Fix: Chrome Keeps Opening New Tabs

Chrome is one of the most famous and notorious browser out there. It is famous because of its fast speeds and easy to use interface and notorious for consuming a lot of RAM and containing some annoying glitches. But overall, it is undoubtedly one of the best browsers in the market.

Google Chrome logo

However, recently we have received many reports of the browser automatically opening new tabs. This issue causes a lot of unwanted tabs to open which in addition to slowing down your computer can also hinder your browsing experience. In this article, we will tell about some common causes of the problem and provide you with viable solutions in order to get rid of the issue.

What Causes Chrome to Keep Opening New Tabs?

There are many things that can trigger this issue and we have researched the most common ones which are

  • Malware: There is a possibility that some sort of malware might have been added on your pc which is causing this random opening of tabs.
  • Corrupt Installation: It is also possible that the installation of the Chrome browser is corrupted and is causing this issue.
  • Search Settings: In the search settings there is an option to open a new tab for each search this can also cause the random opening of tabs.
  • Background Apps: Some extensions of Chrome have permission to run in the background while this can be a useful feature as you would continue to get your notifications even when chrome is turned off but sometimes this feature can malfunction and cause the problem.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the causes of the problem we will move on towards the solutions.

Solution 1: Removing Unwanted Extensions and Apps.

Sometimes certain apps are installed automatically if you download something from an untrusted source which can in turn cause this random opening of tabs and also is a threat to your privacy. Also, there might be certain extensions on your Chrome browser that might be problematic. In this step, we are going to be removing both unwanted extensions and applications.

  1. Click on the search bar in the bottom lefthand side of the taskbar
    The search bar on the bottom left-hand side
  2. Type in “Add or Remove Programs” press enter and click on the icon
    Typing Add or Remove Programs in the search bar
  3. Search for any Application that looks suspicious and was not added by you
  4. Click on it and select Uninstall
    Uninstalling
  5. Now Open up your Chrome Browser and in the address bar type “chrome://extensions/”
    Search bar Chrome
  6. This will open up the extensions that have been applied on your chrome browser.
  7. If you find an extension that you did not add yourself, Click on “Remove
    Removing Unnecessary extensions
  8. Also, make sure to remove any VPN or Proxy extensions as they are mostly the cause of the issue.

This step will make sure that no suspicious app or extension is causing the issue if this does not solve your problem move on towards the next solution.

Solution 2: Adjusting Search Settings

The Search Settings are sometimes configured to open up new tabs every time you search for something. This can be quite annoying in most cases and in this step we will be disabling this setting.

  1. Open the Chrome browser, type anything in the search bar and press enter
  2. Click on the “Settings” option right above your results.
    Clicking on Settings below the search bar
  3. After that Click on “Search Settings
    Search Settings
  4. In the settings option, Scroll down and make sure the “Open New Window for each result” Box is unchecked.
    Unchecking Box

This will disable the browser from opening a new tab every time you search for something. If the issue still persists move on to the next solution.

Solution 3: Disabling Background Apps

Certain extensions, when allowed to be run in the background, can provide you with important notifications even when the Chrome app is closed but they might also sometimes cause the problem therefore in this step we are going to disable those extensions and apps from running in the background.

  1. Open Chrome, Click on the Menu icon on the top right corner and select the Settings option.
    Menu button Chrome
  2. In the settings option, scroll down and click on “Advanced” then scroll down further to the System Section.
    System Options
  3. Disable the “Continue Running Background Apps when Google Chrome is Closed” option.
    Disable This option

This will prevent the Chrome extensions and associated apps from running in the background.

Solution 4: Removing Malware.

Certain Malware often gets installed automatically when you download something from an untrusted source therefore, in this step we are going to scan the computer for any Chrome related malware and remove it from the computer. For that

  1. Click on the Menu icon on the top right corner of the Browser and select “Settings
    Menu button Chrome
  2. In the settings, scroll all the way down and click on “Advanced
    Advanced settings expander
  3. Scroll to the “Reset and Cleanup” section and click on the “Clean up computer” option
    Clicking on the cleanup option
  4. Now click on “Find Harmful Software
    Clicking on the Find Harmful Software option
  5. Chrome will automatically scan your computer for any malware related to it and automatically Remove it from your computer.

Solution 5: Reinstalling Chrome

If none of the solutions worked for you it is possible that the installation of the chrome browser might have been corrupted. Therefore in this step, we are going to completely remove chrome from the system and reinstall it. For which

  1. Click on the search bar on the bottom left-hand side of the taskbar
    The search bar on the bottom left-hand side
  2. Type in “Add or remove program” and click on the icon
    Typing Add or Remove Programs in the search bar
  3. Search For Google Chrome in the list of the applications.
  4. Click on it and select uninstall
    Uninstalling
  5. Now download Chrome again and install it.

This should solve the problem if it was related to the corrupt installation of the browser. If this still does not solve the problem then you should contact customer support.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kevin Arrows


Kevin Arrows is a highly experienced and knowledgeable technology specialist with over a decade of industry experience. He holds a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certification and has a deep passion for staying up-to-date on the latest tech developments. Kevin has written extensively on a wide range of tech-related topics, showcasing his expertise and knowledge in areas such as software development, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. His contributions to the tech field have been widely recognized and respected by his peers, and he is highly regarded for his ability to explain complex technical concepts in a clear and concise manner.