What "Cricket Startup" means and why Chrome shows it

Cricket Startup is a notification that appears when you open Chrome, usually in the bottom right corner of your screen. It's not malware or a virus — it's a legitimate feature built into Chrome that tells you when the browser has finished loading and is ready to use. The notification itself is harmless, but many people find it distracting or straightforward don't need to see it every time they open the browser.

Chrome displays this notification as a way to confirm that all your extensions, settings, and cached data have loaded properly. If you have a lot of extensions installed or a slower computer, you might notice a slight delay before the notification appears. Once it shows, your browser is fully functional.

The notification doesn't affect your browsing speed or security — it's purely informational. However, if you open Chrome multiple times a day, seeing the same message repeatedly can feel unnecessary. Fortunately, you can disable it in just a few steps.

Key Takeaways

  • Cricket Startup is a Chrome notification that appears when the browser finishes loading, not a security threat or unwanted software.
  • You can disable the notification by turning off Chrome's notification permission for the browser itself in Settings.
  • Disabling this notification does not affect Chrome's performance, security, or any of your extensions.
  • The steps work the same way on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers.

How to disable Cricket Startup notifications on Windows

Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the window. This opens the main menu. From the dropdown, select Settings.

On the left side of the Settings page, click Privacy and security. Then click Site settings. Look for the section labeled Notifications and click on it.

You'll see a list of websites and services that have permission to send you notifications. Scroll through the list and find Chrome or chrome://startup. Click on it, then click the Remove button (or the trash icon next to it). Close the Settings tab, and the notifications will stop appearing.

If you don't see Chrome listed, the notification may already be disabled, or it may appear under a slightly different name depending on your Chrome version. In that case, you can skip this step — you won't see the notification.

How to disable Cricket Startup notifications on Mac

The process on Mac is identical to Windows. Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner and select Settings. Navigate to Privacy and security, then Site settings, then Notifications.

Find Chrome or chrome://startup in the notifications list and click it. Select Remove or click the trash icon. The notification will stop appearing the next time you open Chrome.

If you're using an older version of Chrome on Mac, the menu layout may be slightly different, but the general path remains the same: Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications.

What happens after you disable the notification

Once you remove Chrome from your notifications list, the Cricket Startup message will no longer appear when you open the browser. Your browser will work exactly as it did before — all your extensions will load, your bookmarks will be there, and your browsing speed won't change. The only difference is that you won't see the confirmation message.

If you ever want to re-enable the notification, you can follow the same steps and add Chrome back to your notifications list. straightforward go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications, and look for an option to allow notifications for Chrome or chrome://startup.

Why you might want to keep the notification

Some people prefer to leave the Cricket Startup notification enabled because it serves as a visual confirmation that Chrome has fully loaded. If you have many extensions installed or use an older computer, this notification can be useful — it tells you when the browser is ready for you to start browsing, rather than guessing.

If you're unsure whether to disable it, try leaving it on for a few days. If it bothers you, you can always turn it off. There's no downside to either choice, and you can change your mind at any time.

If the notification keeps appearing after you disable it

In rare cases, the notification may continue to appear even after you've removed it from your settings. This usually happens if Chrome didn't save your changes properly. Try these steps: close Chrome completely (not just the window, but the entire process), wait a few seconds, and then reopen it.

If the notification still appears, open Settings again and verify that Chrome has been removed from your notifications list. Sometimes the setting doesn't stick on the first try. You may need to remove it again and close Chrome more thoroughly — on Windows, you can check the Task Manager to make sure no Chrome processes are still running in the background.

If you continue to have trouble, you can also try clearing your Chrome cache and cookies, though this is rarely necessary for this particular issue. Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data, select "All time" from the dropdown, and make sure "Cookies and other site data" is checked before clicking Clear data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cricket Startup a virus or malware?

No. Cricket Startup is a built-in Chrome notification, not malware. It's a legitimate feature that Chrome uses to notify you when the browser has finished loading. If you're concerned about security, disabling this notification does not affect your browser's safety features or protections.

Will disabling the notification slow down Chrome?

No. The notification is purely informational and has no impact on Chrome's performance. Disabling it will not make Chrome faster or slower — it only removes the message you see when the browser opens.

Can I disable this notification on my phone or tablet?

Chrome on mobile devices (Android and iOS) handles notifications differently than the desktop version. The Cricket Startup notification typically does not appear on phones or tablets, so there's nothing to disable. If you're seeing unwanted notifications on mobile Chrome, they're likely from websites you've visited, not from Chrome itself.

What if I want the notification back after I disable it?

You can re-enable it anytime by going to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications and adding Chrome back to the allowed list. Click the "Add" button and type "chrome://startup" to restore the notification.

Does this notification appear in other browsers like Firefox or Edge?

No. The Cricket Startup notification is specific to Google Chrome. Other browsers have their own startup processes, but they don't display this particular notification. If you're using a different browser and seeing similar notifications, you would need to disable them through that browser's settings.