Google Chrome is one of the most popular web browsers in the world and most of people like to use it while surfing the internet. But, while it’s easy and mostly smooth to use Google Chrome, some of the users report that they’ve been receiving the error message “Chrome didn’t shut down correctly”. For most, it is very annoying problem, especially if it is popping up very often.
With this Google Chrome misbehavior, some of the users are deciding to switch to some other web browsers like small but powerful Opera. But, it’s always the best to detect and solve the problem first and then make a decision whether to switch or not. Personally, I am using both web browsers, Google Chrome and Opera, as both of it have some features and advantages I like to see.
When we were investigating this “Chrome didn’t shut down correctly” issue, we collected several different feedbacks and realized the problem could be solved with several different methods. We will list them all, starting with the easiest and less time-consuming.
Log out from Google services
First, try to log out of all Google services you are logged in at the moment. It can be Gmail, YouTube, Google Plus or any other. After you’re logged out, restart your computer, laptop or other device on which you’re using Google Chrome. After reboot, check if the problems still exist.
Re-sync your Google Account
In this step you will do a Chrome Sync Reset on another device. You will use your other computer, laptop, phone or tablet with Google Chrome on it. And the internet connection, of course.
- Go to this Google Sync page and make sure you’re logged into your Google Account
- Select RESET SYNC and restart the device
Check if the problem is solved. If not, go to the next step to fix “Chrome didn’t shut down correctly” issue.
Clear the Cache
It is possible that you’ll solve the problem just by clearing the cache in your browser. A bunch of cache can sometimes cause strange and confusing issues with the browser, so it best if you clear the cache more often.
- Open Google Chrome and click on the Customize and Control Google Chrome button (Look like three dots) in the top right
- Select MORE TOOLS
- Click CLEAR BROWSING DATA
- Change the TIME RANGE from Last hour to ALL TIME
- Keep Browsing History, Cookies and Cached images and files all checked
- Wait for Cache to be clear (it can take some time if there was a lot of data to delete)
If clearing the cache didn’t help, we’ll have to move on the next possible solution.
Reset Google Chrome
- Click ‘Customize and Control’ Google Chrome button (three dots button).
- Click Settings and scroll down until the bottom and press ADVANCED
- Scroll to the bottom and click Restore settings to their original defaults
We really hope any of the previous methods helped, but if not, we have one method that we know that helped most of the users who had “Chrome didn’t shut down correctly” issue.
Checking or unchecking “Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed” option
Originally, the solution with this method was this one below:
- Go to SETTINGS
- Scroll down to the bottom and click ADVANCED
- Scroll down again and uncheck the option “Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed”
Simple as that. And it helped some people. But, then we received the feedback from one user that he already had that option unchecked, but when he turned it on, it solved the problem. Strange, isn’t it? The possible explanation could be that checking or unchecking that option is making Chrome to do some internal clean or change and it solve the error problem.
If somehow “Chrome didn’t shut down correctly” problem still exists, try these instructions below, but know we are slowly running out of options.
Edit the Default Folder title
- Open the Windows File Explorer folder (WIN + E)
- Make sure the Hidden items option is checked in the toolbar
- Browse to this path C: -> Users -> (Your account) -> AppData -> Local -> Google -> Chrome -> User Data
- Find Default folder and right-click it and select RENAME
- Enter ‘default_old’ as the new folder name and pres ENTER
If the problem is still exist, try to change this Default folder name into something else. If the annoying error “Chrome didn’t shut down correctly” is still appearing, we have one more potential solution.
Edit the Preferences File
- Open the Windows File Explorer folder (WIN + E)
- Browse to this path C: -> Users -> (Your account) -> AppData -> Local -> Google -> Chrome -> User Data -> Default
- Find Preferences folder and right-click it
- Select OPEN WITH
- Open it with Notepad
- In Notepad go to EDIT and FIND
- Enter ‘exit_type‘ in the search box and that line will be highlighted
- Near to it, you need to replace ‘Crashed‘ with ‘Normal‘
- Go to FILE and SAVE
After that, you need to restart Windows and hopefully, your problem with “Chrome didn’t shut down correctly” will disappear. We hope we helped you to find a solution for this Google Chrome problem and you can continue browsing the internet on your computer, laptop or any other device without this annoying error.
