Google today detailed how it reduced scroll jank in Chrome for Android by 48% between 2023 and 2026.
Scroll jank refers to sudden page stutters or jumps. It occurs when a “device fails to present a frame containing an updated scroll offset on time.” This effort to tackle “one of the biggest disruptors of a great mobile web experience” started in 2023.
Smooth scroll (left) vs. janky scroll (right)
Chrome has a strict deadline to deliver each frame before the screen refreshes. If a delay pushes the processing of a frame past this deadline, the screen is forced to display a stale scroll offset for an entire refresh cycle—roughly 16.7 milliseconds on a 60 Hz display. The human eye perceives this missed frame as a jarring, jerky stutter.
Change in frequency of janky scrolls in Chrome on Android between 2023 and 2026
