If your laptop slows down every time your browser fills with tabs, Chrome has a built-in Memory Saver. It deactivates some tabs you are not currently using, then reloads them when you return. That can free resources for active pages, but it is not the same as deleting or permanently closing your tabs.
Turn it on and pick a level
On desktop Chrome, open Settings → Performance and switch on Memory Saver. Google lists Moderate, Balanced and Maximum levels. Balanced is the recommended setting; Maximum deactivates inactive tabs sooner, while Moderate waits longer.
If a page should remain active, add its site under Always keep these sites active. This can help with web apps you rely on, but do not add every site automatically: doing so reduces the benefit of tab deactivation. Chrome may already keep tabs active during things such as audio/video, screen sharing, active downloads, notifications or partially completed forms.
Know what will happen when you return
An inactive tab may reload, which can interrupt a live dashboard or discard unsaved state in a poorly designed site. Save important work before leaving it. Memory Saver is a performance setting, not a fix for every slow computer; extensions, too many active tabs or limited hardware can still matter.
Google says Chrome performance personalization is not available on Android or iOS. If you do not see the control on mobile, that is expected—this is a desktop setting.
Quick setup: start with Balanced, keep only essential sites active, and test your most-used web apps before raising the deactivation level.
Official guide
Google Chrome Help: Personalize Chrome performance
Official guide
Google Chrome Help: Personalize Chrome performance
Featured image: Yuri Samoilov via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Image source and license.
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