STATUS_BREAKPOINT in Chrome and Edge: how to fix it

Applies to: Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge on Windows 11 and Windows 10. Other Chromium browsers such as Brave and Opera show the same code.

What STATUS_BREAKPOINT means

STATUS_BREAKPOINT is the Windows exception code 0x80000003. Chromium-based browsers deliberately crash a process this way when one of their internal checks finds something impossible, for example corrupted data in memory, rather than carry on in a broken state. So the code tells you the tab stopped itself; it doesn’t tell you why. In practice the triggers fall into three groups:

• A browser-side problem: a buggy build, a bad extension, a GPU driver issue or a broken experimental flag. These usually affect one site or start after an update.
• A website problem: heavy pages that crash only on one site. That’s mostly the site’s or browser’s bug to fix.
• An unstable PC: if tabs crash at random across many sites, and other apps or games also crash, the hardware is corrupting data. Overclocks and undervolts, aggressive memory profiles and some Intel 13th/14th Gen desktop processors are the usual suspects.

If you see STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION instead, it’s a related crash with a different code; see our STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION guide.

Fix 1: Update the browser and restart

• Chrome: go to chrome://settings/help. Chrome checks for updates; select Relaunch when it’s done.
• Edge: go to edge://settings/help and select Restart after the update installs.

Then restart Windows itself, not just the browser. Also install pending updates from Settings > Windows Update, including any graphics driver offered under Advanced options > Optional updates. A crash that appeared right after a browser update is often fixed in the next release within days.

Fix 2: Test without extensions

Open an InPrivate window in Edge (Ctrl + Shift + N) or an Incognito window in Chrome (Ctrl + Shift + N). Extensions are off there by default. If the page works, an extension is the likely trigger: go to chrome://extensions or edge://extensions, turn them all off, then turn them back on one at a time until the crash returns. Ad blockers, script managers, “PC optimizer” add-ons and anything you don’t remember installing are worth checking first; an unknown extension can also be adware, which our guide to removing unwanted search engines and extensions covers.

Fix 3: Turn off graphics acceleration

GPU driver problems are a common cause of renderer crashes, especially on video sites, maps and WebGL pages.

• Chrome: go to chrome://settings/system and turn off Use graphics acceleration when available, then select Relaunch.
• Edge: go to edge://settings/system and turn off Use graphics acceleration when available, then select Restart.

If that stops the crashes, install the latest driver from your GPU maker (NVIDIA, AMD or Intel) and turn acceleration back on; leaving it off makes video and scrolling slower.

Fix 4: Reset flags and browser settings

• If you’ve changed experimental settings, open chrome://flags or edge://flags and select Reset all.
• Still crashing? Reset the browser: chrome://settings/reset > Restore settings to their original defaults, or edge://settings/reset > Restore settings to their default values. Bookmarks, history and saved passwords are kept.
• As a test, add a new browser profile (profile icon > Add). If the new profile is stable, your old profile’s data is the problem, and syncing into a fresh profile is a clean fix.

Fix 5: Undo overclocks and update the BIOS

If tabs crash all over the place, on different sites, and you also get game crashes or blue screens, treat it as a hardware stability problem. Browsers stress the CPU and memory in short bursts, so they often fail first.

• Remove any CPU or GPU overclock or undervolt, including tools such as Intel XTU, Ryzen Master, MSI Afterburner or vendor “game boost” modes.
• In the BIOS/UEFI, temporarily turn off the memory’s XMP or EXPO profile, or load the optimised defaults, and see whether the crashes stop.
• Intel Core 13th or 14th Gen desktop processors (mainly the K-series and other 65 W-plus models) were affected by a “Vmin shift” instability that Intel traced to elevated voltage. Intel’s fix is microcode 0x12B or later, delivered through a BIOS update from your motherboard or PC maker, together with Intel’s default power settings. Update the BIOS even if crashes are only in the browser. If instability continues after the update, contact the PC maker or Intel about warranty support, because existing damage isn’t reversed by microcode.
• Check temperatures with your PC maker’s utility. Overheating CPUs can also produce random crashes.

For blue screens caused by the same instability, see WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR.

Fix 6: Check memory and system files

• Run Windows Memory Diagnostic: press Win + R, type mdsched.exe and choose Restart now and check for problems. Any error means faulty or unstable RAM.
• Repair Windows system files from an elevated Command Prompt with sfc /scannow, then DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
• Reinstall the browser. For Chrome, uninstall it from Settings > Apps > Installed apps and install a fresh copy from google.com/chrome. Edge is part of Windows, so use Repair in the same Installed apps list instead.

Other apps crashing with 0xc0000005 points the same way; see how to fix error 0xc0000005.

Related guides

• STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION in Chrome and Edge: 7 ways to fix it
• WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR: how to fix the blue screen
• Error 0xc0000005: how to fix it
• How to get rid of an unwanted search engine in Chrome, Edge and Firefox

Official sources: for more detail, see the vendors’ own pages:

• Google Chrome Help: Get help with common error messages in Chrome
• Intel: Core 13th and 14th Gen desktop instability root cause update

Frequently asked questions

Is STATUS_BREAKPOINT a virus?

No. It’s a crash code, not malware. A malicious extension could cause crashes, which is why Fix 2 is worth doing, but the code itself only means a browser process stopped.

Why does it only happen on one website?

Then it’s most likely a bug triggered by that page, a site-specific extension conflict or a GPU problem with the page’s graphics. Try Fixes 2 and 3; if it persists, report it with the browser’s built-in feedback option (Help > Report an issue in Chrome, Help and feedback > Send feedback in Edge).

Does renaming chrome.exe or msedge.exe fix it?

That was an old workaround for a specific bug years ago. It isn’t a reliable fix today and can break updates, so don’t do it.

Can I stop the browser checking for this?

No, and you wouldn’t want to. The breakpoint is what stops a corrupted tab from doing more damage. Fixing the cause is the only real solution.