Fix: Chrome STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION Error on Every Page

An accounting firm contacted us because one of their staff could not open any web pages in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Every page, including Chrome’s own settings, displayed a “Can’t open this page” error with the code STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION. Other users in the office were unaffected, confirming the issue was isolated to one machine. Here is what caused it and how to fix it.

Symptoms

When attempting to open any web page in Google Chrome (or Microsoft Edge), the browser displays the following error:

Can’t open this page
Error code: STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION

You may also see the related Chrome error:

Aw, Snap! Something went wrong while displaying this webpage.

Additional symptoms include:

• The error appears on every page, not just specific websites
• Chrome’s own settings page (chrome://settings) also crashes with the same error
• Clearing cache or cookies is impossible because the settings page itself crashes
• Microsoft Edge may show the same error (both use the Chromium engine)
• Other users on the same network are unaffected
• Chrome may not appear in Add/Remove Programs, indicating a corrupted installation

Affected Software

• Application: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)
• Platform: Windows 10 / Windows 11
• Related Services: Any web-based application accessed through the browser (portals, SaaS apps, webmail)

Cause

The STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION error is typically caused by one of the following:

• A failed or corrupted Chrome update that left the browser in a broken state. This is the most common cause when the error affects every page and Chrome is missing from Add/Remove Programs
• A conflicting browser extension that causes memory access violations on page load
• Corrupted user profile data in Chrome’s local AppData folder
• Outdated or incompatible GPU drivers causing rendering failures

Resolution

Method 1: Reinstall Chrome (Recommended)

If Chrome is not appearing in Add/Remove Programs or the error affects every page including settings, a clean reinstall is the fastest fix.

1. Download the Chrome installer from another computer or browser:
   • Online installer: google.com/chrome
   • Offline/MSI installer (better for managed environments): search for “Chrome Enterprise download” on Google
2. Transfer the installer to the affected machine (USB drive, shared folder, or email)
3. Run the installer. It will overwrite the broken installation while preserving bookmarks, passwords, and extensions tied to your Google account
4. Restart the computer
5. Open Chrome and verify pages load correctly

Method 2: Disable Hardware Acceleration

If you can briefly access Chrome before it crashes, try disabling hardware acceleration:

1. Open Chrome and quickly navigate to chrome://settings/system
2. Toggle off “Use hardware acceleration when available”
3. Click Relaunch

If Chrome crashes before you can reach settings, you can disable it via the command line:

1. Right-click the Chrome shortcut and select Properties
2. In the Target field, add --disable-gpu at the end (after the closing quote)
3. Click OK and launch Chrome from that shortcut

Method 3: Reset the Chrome User Profile

If the issue is caused by corrupted profile data:

1. Close Chrome completely
2. Press Win + R, type %localappdata%\Google\Chrome\User Data and press Enter
3. Rename the Default folder to Default.backup
4. Open Chrome. It will create a fresh Default profile
5. Sign back into your Google account to restore bookmarks and passwords

Method 4: Disable Extensions via Command Line

If you suspect an extension is causing the crash:

1. Right-click the Chrome shortcut and select Properties
2. In the Target field, add --disable-extensions at the end
3. Launch Chrome from that shortcut
4. If Chrome works, go to chrome://extensions and disable extensions one by one to find the culprit

Important Notes

• If both Chrome and Edge show the same error, the issue is likely system-level (GPU drivers, Windows corruption) rather than browser-specific, since both use the Chromium rendering engine
• Bookmarks and passwords synced to a Google account will be restored automatically after reinstalling Chrome and signing back in
• In managed environments (Intune, Group Policy), Chrome updates may be controlled centrally. Check with your IT administrator if Chrome updates are being blocked, as this can cause update failures
• If the issue recurs after reinstalling, check for antivirus or security software that may be interfering with Chrome’s update process

Related Resources

• Google Support: Fix Chrome crashes and “Aw, Snap!” errors
• Google Support: Download and install Google Chrome

If you need help resolving browser errors or application crashes, get in touch with our team.