Gmail is Loading Slow on Desktop and Laptop

The latest sticky thread in our support forum is the recent experience of Gmail taking so long to load on desktop computers.

Many users reported issues with loading Gmail on laptops and desktop PCs. So, the Team CoreNetworkZ decided to investigate it.

We surveyed a hundred Gmail accounts (of different people) by asking them to load on various devices.

We asked them to open Gmail on desktop PCs, Laptops, and smartphones.

We asked them to report the Gmail loading speed difference on different web browsers.

From the experiment, we found the following points.

1. Gmail is loading fast on smartphones.

2. New Gmail accounts open fast on Desktop computers and Laptops.

3. However, Google Chat and Meet slow down Gmail on desktop devices.

4. Gmail opens very slowly when a long list of Google Chat conversations is pending.

5. Gmail opens fast once we turn off Google Chat and Meet (on desktop devices).

The desktop version of Gmail has inbuilt Google Chat and Meet applications.

Our experiment shows the desktop version of Google Chat is taking too much bandwidth to load the conversations.

If you have no Google Chat conversations to load, Gmail loads fast enough on laptops and PCs.

However, one Google Chat account with multiple regular chat friends takes too much bandwidth to load them. It eventually slows down the entire Gmail account.

We also noticed a few other factors preventing Gmail from opening fast on laptops and computers. They include:

1. Browser Extensions

2. Too much browser Cache

3. Pending Windows Update

4. Unstable Internet Connection

Let us check how to speed up a slower Gmail loading on a desktop computer.

1. Turn Off Google Chat and Meet

   The primary culprit for the slower loading of Gmail on computers is the integrated Google Chat and Meet.

   
   

   Turn off Google Chat and Meet on your Gmail and reload it on PCs and laptops.

   
   

   We can speed up Gmail by turning off Google Chat and Meet from the settings. If you do not know the procedure, follow the steps below.

   
   

   1. Sign into your Gmail account from your laptop.

   2. Click the Settings icon at the right side top of the window.

   3. Tap on See all settings.

   4. Now, you can see the Chat and Meet tab. Click that tab and turn off Google Chat and Meet.

   5. Do not forget to save the changes before exiting the window.

   
   

   From next time onwards, your Gmail will load fast on all desktop computers and laptops.

   
   

2. Clear to The Browser Cache

   Browser cache is another factor that prevents Gmail from loading fast on a PC.

   
   

   Clearing the browser cache will speed up Gmail.

   
   

3. Disable All Browser Extensions

   Turn off all browser extensions if you are experiencing a slow Gmail loading.

   
   

   Having too many extensions will slow down Gmail.

   
   

   Now, reload the page and check.

   
   

4. Update the OS

   A few users reported a pending Windows update caused the system to slow. That includes the browser and Gmail.

   
   

   Complete the Windows update to speed up the PC.

   
   

   If none of the steps above fixed the problem with slower Gmail loading, update the Windows OS on your PC.

   Pending Windows Update Freezes Acer Laptop
   
   

5. Use a Different Browser

   Another workaround to solve a slower Gmail is to open it on a different browser.

   One user claimed Gmail is slow on Google Chrome on his Windows 11 laptop but loads faster on Firefox.

   
   

6. Fix the Unstable Internet

   If you have a slower Internet connection, it will prevent Gmail from loading fast on a computer. Check the following link to learn more about fixing it.

   How to Improve The Internet Connection Speed?

You can fix the slower Gmail loading problem on Desktop PCs and Laptops by following the steps above.