How to Install Google Chrome Web Browser on Ubuntu 26.04

Google Chrome is a fast web browser with built-in Google account sync, automatic updates, password management, and support for modern web applications. It is not included in the standard Ubuntu repositories because it is proprietary software.

This guide explains how to install Google Chrome on Ubuntu 26.04 using the official Google .deb package.

Quick Reference #

Installing Google Chrome on Ubuntu #

The official Chrome package installs the browser and configures the Google APT repository so future updates arrive through the normal Ubuntu update process.

Download Google Chrome #

Open a terminal and use wget to download the latest stable package:

wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb

Install Google Chrome #

Install the package with apt. This command requires sudo privileges :

sudo apt install ./google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb

When prompted, enter your password and confirm the installation.

Starting Google Chrome #

Open the Activities overview, search for “Google Chrome”, and launch it:

You can also start Chrome from the terminal:

google-chrome

When Chrome starts for the first time, it asks whether you want to set it as the default browser and send crash reports:

Chrome then opens the welcome page:

From here, you can sign in with your Google account and sync bookmarks, history, passwords, and extensions.

Set Chrome as Default Browser #

To set Chrome as the default browser from the command line, run:

xdg-settings set default-web-browser google-chrome.desktop

Verify the current default browser:

xdg-settings get default-web-browser

google-chrome.desktop

Updating Google Chrome #

The Chrome package adds the Google repository to your system. Check the repository file with cat :

cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list

The file should contain a Google Chrome repository entry for the stable channel.

Chrome updates are installed through the standard Ubuntu update workflow:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Uninstalling Google Chrome #

To remove Google Chrome, run:

sudo apt remove google-chrome-stable

Remove packages that are no longer needed:

sudo apt autoremove

If you also want to remove the Google Chrome repository file, delete it and update the package index:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
sudo apt update

Troubleshooting #

The installation fails with dependency errors
Fix broken dependencies and repeat the installation:

sudo apt --fix-broken install
sudo apt install ./google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb

Chrome does not start after installation
Close any running Chrome processes and start it again:

pkill -f google-chrome
google-chrome

The repository file is missing
Reinstall the downloaded package so the Chrome repository is recreated:

sudo apt install ./google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb

FAQ #

What is the difference between Chrome and Chromium?
Chromium is the open-source browser project that Chrome is based on. Chrome adds proprietary media codecs, Google account integration, and Google-managed update packaging.

Can I install Chrome Beta or Dev on Ubuntu?
Yes. Download the Beta or Dev .deb package from Google and install it with apt in the same way as the stable package.

Does Chrome update automatically on Ubuntu?
Chrome is updated by Ubuntu’s package manager after the Google repository is added. Run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade to install available updates.

Conclusion #

Google Chrome installs on Ubuntu 26.04 through the official .deb package. After installation, Chrome receives updates from the Google repository along with your other system packages.

About the authors

Dejan Panovski

Dejan Panovski is the founder of Linuxize, an RHCSA-certified Linux system administrator and DevOps engineer based in Skopje, Macedonia. Author of 800+ Linux tutorials with 20+ years of experience turning complex Linux tasks into clear, reliable guides.

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