Google’s latest Chrome browser modes can boost battery life and free up memory

New Memory Saver and Energy Saver modes can extend battery when a device is low on power and reduce memory being hogged by tabs.

Google’s Chrome desktop web browser has two new performance modes —  Memory Saver and Energy Saver — available starting today. The new modes allow users to reduce Chrome’s memory usage by up to 30 percent and extend battery life when a device is running low on power, according to Google.

Memory Saver mode frees up memory from tabs that aren’t currently in use, which should provide a smoother browsing experience. You can also mark important websites as exempt from Memory Saver to keep them operating at max performance.

Energy Saver mode optimizes potential battery life by limiting background activity and visual effects (such as smooth scrolling) on websites with animations or videos when a device running Chrome is reduced to 20 percent battery. Although it’s not clear how long the battery life could potentially be extended, every minute counts when you forget your charger.

Both of the new modes started rolling out today as part of the latest Chrome release for desktop (m108) and will be globally available sometime in the coming weeks. When Memory Saver and Energy Saver arrive on your device, you can locate them under the three-dot settings menu in Chrome. Both features can be enabled or disabled independently.