STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION in Chrome and Edge: Fix the Aw, Snap! Error

STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION means a Chrome or Edge tab process touched memory it was not allowed to touch, so the browser killed that tab and showed "Aw, Snap!". In most cases the trigger is a bad extension, a graphics driver or hardware acceleration problem, or software that injects code into the browser. Work through the fixes below in order and the crash usually stops within a few minutes.

What STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION means in a browser

Windows uses the status code 0xC0000005 for an access violation. Chrome, Edge and Brave are built on the same Chromium engine, and each tab runs in its own renderer process. When that process reads or writes an invalid memory address, the operating system raises the exception and Chromium shows the error name instead of the page. The code is the same one that appears as a pop-up in other programs, which we cover on our Windows error 0xc0000005 page. This page stays on the browser side only.

Two details help you decide where to look. If the message appears on a single site, the page content, a script or an extension acting on that page is the likely cause. If it appears on many unrelated sites, including a blank new tab, suspect the profile, the GPU driver or software injected into every browser process.

Common causes and where to start

Cause	How to recognise it	Fix section
Faulty or outdated extension	Crash on specific pages; Guest window never crashes	Fix 1
Hardware acceleration or GPU driver	Crash on video, maps, WebGL, games or after a driver update	Fix 2
Corrupt profile or cache	Crash on every site; new profile works	Fix 3
Third-party software injecting code	Crash started after installing an overlay, capture or security tool	Fix 4
Outdated browser build	Crash after a long period without restarting	Fix 5
Failing RAM or damaged system files	Other apps also crash or blue-screen at random	Fix 6

Before you change anything: reproduce it safely

Open an Incognito or InPrivate window with Ctrl+Shift+N (Chrome) or Ctrl+Shift+N (Edge also uses this for InPrivate). Extensions are normally disabled in these windows unless you allowed them. Load the page that crashes. If it works, you have already narrowed the fault to an extension or a profile file. If it still crashes, note whether it happens on a single site, because that points toward the site content or a GPU path rather than the profile.

Also type chrome://crashes (or edge://crashes) in the address bar. The page lists recent crash reports when crash reporting is enabled. Even without it, the list of times lets you match crashes to something you did, such as a Windows update or a driver install.

Fix 1: Find the extension that causes the crash

1. Open chrome://extensions (Edge: edge://extensions).
2. Switch every extension off, then reload the page that crashed.
3. Turn extensions back on one at a time, reloading after each, until the crash returns.
4. Remove or replace the one that triggers it. Ad blockers, coupon tools, screen recorders, grammar checkers and old VPN extensions are the usual suspects in our experience.

Extensions installed from outside the official store, or that were forced in by another program, are worth removing even if they do not crash the browser right now.

Fix 2: Turn off hardware acceleration and update the graphics driver

Hardware acceleration hands page rendering to the graphics card. When the driver is buggy, the renderer can read invalid memory and Windows reports an access violation. Test by turning it off:

1. Open chrome://settings/system (Edge: edge://settings/system).
2. Switch off "Use graphics acceleration when available" (same wording in Chrome and Edge; in Edge it is under Settings, System and performance).
3. Click Relaunch and test the page again.

If the crash stops, the browser is fine and the graphics path is the weak point. Keep acceleration off as a workaround, then install a current driver from your GPU maker or from the laptop manufacturer's support page. A clean driver install is more reliable than an in-place update when the crash began right after a driver change. You can read the GPU status Chromium is using on chrome://gpu, which also lists driver versions and any features it has disabled.

Fix 3: Test with a fresh profile, then repair the old one

A damaged profile can crash a tab as soon as it loads settings or cached data. Create a new profile from the profile icon in the top corner, choose Add, and sign in without sync first. If the crash is gone, the old profile is the issue.

To repair rather than abandon it, first make sure your bookmarks and passwords are synced to your account or exported. Then close the browser completely and rename the cache-heavy folders inside your profile. For Chrome the profile lives under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default; for Edge it is %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default. Renaming the Cache and Code Cache folders forces the browser to rebuild them. Do not delete the whole User Data folder before you have confirmed that your data is safe elsewhere.

If that is not enough, use chrome://settings/reset to restore settings to their defaults. This disables extensions and clears temporary data but keeps bookmarks and saved passwords.

Fix 4: Check for software that injects into the browser

Chromium loads some outside modules into its processes. Game overlays, screen capture tools, input utilities, older printer or banking plug-ins and some security products do this. When one is out of date, the crash looks like a browser bug. On Windows, open chrome://conflicts (Edge: edge://conflicts) to see loaded modules. Look for modules not signed by Microsoft or Google, and check for an R in the Process types column (it means the module is loaded in a renderer).

