What is Google Chrome Helper (GPU) on Mac?
By Junaid, maker of Taskglass · Last reviewed
Chrome's graphics process: draws pages and plays video using your Mac's graphics chip.
Chrome uses a single GPU helper for graphics work: compositing pages, animations, video decoding, WebGL and canvas. It's busier when tabs play video or show animated or 3D content.
- Category
- Third-party
- Made by
- Safe to quit:
- With care
Shown in Activity Monitor as Google Chrome Helper (GPU)
Why is Google Chrome Helper (GPU) using so much CPU or memory?
- Video playing, especially high resolution
- Animated or 3D sites, web games
- Video calls or screen sharing in the browser
- Graphics driver issues after an update
What to do
- 1Pause video and close tabs with heavy animation
- 2Quit and reopen Chrome
- 3Try turning off 'Use graphics acceleration when available' in Settings > System to compare, then turn it back on
Safe to quit? With care.
Chrome restarts it automatically; pages may flicker or video may stop briefly.
Related processes
- Google ChromeGoogle's web browser. Its tabs and extensions run in separate 'Google Chrome Helper' processes.
- Google Chrome Helper (Renderer)Runs web pages and extensions for Chrome; usually one per site or extension.
- WindowServerDraws every window, menu and animation you see on screen, and routes your clicks and keystrokes.
Part of the Taskglass Process Library