A suspected YouTube interface bug spikes RAM usage above 7 gigabytes, users report severe lag and frozen tabs — bug might be trapping browsers in an endless layout loop
A suspected bug in YouTube's interface is causing browsers to consume excessive RAM, with reports of usage exceeding 7 gigabytes. The issue, affecting multiple browsers, may stem from an endless layout recalculation loop in the video controls section. Users are experiencing severe lag, frozen tabs, and system slowdowns while watching videos.
- ▪Users across Firefox, Brave, and Microsoft Edge have reported YouTube tabs consuming over 7GB of RAM.
- ▪The bug appears to be linked to a layout loop in the flexible menu container beneath the video player.
- ▪Hiding and reappearing buttons in the control bar trigger continuous browser layout recalculations, leading to performance degradation.
- ▪Developers have identified the issue as a reflow loop, not related to ad blockers or recent browser updates.
- ▪Investigations are ongoing, with Mozilla's Bugzilla system highlighting YouTube's frontend code as the likely cause.
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Software A suspected YouTube interface bug spikes RAM usage above 7 gigabytes, users report severe lag and frozen tabs — bug might be trapping browsers in an endless layout loop News By Etiido Uko published 3 May 2026 YouTube bug reportedly maxing out CPUs. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Getty Images) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 1 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Reports of YouTube freezing browsers and consuming enormous amounts of RAM began spreading across Reddit and browser forums late last week, with developers now pointing to a bug in the platform's interface code that…
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