Practical steps that work even without that page:

• Think back to what you installed or updated just before the first crash.
• Close overlays and capture tools (graphics-card overlays, chat overlays, FPS counters) and test again.
• Update or temporarily remove the suspect program. If the crash message says STATUS_INVALID_IMAGE_HASH instead, see our guide to the invalid image hash error, which is the antivirus and DLL blocking case.

Fix 5: Update the browser and restart it properly

Open chrome://settings/help (Edge: edge://settings/help). The page checks for updates and shows a Relaunch button when one is waiting. A browser left open for weeks often runs an old renderer against newer files on disk, which can cause odd crashes. Closing every window and reopening is the cheapest test of all, and it takes ten seconds.

If the update itself fails, the usual cause is a blocked updater or a security tool, not the browser. Install the latest build from the vendor's download page over the top of the current one. Your profile data stays in place.

Fix 6: Rule out Windows files and memory

When Chrome, Edge and other apps all crash with similar codes, the browser is only the messenger. Run these from an administrator Command Prompt, one after the other:

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

Then run the built-in memory test: press Win+R, type mdsched.exe, and choose to restart and check. Save your work first: Windows restarts immediately. Errors reported by the test point to a bad RAM stick or unstable memory settings. If you overclocked or enabled an XMP profile, return to default speeds to test. The wider system-wide version of this problem, with pop-ups from many programs, is covered on our 0xc0000005 page. If your browser also freezes the whole PC or ends in a blue screen, read our blue screen guide.

What not to do

• Do not add --no-sandbox to a shortcut. It may hide the crash, but it disables the process isolation that protects you from malicious pages.
• Do not download "DLL fixers" or registry cleaners. They rarely help and sometimes cause the next crash.
• Do not reinstall Windows first. Most of these cases are solved by an extension, a driver or a profile.
• Do not ignore it if it spreads. One tab crash is a nuisance. Repeating crashes in several programs is a stability warning.

When to call a professional

Get help if crashes continue in a clean profile with no extensions, if the PC restarts by itself, if memory tests report errors, or if files and documents have gone missing. Those signs point to failing hardware or storage, and repeated crashes can put unsaved work at risk. Our technicians can look at the machine through a secure session, so you do not need to bring it anywhere: see remote computer repair or our Windows support page. Call before you attempt a reset if you have no recent backup.

How to prevent it from coming back

• Keep only extensions you actively use, and review the list every few months.
• Update graphics drivers deliberately, and note the date so you can roll back if problems follow. A related case of an app refusing to start after a driver change is on our 0xc0000142 page.
• Restart the browser at least weekly so updates apply.
• Be careful with overlays, capture tools and "optimizer" suites that hook into other programs.
• Keep a recent backup, so a profile reset never costs you anything. For another Chromium crash with a different cause, see our STATUS_BREAKPOINT guide.

FAQ

What is STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION in Chrome?

It is the browser's name for a memory access violation (code 0xC0000005) in a tab process. The tab is closed and "Aw, Snap!" appears, while other tabs usually keep working.

Is STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION a virus?

Usually not. Most cases come from extensions, drivers or corrupted profile data. If you also see unwanted pop-ups, a changed home page or unknown extensions, run a full scan with Windows Security as well.

Why does it only happen on one website?

A page script, video decoder or WebGL feature on that site may hit a driver or extension problem. Test in a Guest window and with hardware acceleration off. If it still crashes, the site itself may have a fault that you cannot fix.

Does it happen in Edge and Brave too?

Yes, because they share the Chromium engine. The steps are the same, with edge:// or brave:// replacing chrome:// in the addresses. Firefox uses a different engine and is useful as a comparison test.

Will reinstalling Chrome fix it?

Only if browser files are damaged. A reinstall that keeps the same extensions, profile and driver brings the crash right back, so try the profile and driver fixes first.

Is it related to error 0xc0000005 in Windows?

It is the same underlying status code, but this page covers the browser case only. System-wide pop-ups from many programs are explained on our 0xc0000005 page.

Can bad RAM cause it?

Yes. Failing memory can make any program read corrupted data. If the crash is random and also affects other apps, run the Windows Memory Diagnostic.

Do I lose bookmarks if I reset Chrome?

Resetting settings keeps bookmarks and saved passwords. Removing the whole User Data folder does not, so back up or sync first.