The Silent Resource Vector
By default, when you click the red “X” to close Google Chrome, the browser does not actually terminate. Instead, it minimizes itself into your system tray and continues to run a multitude of hidden background processes. Google implemented this behaviour so that Chrome extensions (like Gmail notifiers or Hangouts) can continue to receive updates, and so the browser will launch slightly faster the next time you open it. However, if you have a laptop with limited RAM or you want to maximize your battery life, these silent processes act as a persistent parasitic drain on your hardware.
How to Disable Background Execution
You can instruct Chrome to completely shut down and release all system memory the moment you close its final window.
1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Click the three vertical dots in the extreme top-right corner to open the main menu.
3. Select Settings.
4. In the left-hand navigation pane, click on System.
5. Look at the very top of the main pane for the toggle switch labelled Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed.
6. Click the toggle to switch it to the Off position (the switch will turn grey).
The change is immediate. The next time you close the Chrome browser, it will undergo a hard termination, immediately freeing up your system resources and vanishing completely from your Task Manager.