RESULT_CODE_HUNG in Chrome and Edge: Why It Happens and How to Fix It

RESULT_CODE_HUNG appears on the "Aw, Snap!" page when Chrome or Edge decides a tab's process has stopped responding and ends it. The page was not necessarily broken: the browser waited, got no answer, and shut the process down. Reload once, then look at extensions, heavy pages, graphics acceleration, and low memory, in that order.

What the message means in plain terms

Chrome and Microsoft Edge (which uses the same Chromium engine) split their work into separate processes: one for the browser window, one per tab or site, one for the graphics work, and more for extensions. Each renderer is expected to respond to the browser's checks within a limited time. If a tab is stuck in a long script, waiting on a stalled system call, or starved of CPU or memory, it misses that window. The browser then treats it as hung and ends it, and the tab shows the Aw, Snap! page with the code RESULT_CODE_HUNG.

That differs from a true crash. After a crash the process dies on its own, usually with a different code. You will find these sibling errors in our other browser pages, for example STATUS_BREAKPOINT. With a hang, the tab was alive but not answering. That distinction points you to slowness and blocking, not to corrupted files.

Common causes and how to recognise them

Cause	How to recognise it	Fix
One heavy page or web app	Happens on the same site, often after the tab sat open for hours	Fix 1
Extension stuck or conflicting	Does not happen in an Incognito window	Fix 2
Too many tabs, not enough RAM	Whole PC feels slow, fan runs, many tabs open	Fix 3
Graphics acceleration or driver issue	Video, maps, or WebGL pages hang; screen flickers	Fix 4
Corrupt profile or cache	Hangs on many different sites, started suddenly	Fix 5 and Fix 6
Security software scanning every request	Hangs started after installing or updating an antivirus or filter	Fix 7

Step one: reload, then find the culprit with Shift + Esc

Press F5 on the Aw, Snap! page. A one-off hang is normal and often fixes itself. If it returns, open the browser's own Task Manager with Shift + Esc (Chrome: menu, More tools, Task manager. Edge: menu, More tools, Browser task manager). Each tab, extension, and helper process is listed with memory and CPU. Sort by CPU. Anything that sits near the top while you are idle is your lead. Select it and choose End process to test whether the rest of the browser recovers. Note the name, because the next steps depend on whether it is a page, an extension, or a utility process such as the GPU process.

Fixes, in the order that works most often

Fix 1: Test the page without the rest of your browser

Open the same URL in an Incognito window (Ctrl + Shift + N; InPrivate in Edge is Ctrl + Shift + P). Incognito starts with a clean session and, by default, without extensions. If the page still hangs, the page or your PC is the issue. If it works, go to Fix 2. For web apps that stay open all day, a simple habit helps: close and reopen the tab daily, since long sessions can pile up memory use.

Fix 2: Disable extensions and find the bad one

Type chrome://extensions in the address bar (edge://extensions in Edge). Turn every extension off, restart the browser, and use it for a while. If hangs stop, turn extensions back on in small batches. Ad blockers, coupon tools, screen recorders, VPN extensions, and password helpers are common culprits because they inject scripts into every page. Remove ones you no longer use. Keep the list short.

Fix 3: Free memory and close extra load

Open Task Manager in Windows (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and watch the Memory column while the browser is busy. If memory use is near the top, close heavy apps, close unused tabs, and consider the browser's built-in memory saver or tab sleeping option. Chrome: Settings, Performance, Memory Saver. Edge: Settings, System and performance, sleeping tabs. Also check free disk space on the drive that holds Windows, since low free space makes paging slow and can make a tab look hung. As a rough guide, keep several gigabytes free.

Fix 4: Turn off graphics acceleration as a test

Open Settings, then System (in Edge, System and performance), and switch off "Use graphics acceleration when available". Relaunch the browser. If the hangs stop, your graphics driver or the acceleration path is the cause. Update the graphics driver from the PC or GPU maker, then try turning acceleration back on. You can inspect the browser's graphics status at chrome://gpu. A permanently disabled GPU path can make heavy pages slower, so treat this as a diagnosis first and a workaround second.

Fix 5: Clear cache and site data for the troublesome site

Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete, choose a time range, and clear cached images and files. For a single stubborn site, open the site's settings from the padlock icon and clear its data. Be aware that clearing cookies signs you out of sites, so do this only for the affected site first.

