Why is Netflix Lagging on Chrome? [FIXED]

Netflix is a great streaming service with lots of quality shows and movies, but why does Netflix sometimes lag on Google Chrome?

I love being able to come home after a long day and binge some Netflix on my laptop, and with the new season of Stranger Things coming out soon, I’m sure I’ll be spending even more time than usual in front of my computer screen. But as many of you know, a laggy connection can easily ruin the enjoyment of your whole viewing experience.

Table of Contents

• Why is Netflix Lagging on Chrome? 
  • Internet Connection Issues
  • Overburdened CPU And Not Enough RAM
  • Problems With Cache And Cookies 
  • Your Resolution Settings Are Too Demanding For Your Network Connection or Hardware
  • Your Google Chrome Is Outdated

Why is Netflix Lagging on Chrome? 

If Netflix is lagging on Chrome it means that your computer is having trouble maintaining a stable connection to the internet. Increased internet speed and adjustments to your computer or browser can help solve this problem.

Experiencing Netflix lag on chrome is frustratingly annoying, especially when all you want to do is catch up on the new season of your favorite show. Most likely the issue stems from some sort of internet connection problem, but there are a few other things that could be causing the lag. I’ll be talking about the potential causes of the lag as well as the different courses of action you can take to solve the problem.

I’ve spent many hours using Netflix on all of my different devices and with all sorts of different web browsers, and I’ve experienced lag issues across all of them at one time or another. Whatever the problem causing your Netflix to lag, I guarantee these are the best ways to solve the problem and get back to binging your favorite show as soon as possible.

There are many reasons why you might be experiencing Netflix lag on Chrome, including internet connection issues, an overburdened CPU or a browser that needs to be updated. 

No matter whether the issue is one of these aforementioned or something completely different, you’ll be able to quickly and easily solve the issue as quickly as possible by the end of this article.

Internet Connection Issues

The most likely culprit if Netflix is lagging on Google Chrome is an unstable or slow internet connection, however, there are plenty of things you can do to address this issue. 

No matter what, the first thing you should do is to confirm that your computer is connected to your wireless network. You can do this by going to your computer’s network settings where you can view all available networks and whether or not you are connected to one.

If your connection is slow or you find that you aren’t connected at all, there are a few things you can do to improve your connection. First, you should try moving your wireless router closer to your computer.

The distance between your router and your computer can have a big effect on the strength of your signal. Walls, floors and other obstacles can get in the way of your signal too, so make sure that your router is close to your computer before moving on.

The amount of devices connected to your router can also have a big effect on your wireless signal. If there are multiple devices in your home that are using the internet to stream video or play games online, there’s a great chance that there simply isn’t enough bandwidth to go around. 

You can fix this by simply disconnecting a device or two from your wireless network, which will free up some extra bandwidth for your computer.

If that doesn’t work, rebooting your wireless router should do the trick. Random glitches and bugs that occur in your router can prevent it from providing adequate signal to your computer, but simply shutting it off and turning it back on again should do the trick. 

Just make sure to wait a few minutes between the shutdown and restart for the best results.

Worst case scenario, if you are still experiencing connection issues, you should consider contacting your internet provider. They may be able to inform you of any service blackouts that they are experiencing in your area, or at the very least, help you to continue troubleshooting your router. 

Overburdened CPU And Not Enough RAM

Another reason that Netflix may be lagging on Google Chrome is that your computer is being overworked. RAM, or Random Access Memory, is basically the short term memory center of your computer. The CPU looks at the information stored in RAM and decides if it needs to send that information to other parts of the computer. 

Basically, if one or both of these parts of your computer are overburdened, you will experience lag with anything you’re currently doing on your computer, including watching Netflix.

To ensure that this isn’t the case, you can pull up your computer’s task manager. By pressing ctrl, alt and delete at the same time and selecting task manager, you view the percentage CPU and RAM (memory) currently being used. 

If you notice that your computer is particularly overburdened with one or more background applications, simply close them down and your computer will have more processing power to work specifically on streaming. This should help get rid of Netflix lag on Chrome in an instant.

Problems With Cache And Cookies

Netflix lag on Google Chrome can also be caused by issues with the cache and cookies on your browser. Problems like this are very common and it is likely you will have to deal with this issue at some point or another, whether trying to watch netflix or access some other website. 

The simple solution here is to make sure you log out of Netflix and then clear the cache and cookies on your Chrome browser. Then simply close down Chrome and restart it again. If the issue is with your cache and cookies, this will have fixed the problem and you won’t have to deal with that pesky lag anymore.

Your Resolution Settings Are Too Demanding For Your Network Connection or Hardware

Netflix offers a variety of different options when it comes to the resolution of what you are viewing. Though it’s always a bit more enjoyable to watch your favorite show in the highest resolution possible so that everything looks as pretty and clear as possible, it may not be the best option if you are experiencing lag. 

An unstable connection or your computer’s hardware limitations can have a big effect here, so what can you do?

If this is the issue, all you’ll need to do is to turn your Netflix’s resolution setting down. A lower resolution may muddy up the image a bit, it will be much less demanding of your network connection and processor and allow you to have a smooth viewing experience with a lot less lag than you would have at the highest resolution.

Your Google Chrome Is Outdated

Google, as with most tech companies, offer regular updates to keep their products running smoothly and without bugs. 

This is good because it keeps Google Chrome working as best it can for you. However, if you miss and update and your browser is outdated, it could cause your Netflix to lag. 

All you need to do when presented with this issue is to make sure that your browser is up to date. 

Google Chrome’s default settings tell you when there is an update, but if you don’t see one and are unsure if your browser is up to date, you can click the three dots in the upper right hand corner and go to settings. From there just click about chrome, and any updates that are available will be downloaded automatically.