If you use Chrome for Google Slides presentations, you might have noticed that things can get a little sluggish when you have many tabs open or multiple presentation files going at once. Let me share some practical tips that can help you work faster and avoid common frustrations.
Why Chrome Can Feel Slow with Google Slides
When you are building a presentation in Google Slides, you probably keep several tabs open at the same time. You might have your main presentation in one tab, reference materials in another, maybe a YouTube video you are embedding, and your email open so you can send the deck when it is ready. Chrome is great at handling lots of tabs, but it was not designed to keep every single one running at full speed all the time.
Each open tab uses memory from your computer. Even when you are not looking at a particular tab, Chrome keeps it ready to go. This means your browser gradually slows down as you open more presentations, research more content, and keep more reference materials available. You might notice slides taking longer to load, transitions becoming choppy, or your whole computer feeling sluggish right when you need to be most productive.
The good news is that there are several things you can do to keep Chrome running smoothly while you work on your Google Slides presentations.
Quick Chrome Adjustments for Better Performance
One of the simplest things you can do is enable Chrome is memory-saving features. Chrome has a built-in Memory Saver mode that automatically pauses tabs you have not used recently. This frees up memory for the tabs you are actively working on, like your Google Slides presentation. When you go back to a paused tab, it reloads instantly.
To turn on Memory Saver, open Chrome settings, look for Performance, and enable Memory Saver. You can also choose which sites should always stay active, so your important presentations never get paused unexpectedly.
Another helpful step is to close tabs you are not using. It sounds obvious, but most people keep dozens of tabs open without thinking about it. Before you start working on a presentation, take a moment to close tabs you do not need right now. You can always reopen them later if necessary.
Organizing Your Presentation Workflow
When you work on Google Slides, having a organized approach to your tabs can make a big difference. Consider using Chrome tab groups to keep your presentation-related tabs together. You can color-code them and give them labels, making it easy to find exactly what you need without scrolling through a long list of tabs.
Chrome also lets you pin important tabs. Pinned tabs appear at the far left of your tab bar and stay there until you unpin them. You can pin your main presentation tab so it is always easy to find, while other tabs come and go as needed.
If you find yourself frequently switching between the same set of tabs for different presentations, you can use Chrome sessions to save and restore your tab groups. This way, you can quickly jump back into working on a specific presentation without having to find and open each tab again.
Extensions That Make Google Slides Easier
There are several Chrome extensions that can improve your experience with Google Slides presentations.
Tab Suspender Pro is one option that automatically pauses tabs you are not using. This keeps your browser fast even when you have many tabs open. It works well for presentations because you can keep all your reference materials and other presentations available without slowing down the tab where you are actually building your slides. When you click on a paused tab, it wakes up right away.
Google Slides Offline is an official extension that lets you view and edit presentations without an internet connection. This is useful if you need to work on your deck during a flight or in a location with unreliable Wi-Fi. Any changes you make will sync to your Google Drive once you reconnect.
Slides Toolbox offers helpful features for formatting your presentations quickly. You can adjust multiple slides at once, apply consistent layouts across your deck, and manage slide elements efficiently. If you spend a lot of time on repetitive formatting tasks, this extension can save you significant time.
Unsplash provides access to free high-quality photos directly within Google Slides. You can search and insert professional images without leaving your presentation. This helps you create polished-looking slides without needing to hunt for images elsewhere.
Presentation Mode Tips
When it is time to present, Chrome has some useful features you might not know about. Pressing F11 on Windows or Cmd+Ctrl+F on Mac puts Chrome into full-screen mode, which removes all the browser interface and gives you a clean view of your presentation.
If you need to present while also having access to your notes or speaker view, consider opening your Google Slides presentation in a separate window. This lets you have your presentation on one screen while keeping your notes, the next slide preview, or any other materials visible on another screen.
Chrome also supports picture-in-picture mode, which lets you keep a video or other content visible in a small floating window while you work in your main presentation. This can be helpful if you are embedding video content and need to check how it looks while editing other slides.
Keeping Your Browser Ready for Presentations
Before an important presentation, it helps to do a little browser maintenance. Close unnecessary tabs and windows. Clear your browser cache if it has been a while, which can help Chrome run more smoothly. Make sure your Chrome browser is updated to the latest version, as updates often include performance improvements.
If you use Chrome profiles, consider creating a separate profile for presentation work. This keeps your presentation-related bookmarks, extensions, and settings organized separately from your everyday browsing, reducing clutter and potential conflicts.
Making the Most of Your Setup
The combination of good browser habits, the right extensions, and a few smart settings can make a noticeable difference in how smoothly your Google Slides presentations come together. You do not need to change everything at once. Try one or two of these tips first, see what works best for your workflow, and gradually add more as you find what fits your style.
Whether you are putting together a quick update for your team or preparing a major presentation, a faster browser means you can focus on your content rather than fighting with slow loading times and sluggish responses.
Tips from the team behind Tab Suspender Pro and the Zovo extension suite at zovo.one