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How to Update Google Chrome

How to Update Google Chrome

Chrome updates itself in the background, but you can check or force an update at any time. Updates are essential: most Chrome releases fix security holes, sometimes including ones already being exploited in the wild. Keeping Chrome current is the single most important thing you can do to stay safe online.

Update Chrome on Windows, Mac, and Linux Desktop

  1. Open Chrome
  2. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner
  3. Click Help, then About Google Chrome
  4. Chrome checks for updates and downloads them automatically
  5. Click Relaunch when the update is ready

Your tabs reopen after the relaunch, including incognito tabs (though incognito session data is still cleared as usual).

The Update Indicator on the Menu

Chrome shows a colored dot on the three-dot menu when an update is waiting:

  • Green: Update available less than 2 days
  • Orange: Update available about 4 days
  • Red: Update available a week or more (please relaunch soon)

Update Chrome on Android

  1. Open the Google Play Store
  2. Tap your profile icon in the top-right
  3. Tap Manage apps & device, then Updates available
  4. Find Chrome and tap Update, or tap Update all

To make sure Chrome updates automatically in future, open the Play Store, tap your profile, then Settings > Network preferences > Auto-update apps.

Update Chrome on iPhone and iPad

  1. Open the App Store
  2. Tap your profile icon in the top-right
  3. Scroll down to find Chrome under available updates
  4. Tap Update next to Chrome (or tap Update All)

Update ChromeOS on Chromebooks

The browser updates with the operating system. Click the clock area in the bottom-right, click the gear icon, then About ChromeOS > Check for updates. Restart when prompted to apply the update. Chromebooks stop receiving updates at their Auto Update Expiration date.

Force an Update from the Command Line

Useful for headless servers, scripted deployments, or stuck updates.

Linux (apt):

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade google-chrome-stable

Linux (dnf):

sudo dnf upgrade google-chrome-stable

Mac: Google Software Update runs automatically. To kick it manually:

"/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle/Contents/Resources/GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent" -runMode oneshot -userInitiated YES

Windows: Quit Chrome completely (close all windows including any background tray icon), then relaunch. Chrome applies any downloaded update on startup.

Update Channels

Chrome ships in four channels. Most people stay on Stable.

  • Stable: Updated about every 4 weeks. The default.
  • Extended Stable: Updated about every 8 weeks. Aimed at enterprise admins who want fewer disruption windows.
  • Beta: Updated weekly, about one Chrome version ahead of Stable. Reasonably reliable.
  • Dev: Updated about twice a week, two versions ahead. More bugs.
  • Canary: Nightly, no testing. Installs side by side with your normal Chrome.

Check Your Current Version

  1. Open Chrome
  2. Type chrome://version in the address bar and press Enter

The first line shows your version number, build, and channel. You can also see it under Help > About Google Chrome.

Enterprise Update Controls

For managed fleets, Chrome supports update policies through Group Policy on Windows, configuration profiles on Mac, and policy JSON on Linux. You can pin a version, control the update channel, set rollout windows, and require relaunches after a delay. Templates and the full policy list live at chromeenterprise.google/policies.

Troubleshooting Updates

If Chrome will not update:

  • Close and reopen Chrome completely (Windows tray icon counts)
  • Restart your computer
  • Check your internet connection
  • Temporarily disable antivirus or VPN that might block Google Update
  • On Windows, run the installer from the download page over the existing install. It will repair without losing your data.
  • If all else fails, reinstall Chrome

Why Updates Matter

Chrome’s release notes regularly list fixes for vulnerabilities rated High or Critical. A small number each year are zero-days that attackers were already exploiting before the patch shipped. Chrome’s auto-update is what protects most users; the only thing you usually need to do is relaunch when the menu shows red.