Google says uninstalling and reinstalling Chrome fixes most problems with default search engines, pop-ups and Chrome updates. Before you remove anything, make sure your bookmarks and passwords are safe, and try Reset settings first: it is quicker, and Google says your saved bookmarks and passwords won’t be deleted or changed.
Before you start: save your bookmarks and passwords
When you’re signed in to Chrome, your bookmarks, passwords and more are saved in your Google Account and come back when you sign in again (how Google saves your info). When you’re signed out, Chrome keeps them only on this device, so deleting your profile deletes them for good. Do one of these first:
- Save them in your Google Account. Sign in to Chrome, select Profile at the top right, then Save x items in Account, choose what to save and select Save in account.
- Export your passwords. Select More (three dots) > Passwords and autofill > Google Password Manager > Settings, then next to “Export passwords” select Download file (Google’s steps). Chrome saves a .csv file. Google warns that anyone who uses the device can open it and see your passwords, so delete it once you have imported it again.
- Export your bookmarks. Select More > Bookmarks and lists > Bookmark manager, then More at the top > Export bookmarks. Chrome saves them as an HTML file you can import later (Google’s steps).
Try Reset settings first
If a program or extension changed your search engine, home page or new tab page, resetting often fixes it without a reinstall. Your saved bookmarks and passwords are not deleted or changed.
- Open Chrome.
- At the top right, select More > Settings.
- Select Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults > Reset settings.
This resets, on every device where you’re signed in, your default search engine, home page and startup tabs, new tab page, pinned tabs, site permissions, cookies and site data, and extensions and themes. It isn’t a full reset: some settings, like fonts and accessibility, stay. See Google’s reset guide for details.
Reinstall Chrome on Windows
- Uninstall Chrome from Settings > Apps. Check “Also delete your browsing data” only if your data is saved as described above and you want a completely fresh profile.
- Download Chrome from google.com/chrome and run the installer. If the normal installer fails, use the offline installer.
- Open Chrome and sign in to get your saved info back.
Reinstall Chrome on a Mac
- Quit Chrome and drag Google Chrome from Applications to the Trash.
- Optional, for a fresh profile: once your data is saved, choose Go > Go to Folder in Finder, enter
~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome, and move the folders there to the Trash. If you skip this, the new copy of Chrome uses your old profile again. - Download Chrome for Mac from our Mac page, open googlechrome.dmg and drag Chrome to the Applications folder.
Reinstall Chrome on Linux
- Remove Chrome in a terminal. On Debian and Ubuntu:
sudo dpkg -r google-chrome-stable. On Fedora and openSUSE:sudo rpm -e google-chrome-stable. - Download the current package from Google: the .deb for Debian and Ubuntu or the .rpm for Fedora and openSUSE. On an ARM computer, use the arm64 package instead; our Linux page lists every package.
- Open the package, select Install and enter your administrator password, as in Google’s install steps.
Your profile in ~/.config/google-chrome is kept unless you delete it.
Reinstall Chrome on iPhone or iPad
- Touch and hold the Chrome icon, then tap Remove App > Delete App.
- Install Chrome again from the App Store.
- Open Chrome and sign in to get your saved info back.
Android
Chrome comes installed on most Android devices and can’t be removed, so there is nothing to reinstall. Make sure it is up to date from Chrome on Google Play.