Chrome issues on tablets? You’re not alone—Google is working on a fix

In recent days, numerous Android tablet owners have encountered a troublesome obstacle.

Trying to launch the browser Google Chrome, the application closes almost instantly, displaying a quick notice on the screen.

Google has broken Chrome on Android tablets with an update

The message shows the English wording “You can have up to 5 windows” (You can have up to 5 windows), making internet browsing completely impossible.

This abnormal behavior, which completely blocks access to the software, appears confined to the stable version 148.0.7778.178.

The frustration among the people involved is evident, especially because the block occurs even when the tablet has zero active applications in the background.

Classic DIY troubleshooting attempts, such as clearing the cache and data, force-stopping the app, or a full OS reboot with the latest patches installed, do not yield any positive result.

The devices most affected

Reports are rapidly piling up on platforms such as Reddit, across various specialized forums, and on the official Chromium Issue Tracker.

Reading user testimonies, a fairly clear picture emerges regarding the affected models. Samsung-branded devices appear to be the most exposed to the issue, with systematic crashes and ongoing logs recorded on Galaxy Tab S9 Plus, Tab S9 FE, Tab S6 Lite and Tab A11 Plus.

However, the problem is not exclusive to the South Korean manufacturer. Owners of Lenovo Tab M11 and Xiaomi Pad 6 have also confirmed the appearance of the same error message, indicating that the issue affects the Android ecosystem dedicated to large-screen devices more broadly.

The origin of the bug

Reviewing the development notes, it appears that the anomaly stems from the management of multiple windows. Recently, the browser introduced a tablet-specific feature that allows opening incognito tabs as independent windows, simulating a desktop experience.

On devices with limited RAM, the app literally loses track of these windows once they are closed. The system incorrectly convinces itself that it has reached the maximum allowed capacity and forces the stop before the user can view the home page.

Google’s response and a temporary workaround

Google developers are fully aware of the gravity of the situation. The team has classified the case as a P1 bug, effectively assigning it the highest priority of intervention.

Meanwhile, a Chrome technical support manager issued a public online appeal, asking affected users to share the exact Android build numbers, device models, and the precise count of windows to facilitate engineering investigations.

Currently, the company is evaluating source-code changes to disable the desktop-style incognito setting on tablets that have limited memory.

In the meantime, there is a temporary workaround for those who urgently need to browse. In the Google Play Store you can search for Chrome and uninstall updates, reverting the app to its factory version.

This operation allows the software to return to proper functioning, bypassing the block. However, one important detail: this procedure involves the complete deletion of local browsing data, resulting in the loss of all open tabs that had not been previously synchronized with your Google account.

A necessary compromise to get back online while awaiting the official patch.