I recently found myself needing to keep Google Chrome running in the background on my Ubuntu system, and I thought it would be a lot simpler than it actually is. I’ve got a bunch of tabs open that I want to keep active for reference, but I also need to free up some RAM since my laptop isn’t exactly top of the line.
So, I Googled it (ironic, I know) but didn’t find a straight answer that worked for me. I tried a few tricks, like using the terminal to launch Chrome, but I still can’t seem to get it to run as a background process without it popping up on my screen. It’s kind of frustrating because I’ve heard people talk about keeping applications running in the background, and I thought it’d be easy to do this with Chrome.
I understand you can start an application from the terminal and add an ampersand to run it in the background, but every time I do it, Chrome just runs in the foreground anyway. Some forums mention using “nohup” or specific flags to launch it without it getting in the way, but I’m not entirely sure how that works. Also, I don’t want to mess anything up or lose all my open tabs.
Honestly, what I’m looking for is a step-by-step guide or maybe just some tips from anyone who’s had more luck with this. And if it helps, I’m using Ubuntu 20.04, so if that makes a difference, feel free to let me know! I’d love to hear your experiences or any tricks you’ve picked up that could make this a smoother process.
How can I really get Chrome running quietly in the background so I can minimize distractions while still keeping all my important tabs open? Your advice would be hugely appreciated, and hopefully, I can finally make this work!
How to Keep Google Chrome Running in the Background
So, you want to keep Google Chrome running in the background on your Ubuntu 20.04 setup without it popping up all the time? Here’s a simple guide that should help you out!
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Open the Terminal
You can do this by searching for “Terminal” in your applications or using the shortcut Ctrl + Alt + T.
2. Use the nohup Command
This command helps you run processes that can continue running even when the terminal is closed.
What this does:
3. Add a Shortcut for Convenience
If you’re going to do this often, you can create a shortcut script:
#!/bin/bash nohup google-chrome > /dev/null 2>&1 &Save this script (with a .sh extension), make it executable using:
Now you can just run this script whenever you want Chrome in the background!
4. Minimize Chrome to the System Tray
To minimize distractions, consider using an extension that minimizes Chrome to the system tray when you close the window. Look for extensions like Minimize to Tray.
5. Remember Your Tabs!
To keep your tabs open, make sure to enable “Continue where you left off” in Chrome’s settings. That way, even if you do need to restart it, all your open tabs will be right there!
Final Thoughts
This should help you get Chrome running quietly in the background. Just remember that using the terminal can be a bit tricky, so take your time and don’t hesitate to ask for help if things don’t work out. Good luck!
To run Google Chrome in the background on your Ubuntu 20.04 system without it appearing on the screen and consuming too much RAM, you can use a combination of terminal commands and options. First, ensure that you’ve saved all your open tabs as a session, which allows you to restore them when you need. Open your terminal and execute the following command to launch Chrome in the background:
nohup google-chrome --user-data-dir=/tmp/chrome &. Thenohupcommand allows the process to continue running even after the terminal is closed, while the--user-data-diroption specifies a temporary directory to help free up system resources used by Chrome. The ampersand&at the end will send the process to the background. You can also usedisownafter executing the command to ensure that the process isn’t terminated when you close the terminal.If you prefer keeping your Chrome instance running while minimizing its impact on your RAM, another approach is to use extensions like “The Great Suspender,” which automatically suspends inactive tabs when Chrome is not in use, freeing up memory without closing them. You can also manage memory by going to
chrome://settings/systemand toggling off options like “Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed,” which might help. Finally, remember to check theTask Managerin Chrome (by pressingShift + Esc) to monitor resource usage across tabs or extensions. Following these steps can streamline your experience with Chrome and help you maintain focus without losing your open tabs.