Google to Improve Chrome’s Memory Usage By Closing Processes from Closed Profiles

Google is fixing a bug related to how it handles profiles. Soon, Chrome will release the memory and other resources used by a profile when it is closed. It won’t wait for the entire browser window to close.

I am not sure if you have noticed this issue on your computer. According to the bug code change request and related bugs that I found today, solving this issue could help improve Chrome’s memory usage.

The issue

Assume that you use two profiles on your computer. One for work and another for personal browsing.

Now, at the end of the day, you close the work profile. Chrome is still running with the personal profile. The problem is, the closed work profile could still use some memory.

It will be “destroyed” only when you close all Chrome windows.

Not ideal right?

Destroy Profile on browser close

Here is the new flag that the Chrome team is bringing into to fix this issue.

“Destroy Profile on browser close: Release memory and other resources when a Profile’s last browser window is closed, rather than when Chrome closes completely.”

When this feature is ready, Chrome can release the memory and other resources as soon as close the last browser window from the profile.

Contniuing with our example, any resources used by your work profile will be released when you close the last window from the work profile. You can continue using your personal Chrome profile.

Chromium bugs related to this code change talks about this issue in detail. They might also be addressing some related issues as well. For example, take a look at this comment:

“Someone discovered that it is possible to use a command like “chrome –profile-directory=DeletedProfile” to resurrect a deleted profile. I assume that we still can’t completely remove the profile but we should at least prevent opening a new window for a deleted profile. I will look into that.”

Summary

The Chrome flag that we are loking at helps Chrome shutdown profiles when users close the last window. This is likely a root cause for a couple of other issues that the team wants to resolve.

For Chrome users, this improves the browser’s memory usage. This is always a welcome change.

What do you think about this new feature (?), let me know in the comments section below.

Source: Chromium Gerrit and bugs.chromium.org – 1 & 2.