem should not arise; if it does, move to the last resort.

Final Resort- Uninstall & Reinstall Chrome

The last and final resort is to uninstall the Chrome browser and then reinstall it. Doing so can stop all the background activities causing Chrome to act up. To uninstall it, go to Apps & Features from Settings. Select Google Chrome and choose the uninstall option.

To reinstall it, open any browser on your PC. Search Google Chrome and click on download. After the file downloads, install the file. Reboot your system and launch Google chrome.

This hack works in all cases whenever Chrome is going through technical glitches. But if it doesn’t work, then there might be some issues with your operating system. To overcome that, you need a professional’s aid.

Conclusion – Google Chrome Won’t Open Windows 10 & 11

This article has covered all the solutions, from the basic ones to the more complex ones. Anyone or more than one solution mentioned above should solve your problem.

But, if you have tried all the solutions and nothing works, then it’s time for professionals to step in. Take your PC to a service center and get it checked by a skilled individual. There might be some hardware issues that only a professional can fix.