Fixing Annoying Flickering and Artifacts in Chrome on Windows 10

Experiencing visual glitches like flickering or artifacts while browsing can be incredibly frustrating. Many users have reported these issues specifically with Chrome on Windows 10, often noticing them when scrolling through media-rich websites like Twitter. This article dives into the problem, exploring potential causes and troubleshooting steps to resolve it.

The Problem: Chrome Flickering and Artifacts on Windows 10

Users describe the issue as "jittery artifacts" or flickering, primarily occurring when scrolling. It's not a full-screen flicker but rather localized distortions, making text and images appear to jump or distort momentarily. This is particularly noticeable when auto-playing media is involved. While seemingly minor, this visual disturbance can be highly distracting and impact the overall browsing experience.

Potential Causes

Several factors could contribute to these visual artifacts:

• Hardware Acceleration: While designed to improve performance, hardware acceleration can sometimes cause conflicts with graphics drivers, resulting in visual glitches.
• Outdated or Corrupted Graphics Drivers: Incompatible or faulty drivers are a common culprit behind display issues.
• Chrome Extensions: Certain extensions might interfere with Chrome's rendering process, leading to artifacts.
• Chrome Bugs: Occasionally, bugs within Chrome itself can cause display anomalies.
• Windows Updates: In some instances, a Windows update may introduce conflicts with Chrome or graphics drivers.

Troubleshooting Steps

Here's a step-by-step guide to troubleshoot and potentially fix the flickering and artifact issues in Chrome:

1. Disable Hardware Acceleration:

   • Go to chrome://settings/system in your Chrome address bar.
   • Toggle off "Use hardware acceleration when available."
   • Restart Chrome.
   • Note: While this often resolves the artifacts, it might make Chrome feel slower.

2. Update Graphics Drivers:

   • Press Win + X and select "Device Manager."
   • Expand "Display adapters."
   • Right-click on your graphics card and select "Update driver."
   • Choose "Search automatically for drivers."
   • Alternatively, download the latest drivers from the manufacturer's website (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel).
   • Perform a clean installation of drivers to ensure no residual files interfere with the new driver.

3. Disable Conflicting Extensions:

   • Go to chrome://extensions/ in your Chrome address bar.
   • Disable extensions one by one, restarting Chrome after each disablement, to identify the problematic one.
   • If disabling an extension fixes the issue, consider removing it or seeking an alternative.

4. Reset Chrome Settings:

   • Go to chrome://settings/reset in your Chrome address bar.
   • Click "Restore settings to their original defaults."
   • This will disable extensions and clear temporary data, potentially resolving conflicts.

5. Clear Chrome Cache and Cookies:

   • Go to chrome://settings/clearBrowserData in your Chrome address bar.
   • Select "All time" for the time range.
   • Check "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files."
   • Click "Clear data."

6. Try Chrome Canary:

   • Download and install Chrome Canary, a developer build of Chrome.
   • Canary often includes the latest fixes and might resolve the issue if it's a bug in the stable version.

7. Check Windows Updates:

   • Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
   • Click "Check for updates" and install any available updates.

8. Reinstall Chrome:

   • Uninstall Chrome completely.
   • Download the latest version from the official Chrome website and reinstall.

User Frustration and Persistence

As highlighted in a Reddit post, even after multiple updates to Windows 10, Chrome, and NVIDIA drivers, the issue can persist. This underscores the complexity of the problem and the potential for unique system configurations to play a role.

External Resources

• NVIDIA Driver Downloads: https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx
• AMD Driver Downloads: https://www.amd.com/en/support
• Chrome Help Forum: https://support.google.com/chrome/?hl=en

Conclusion

While there's no guaranteed single solution, systematically trying these troubleshooting steps will likely resolve the flickering and artifact issues in Chrome on Windows 10. Remember to restart Chrome after each step to test if the problem is resolved. If the problem persists, consider reporting the issue to the Chrome Help Forum or relevant hardware manufacturer support channels.