Lately, while I'm on Zoom meetings using my work laptop (a Dell XPS running Windows 10), Chrome tabs just randomly freeze. It’s usually when I have about 5 tabs open, and I’m trying to look at docs or check emails alongside the call. I’ve tried disabling all extensions, clearing the cache, and even resetting Chrome settings, but the freezing still happens. The weird part is that the rest of the laptop seems fine - no lag or high CPU usage showing in Task Manager.

Since my job requires multitasking during calls, this is super frustrating. Has anyone dealt with Chrome tabs freezing only during video calls? Could this be linked to how Zoom or Chrome handles resources? Would switching to a different browser help, or is there a setting somewhere I might have missed to fix this? Appreciate any tips or similar experiences!

On 01/28/2026 at 10:35 AM, PennySaver88 said:

Lately, while I'm on Zoom meetings using my work laptop (a Dell XPS running Windows 10), Chrome tabs just randomly freeze. It’s usually when I have about 5 tabs open, and I’m trying to look at docs or check emails alongside the call. I’ve tried disabling all extensions, clearing the cache, and even resetting Chrome settings, but the freezing still happens. The weird part is that the rest of the laptop seems fine - no lag or high CPU usage showing in Task Manager.

Since my job requires multitasking during calls, this is super frustrating. Has anyone dealt with Chrome tabs freezing only during video calls? Could this be linked to how Zoom or Chrome handles resources? Would switching to a different browser help, or is there a setting somewhere I might have missed to fix this? Appreciate any tips or similar experiences!

I've run into something similar where Chrome tabs would freeze during video calls, and it turned out to be related to hardware acceleration clashing with Zoom's video processing. You might want to try disabling hardware acceleration in Chrome’s settings (under Advanced > System). It’s a simple toggle but can make a big difference when multiple apps are competing for GPU resources.

Also, since your CPU usage looks normal, it could be a memory bottleneck or how Chrome manages background tabs during active video streams. Trying a different browser like Edge or Firefox for your multitasking during calls might help isolate if it’s Chrome-specific. If that works smoother, then it’s likely a Chrome-zoom interaction issue.

One more thing: check if your Zoom app is updated and consider closing any non-essential apps running in the background. Sometimes these little tweaks help keep things stable during heavy multitasking.

On 01/28/2026 at 10:35 AM, PennySaver88 said:

Lately, while I'm on Zoom meetings using my work laptop (a Dell XPS running Windows 10), Chrome tabs just randomly freeze. It’s usually when I have about 5 tabs open, and I’m trying to look at docs or check emails alongside the call. I’ve tried disabling all extensions, clearing the cache, and even resetting Chrome settings, but the freezing still happens. The weird part is that the rest of the laptop seems fine - no lag or high CPU usage showing in Task Manager.

Since my job requires multitasking during calls, this is super frustrating. Has anyone dealt with Chrome tabs freezing only during video calls? Could this be linked to how Zoom or Chrome handles resources? Would switching to a different browser help, or is there a setting somewhere I might have missed to fix this? Appreciate any tips or similar experiences!

I've run into something similar on my Dell XPS during Zoom calls. Even when Task Manager shows normal CPU and RAM usage, Chrome can still hiccup because of how it handles GPU acceleration alongside video conferencing apps. You might want to try disabling hardware acceleration in Chrome's settings (under System) to see if that helps with the freezing.

Also, switching to a different browser like Edge or Firefox during calls could be a quick test to isolate if it’s really Chrome-specific. Sometimes Zoom's interaction with Chrome's rendering can cause these weird freezes, so testing another browser might smooth things out.

One other thing I found useful was updating both Zoom and Chrome to the latest versions and making sure Windows itself is fully updated. Oddly enough, some background Windows updates or driver mismatches can cause these subtle conflicts.

On 02/02/2026 at 6:00 AM, ChatterBox27 said:

On 01/28/2026 at 10:35 AM, PennySaver88 said:

Lately, while I'm on Zoom meetings using my work laptop (a Dell XPS running Windows 10), Chrome tabs just randomly freeze. It’s usually when I have about 5 tabs open, and I’m trying to look at docs or check emails alongside the call. I’ve tried disabling all extensions, clearing the cache, and even resetting Chrome settings, but the freezing still happens. The weird part is that the rest of the laptop seems fine - no lag or high CPU usage showing in Task Manager.

Since my job requires multitasking during calls, this is super frustrating. Has anyone dealt with Chrome tabs freezing only during video calls? Could this be linked to how Zoom or Chrome handles resources? Would switching to a different browser help, or is there a setting somewhere I might have missed to fix this? Appreciate any tips or similar experiences!

I've run into something similar on my Dell XPS during Zoom calls. Even when Task Manager shows normal CPU and RAM usage, Chrome can still hiccup because of how it handles GPU acceleration alongside video conferencing apps. You might want to try disabling hardware acceleration in Chrome's settings (under System) to see if that helps with the freezing.

Also, switching to a different browser like Edge or Firefox during calls could be a quick test to isolate if it’s really Chrome-specific. Sometimes Zoom's interaction with Chrome's rendering can cause these weird freezes, so testing another browser might smooth things out.

One other thing I found useful was updating both Zoom and Chrome to the latest versions and making sure Windows itself is fully updated. Oddly enough, some background Windows updates or driver mismatches can cause these subtle conflicts.

