Learn how to install Google Chrome on Ubuntu 18.04 and up in this easy to follow guide.
You might have already tried to install Chrome in Ubuntu by searching for it in the Ubuntu Software app only to find that, sadly, the famed web browser isn’t there.
And although most major desktop Linux distributions have software repositories packed with well-known apps, like Mozilla Firefox, LibreOffice and VLC, Google’s flagship web browser is not amongst them.
The good news is that it is easy to download Google Chrome and install it on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and up (installing Google Chrome on Linux Mint and other 64-bit Linux distros can be done using the exact same installer).
How to Install Google Chrome on Ubuntu
To get started all you need is an active internet connection. Yep; you already have everything need for installing Chrome on Ubuntu!
Open Mozilla Firefox (Ubuntu’s default web browser) or any other web browser app and head to the official Google Chrome download page to get going.
Before you can download the Chrome installer you will be asked to “accept” the Google Chrome Terms of Service.
If you’re happy to do so (do give everything a read over first) click the “Accept & Install” button:
If clicking that link doesn’t work try this one instead:
After you click the download button a pop-up will appear. Select the “save file” option followed by “OK” to download the Chrome installer to your computer:
The Chrome installer will download to your ~/Downloads folder by default (unless you chose a different location in the previous step).
When the installer download is complete open your system’s file manager and go to the ~/Downloads folder.
To begin installing Chrome on Ubuntu just click twice on the installer package icon:
The Software app will open.
Click the ‘install’ button:
Enter your password when/if prompted:
The progress bar will move along for a few seconds until complete.
Once you have installed Google Chrome you can go ahead and start using it! Just search for ‘chrome’ in your application menu or launcher of choice:
Setting Up Google Chrome on Ubuntu
The first time you run Google Chrome on Ubuntu you will see a prompt asking if you want to ‘make Google Chrome the default browser’ and whether you want to ‘automatically send usage statistics and crash reports to Google’:
Check/uncheck these boxes per your wishes and click “OK” to proceed.
Google Chrome will open and you’ll see a (mostly empty) browser window.
Sign-in with your Google Account to sync your synced bookmarks, passwords and extensions (if you have any).
Stay up to date
When you install Google Chrome on Ubuntu using the official installer the official Google repository will be added to your system. This step ensures that you get all future Google Chrome updates automatically, as they’re released, via your desktop’s standard Software Update tool.
Btw, there’s no 32 bit Linux build
Google Chrome for Linux is only available for 64 bit systems.
Google axed Chrome for 32 bit Ubuntu in 2016. You can not install Google Chrome on 32 bit Ubuntu systems.
If you encounter a compatibility error after following this tutorial it’s likely that you’re using a 32-bit system.
You’re not out of luck; you can install Chromium, an open-source version of Chrome. This is available from the Ubuntu Software (or equivalent) app. Just search for ‘Chromium’ (minus the quote marks) or hit this button:
This article is part of our Ubuntu Basics series aimed at new users.
H/T Toby