Do you ever find yourself sitting at your laptop, desperate to get a task done quickly, and watching what seems like endless loading? This seems to always happen at the most inopportune times, like when your client asks a question in a meeting and you need a fast browser right now  It’s in those times that you probably wish you had addressed your pesky slow browser earlier.

There are a lot of causes for a browser slowdown. From having too many tabs open to forgetting to complete the latest update, simply doing your day-to-day tasks can bog down your device and bring your browser to a crawl. Fortunately, there are also several tactics that can be used to speed things back up. If you are tired of being limited by a too-slow browser, keep reading to get some actionable tips that you can try asap, as well as some thoughts on a longer-term solution.

So Why is My Browser So Slow?

It’s incredibly common for people to wonder “why is my internet browser so slow?” A simple query on the most commonly searched questions on browser performance demonstrates just how common this issue is. There are a few different reasons why you might be experiencing a slow browser.

Too Many Extensions

Extensions are small software programs that enhance the functionality of your browser. While extensions can be useful, having too many of them can slow down your browser. Each extension adds extra code and may require additional resources to run. It's important to review your extensions regularly and remove any that are no longer needed or causing performance issues.

Outdated Browser

Using an outdated browser can have several drawbacks. First, older browser versions may lack the latest security updates, making your browsing experience vulnerable to potential threats. Second, outdated browsers may not support new web technologies and standards, resulting in compatibility issues and slower loading times. Keeping your browser as well as your operating system updated ensures you have the latest features, security patches, and performance improvements.

Cache and Cookie Overload

Cache and cookies are temporary files stored by your browser to improve page loading speed and remember user preferences. However, over time, these files can accumulate and become bloated, slowing down your browser. Clearing your cache and cookies regularly helps remove unnecessary data and allows your browser to load web pages faster.

Background Processes and Tabs

Running multiple background processes and having too many open tabs can strain your computer's resources and impact your browser's performance. Background processes, such as automatic software updates, can consume CPU and memory, leading to slower browsing. Similarly, having too many open tabs requires more system resources, causing slower performance. Closing unnecessary tabs and limiting background processes can help optimize your browser's speed. We will get into more detail below, but using Shift as your browser so that you can limit tabs effectively is a big help. You can set up Workspaces with only the tabs you need at certain times to ensure you are not going overboard with tabs running in the background.

Malware and Adware

Malware and adware are malicious programs that can infiltrate your computer and impact your browser's performance. They can cause unwanted pop-ups, redirects, and slow down your browsing speed. It's important to have reliable antivirus or anti-malware software installed and regularly scan your system to detect and remove any malware or adware infections.

Related Post: How to Secure Your Online Accounts

Easy-to-Follow Fixes for a Slow Browser

Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to improve your browser performance. If you’re stumped wondering why your browser is so slow, try some of these tactics before getting frustrated.

When Chrome is Slow

1. Clear browsing data: Click on the three dots at the top right corner of the browser window, go to "More tools," and select "Clear browsing data." Choose a time range and select the types of data you want to remove, such as browsing history, cookies, and cached images and files. Then click on "Clear data."
2. Disable unnecessary extensions: Type "chrome://extensions" in the address bar and press Enter. Disable any extensions you don't use or suspect might be slowing down your browser by toggling the switch off.
3. Reset Chrome settings: Type "chrome://settings/reset" in the address bar and press Enter. Click on "Restore settings to their original defaults" and confirm the reset.
4. If that still doesn't work, read more on how to speed up Chrome.

When Safari is Slow

1. Clear browsing history: Click on "History" in the top menu bar and select "Clear History." Choose the time range and click on "Clear History."
2. Disable unnecessary extensions: Click on "Safari" in the top menu bar, select "Preferences," and go to the "Extensions" tab. Uncheck the box next to any extensions you don't use or suspect might be slowing down your browser.
3. Reset Safari: Click on "Safari" in the top menu bar, select "Preferences," and go to the "Privacy" tab. Click on "Manage Website Data" and remove all website data. Then go to the "Advanced" tab, select "Show Develop menu in menu bar," and go to the "Develop" menu. Click on "Empty Caches."
4. If that still doesn't work, read more on how to speed up Safari.