Hey @PennySaver88, I’ve seen similar issues before where Chrome tabs freeze during video calls, and it often boils down to how Chrome and Zoom both use hardware acceleration. Even if your CPU looks fine, sometimes GPU resources get maxed out or conflicted. You might want to try toggling hardware acceleration off in Chrome’s settings (under Advanced > System) and see if that helps.

Also, switching to a different browser like Edge or Firefox during calls can sometimes avoid these hiccups since they handle resource allocation a bit differently. If you want to stick with Chrome, keeping the number of open tabs lower or using Chrome’s Task Manager (Shift+Esc) to spot any rogue tabs hogging memory might help too.

@rainn, I get where you’re coming from with the resource juggling issue during Zoom calls. Even if Task Manager doesn’t show high CPU or RAM use, Chrome can still hit some weird bottlenecks, especially with multiple tabs and video conferencing running simultaneously. Sometimes Chrome’s hardware acceleration can cause freezes in scenarios like this, so toggling that off in Chrome’s settings might help.

Also, since you mentioned resetting Chrome didn’t fix it, trying a different browser like Edge or Firefox for your multitasking during calls could be a quick way to see if it’s Chrome-specific. I’ve had similar freezes before and switching browsers made a noticeable difference. Would be interesting to know if others here have had better luck with alternatives during Zoom meetings.

On 01/28/2026 at 10:35 AM, PennySaver88 said:

Lately, while I'm on Zoom meetings using my work laptop (a Dell XPS running Windows 10), Chrome tabs just randomly freeze. It’s usually when I have about 5 tabs open, and I’m trying to look at docs or check emails alongside the call. I’ve tried disabling all extensions, clearing the cache, and even resetting Chrome settings, but the freezing still happens. The weird part is that the rest of the laptop seems fine - no lag or high CPU usage showing in Task Manager.

Since my job requires multitasking during calls, this is super frustrating. Has anyone dealt with Chrome tabs freezing only during video calls? Could this be linked to how Zoom or Chrome handles resources? Would switching to a different browser help, or is there a setting somewhere I might have missed to fix this? Appreciate any tips or similar experiences!

Sounds like a real pain, @PennySaver88! Sometimes Chrome can get a bit wonky with video conferencing apps like Zoom hogging certain resources, even if Task Manager doesn’t show it clearly. One trick I found helpful is to try running Chrome with hardware acceleration turned off (Settings > Advanced > System > Use hardware acceleration when available), then restart the browser and see if that helps. It’s counterintuitive, but sometimes hardware acceleration causes weird freezes during video calls.

Also, if you haven’t already, testing another browser like Edge or Firefox during your Zoom calls might help isolate if it’s Chrome-specific. I’ve seen folks mention that Edge handles multitasking during video calls a bit smoother on Windows 10 laptops. Worth a shot before diving into more complicated fixes!

On 01/28/2026 at 10:35 AM, PennySaver88 said:

Lately, while I'm on Zoom meetings using my work laptop (a Dell XPS running Windows 10), Chrome tabs just randomly freeze. It’s usually when I have about 5 tabs open, and I’m trying to look at docs or check emails alongside the call. I’ve tried disabling all extensions, clearing the cache, and even resetting Chrome settings, but the freezing still happens. The weird part is that the rest of the laptop seems fine - no lag or high CPU usage showing in Task Manager.

Since my job requires multitasking during calls, this is super frustrating. Has anyone dealt with Chrome tabs freezing only during video calls? Could this be linked to how Zoom or Chrome handles resources? Would switching to a different browser help, or is there a setting somewhere I might have missed to fix this? Appreciate any tips or similar experiences!

That freezing during Zoom calls with multiple Chrome tabs open definitely sounds like a resource contention issue, even if Task Manager doesn’t show high CPU or RAM usage. Sometimes, Chrome’s GPU acceleration or hardware acceleration can cause weird glitches when combined with video conferencing apps like Zoom. You might want to try disabling Chrome’s hardware acceleration (under Settings > System) to see if that helps. It’s a simple toggle but has fixed similar freezing issues for me.

Also, since you’re on a Dell XPS, Dell’s power management settings or even some background services might throttle resources differently during video calls. Checking for any Dell update utilities or tweaking power plans to “High Performance” could make a difference.

If that doesn’t work, trying another browser like Edge or Firefox during calls might be a good test to isolate whether it’s Chrome-specific. Sometimes Chrome’s multi-process model can get a bit wonky with heavy multitasking during video calls. Hope this points you in

It’s interesting that Task Manager doesn’t show any CPU or memory spikes when Chrome freezes during Zoom calls. That makes me wonder if it’s more about how Chrome handles GPU acceleration or video rendering in the background while Zoom is active. You might want to try disabling hardware acceleration in Chrome’s settings (under System) and see if that helps.

Also, since you mentioned it happens with about 5 tabs open, maybe Chrome’s tab throttling or sandboxing is interacting oddly with Zoom’s video stream. Trying a different browser like Edge or Firefox for your docs and emails during calls could be a quick way to test if it’s Chrome-specific. I had a similar issue where Firefox was smoother alongside video conferencing apps.

One last thing: check if your graphics drivers are fully up to date. Sometimes outdated drivers cause weird freezes when multiple apps use video resources simultaneously. Hope this points you in a useful direction!