Fix 6: Try a fresh profile

A damaged profile can cause hangs across many sites. In Chrome, click your profile picture, choose Add, and create a new profile without signing in, then use it for a while. If the hangs vanish, your old profile holds the problem, and you can sign into sync gradually or move bookmarks across. In Edge, use the profile menu to add a profile. Keep the old profile until you are sure your data is safe.

Fix 7: Update the browser, then check security software

Open the three-dot menu, then Help, then About, and let the browser update and restart. If hangs began right after you installed a web filter, antivirus add-on, or VPN client, test with that feature paused. A network filter that inspects every request can make pages wait long enough to be flagged as hung. Keep Windows Security running while you test and re-enable any paused tool afterward.

Reading the clues: which kind of hang is it?

Three patterns cover most cases. A hang that hits one tab on one site, while other tabs stay smooth, points to the page: heavy scripts, an endless loop, or a web app that has leaked memory over a long session. A hang that hits whichever tab you happen to be using, with the whole PC sluggish, points to resource pressure: memory, disk space, or a background task such as a scan or a backup. A hang that shows up only when you play video, open maps, or scroll image-heavy pages points to the graphics path. Matching your pattern first saves you from trying every fix. Keep a note of the time of each hang as well. If the times line up with a scheduled scan, a sync client, or a Windows update running in the background, you have found a pressure source, and moving that task to the night solves it without touching the browser.

Windows-level checks if the problem is not only the browser

If other programs also freeze, the cause may sit under the browser. Run these in an administrator terminal, then restart:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

Then install pending updates under Settings, Windows Update. Run mdsched.exe if freezes are random, since faulty memory shows up as hangs. Save your work first, because Windows restarts immediately. If the update step itself fails, see Windows Update stuck or failing.

Other Chromium error codes in the same family

RESULT_CODE_HUNG belongs to a family of Aw, Snap! codes that all end in the same page but have different causes. STATUS_BREAKPOINT is covered on our STATUS_BREAKPOINT page. If you see STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION or STATUS_INVALID_IMAGE_HASH instead, those point to memory access problems and blocked or tampered files, not to a tab that simply stopped answering. For app crashes outside the browser that report 0xC0000409, read our guide on STATUS_STACK_BUFFER_OVERRUN.

What not to do

• Do not install "Chrome cleaner" or "speed booster" tools. Many are adware and they do not solve a hung process.
• Do not wipe all your browsing data right away. Test with Incognito and a new profile first so you do not lose logins you need.
• Do not keep dozens of tabs open and blame the browser. Resource limits are real, and the browser is only reporting them.
• Do not ignore repeated freezes across all programs. That is a PC problem, not a browser problem.
• Do not disable Windows protection to speed things up.

When to call a professional

Ask for help if hangs continue after a fresh profile and extensions off, if Windows itself freezes, if the drive makes unusual noises, or if memory tests report errors. Those point to hardware or deeper system faults. Our technicians can check Windows, drivers, and the browser remotely in one session. See remote repair and Windows support.

Prevention

• Keep the browser updated and restart it when it asks.
• Install only the extensions you use, from official stores.
• Close tabs you finished with, or let the browser put idle tabs to sleep.
• Keep graphics drivers current and keep free space on your system drive.
• Restart your PC weekly, since long uptime builds up background load.
• Back up bookmarks and passwords through the browser's sync or an export.

FAQ

What does RESULT_CODE_HUNG mean?

The browser did not get a response from a tab's process within its time limit, so it ended that process and showed the Aw, Snap! page. It means the tab was unresponsive.

Is RESULT_CODE_HUNG a virus?

Not on its own. It is a browser safety behaviour. Most causes are heavy pages, extensions, memory pressure, or graphics acceleration problems.

Why does it happen on one site only?

That site may run heavy scripts or a memory-hungry web app. Test in Incognito, clear that site's data, and keep the tab count low while using it.

Does Edge show the same code?

Yes. Edge uses the same Chromium engine, so the error and the fixes are the same. The settings screens use edge:// addresses instead.

Will reinstalling Chrome fix it?

Rarely. A fresh profile is a more useful test, since most hang causes live in the profile, extensions, or the PC, not in the browser files.

Should I turn off hardware acceleration permanently?

Only if it solves the problem and no driver update helps. Pages that rely on graphics can run slower without it, so try updating the driver first.

What if the whole PC freezes too?

Then the browser is a symptom. Check free disk space, run DISM, sfc, and the memory test, and back up your data if you suspect a failing drive.

Can you fix it remotely?

Yes. A technician can review your extensions, profile, drivers, and system health through a remote session.