When Firefox is Slow

1. Clear browsing history: Click on the three lines at the top right corner of the browser window, go to "Library," and select "History." Click on "Clear Recent History" and choose the time range and types of data you want to remove. Then click on "Clear Now."
2. Disable unnecessary extensions: Click on the three lines at the top right corner of the browser window, go to "Add-ons," and select "Extensions." Disable any extensions you don't use or suspect might be slowing down your browser by clicking on the "Disable" button.
3. Refresh Firefox: Type "about:support" in the address bar and press Enter. Click on the "Refresh Firefox" button and confirm the refresh.
4. If that still doesn't work, read more on how to speed up Firefox.

These steps should help to improve the performance of your browser. If the issue persists, you may also consider making sure your browser is updated to the latest version or contacting the browser's support for further assistance. Using smart best practices like limiting extensions is also a good way of preventing browser slow-down in the first place. Pro tip: Shift can be a powerful tool in limiting the tabs you need to have open at once.

Related Post: How to Declutter Your Browser

Fix Your Slow Browser for Better Outcomes

There’s no denying that battling a slow browser results in frustration. From a decreased ability to navigate to lower overall productivity, a slow browser can impact your work - and your day - - in all sorts of negative ways.

On the other hand, a speedy browser makes everything easier. From lightning-fast browsing for fun, to improved load time of documents, seamless navigation, and better app performance, the right browser (meaning: fast) makes a huge difference in all of your online activity. A faster browser improves overall computer performance as well. That’s because web browsers can be resource-intensive, affecting overall system performance. When you take steps to speed up your browser, you are also freeing up resources that can be used elsewhere on your device. Plus, browser speed will improve overall efficiency and productivity.

How Shift Helps with Speed

There’s more good news: you aren’t at the mercy of a slow browser. No matter which browser you’ve used in the past, you can leverage Shift to make the most of your time online. Shift can help speed up your browser in several ways.

Shift is the first browser to merge all your web apps into one powerful window. Users are able to streamline everything they do online and access thousands of apps without ever leaving their browser. You can also connect all of your Gmail, Outlook, and Office 365 accounts so that you can manage everything from one centralized window. This means you need less tabs open and can have fewer programs running in the background.

You can also build out your Shift browser with apps that integrate seamlessly so that you have ultra-fast access to all the tools you use to stream, shop, work, browse, and stay connected. The Workspaces feature is particularly powerful, allowing you to set up customized digital locations that hold what you need for different times or tasks. That way, you can set up a Workspace for work and home, or for different clients. Your professional Workspace might have Outlook, Slack, and Todoist, while your personal one has your banking, Facebook, and travel planning sites. Too often, people have all of these tabs open at once - with Shift, you can create and customize specific areas so that you can reduce the number of tabs open at any given time.

The truth is that we don’t just use the internet for a simple search anymore. At any given time, we’re juggling tens or even hundreds of apps, tabs, and accounts. This is bound to bog down the bigger browsers and feel messy, but Shift makes everything much simpler. Additionally, Shift helps you to skip the endless logging in and out of various accounts or platforms. Save time and resources by staying logged into multiple accounts within the same app so you can toggle between profiles easily. Here are a few of the other powerful features of this high-performing browser:

• Email management (Gmail, GSuite, Outlook, Office 365, Yahoo! Mail)
• +1,500 app integrations (Facebook Messenger, Slack, WhatsApp, Instagram)
• Epic Search: one search across all your apps and inboxes
• Focused browser Workspaces
• Customization of notifications for every account

Related Video: The Ultimate Guide to Using Apps in Your Browser

Having a fast browser can really improve your online experience. Try these tips the next time your browser speed has gotten you down, and download Shift to see how this innovative, app-integrated browser can streamline and strengthen your browsing.