How to Install Google Chrome 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 #

First, check whether your Ubuntu installation uses the amd64 or arm64 architecture:

dpkg --print-architecture

Next, use wget to download the latest stable package for that architecture:

wget "https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_$(dpkg --print-architecture).deb"

The command inserts the architecture reported by dpkg into the package name, so it downloads either the amd64 or arm64 package.

Install Google Chrome #

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

sudo apt install "./google-chrome-stable_current_$(dpkg --print-architecture).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.sources

### THIS FILE IS AUTOMATICALLY CONFIGURED ###
# Changes to this file will not be preserved.
# This file will not be recreated if removed.
X-Repolib-Name: Google Chrome
Types: deb
URIs: https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome-stable/deb/
Suites: stable
Components: main
Architectures: amd64
Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/google-chrome.gpg

On ARM systems, the Architectures field shows arm64 instead of amd64.

Current Chrome packages write this file in the deb822 format, which is why the name ends in .sources rather than .list. Older Chrome releases used /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list, and the package removes or comments out that legacy file when it migrates your system to the new format. The Signed-By line points at the Google signing key, which the package installs separately at /usr/share/keyrings/google-chrome.gpg so that the repository keeps working when Chrome is removed but not purged.

Chrome updates are installed through the standard Ubuntu update workflow:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Uninstalling Google Chrome #

To remove Google Chrome but keep the Google repository configured, run:

sudo apt remove google-chrome-stable

Remove packages that are no longer needed:

sudo apt autoremove

Your browser profile in ~/.config/google-chrome is not touched by either command, so bookmarks and settings survive a reinstall.

To remove Chrome together with its repository file and signing key, purge the package instead:

sudo apt purge google-chrome-stable
sudo apt update

Purging deletes /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.sources, /usr/share/keyrings/google-chrome.gpg, and /etc/default/google-chrome, so nothing Google-related is left in your APT configuration.

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_$(dpkg --print-architecture).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 and Chrome no longer receives updates
Reinstalling the package alone does not bring the file back. Chrome records that it has already configured the repository by setting repo_add_once="false" in /etc/default/google-chrome, and it recreates the file only when that value is true. Flip the value back and reinstall:

sudo sed -i 's/^repo_add_once=.*/repo_add_once="true"/' /etc/default/google-chrome
sudo apt install --reinstall "./google-chrome-stable_current_$(dpkg --print-architecture).deb"

Confirm that /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.sources exists again, then run sudo apt update.

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 1000+ Linux tutorials with 20+ years of experience turning complex Linux tasks into clear, reliable guides.

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