How To Fix Google Chrome Not Opening On Windows [2026 Guide]

I am going to teach you how to fix Google Chrome not opening on Windows. If you have been frustrated by Chrome refusing to launch, you are not alone. This problem can pop up every so often.

It can be quite annoying, but it is usually straightforward to fix. Let us walk through some simple steps to get Chrome working for you again.

Fix Google Chrome Not Opening On Windows [2026 Guide]

Open Task Manager

First, we are going to need to open the Task Manager. This is your go to tool in Windows for managing applications and processes that are currently running.

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc at the same time to open Task Manager.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

This brings up the Task Manager window where you can see all the programs and background processes that are active on your computer.

Read More: fix links that do not open in Chrome

Find Chrome in background

Once Task Manager is open, take a careful look through the list of processes. We are looking for any instance of Google Chrome running in the background.

Sometimes, even if you cannot see it, Chrome might be working behind the scenes, keeping it from launching new windows. Scroll through and pinpoint any processes with the name Google Chrome.

End the processes

Right click one of the Google Chrome entries. Choose the option that says End task.

This forces Chrome to stop running entirely, eliminating any potential glitches that might be causing it not to open properly. Do this for each Chrome process in the list to be thorough.

Read More: fix a 400 error in Chrome on Windows

Relaunch Chrome

Close Task Manager and try launching Google Chrome again. Double click the Chrome icon on your desktop or find it through the Start menu.

With any luck, it should open up without trouble. Hopefully, this straightforward method has solved the issue for you.

Final thoughts

Dealing with a browser that refuses to open can be frustrating, especially when you are in the middle of something important. By opening Task Manager, identifying and ending Chrome processes, and then relaunching Chrome, you should be back in business in no time.

If you continue experiencing issues, there might be deeper problems that need further investigation. Checking for updates or reinstalling Chrome could be the next steps.

Read More: troubleshoot ERR CONNECTION RESET in Chrome