Chrome does not ship with Ubuntu’s default repositories because Google ships it as proprietary software. To run it on your machine, you add Google’s APT source manually, then install the .deb package the same way you handle any other system tool. After that, Chrome receives updates through the regular apt cycle.
Install Chrome on Ubuntu Using the Terminal
The terminal route is the cleanest. It registers Google’s repository on your system and lets future updates flow in alongside everything else you have installed.
Run these commands one after another in a terminal window:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y wget apt-transport-https
wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
sudo apt install -f
rm google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.debThe dpkg step does the heavy lifting. It places Google’s GPG key in the keyring, writes a new source file at /etc/opt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list, and ties Chrome to the apt upgrade workflow. The apt install -f line cleans up any missing dependencies that might surface during the dpkg step.
To confirm the source got registered:
cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.listYou should see a line referencing https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ with the signed-by flag pointing at the GPG key location.
Adding the Repository Before Installing Chrome
Some users like to wire up the repo first, then pull the package through apt directly. That path looks like this:
curl -fsSL https://dl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub | \
sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/google.gpg
echo "deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/google.gpg] https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main" | \
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt install google-chrome-stableBoth paths land you in the same place. Pick whichever fits your workflow. If you need to verify which Ubuntu release you’re on before starting, run lsb_release -a in a terminal first.
Install Chrome on Ubuntu Without the Terminal
If you’d rather avoid the command line, the GUI path works on any Ubuntu Desktop install.
- Open Firefox and go to google.com/chrome.
- Click Download Chrome and pick the 64-bit .deb option for Debian/Ubuntu.
- Save the file to your Downloads folder.
- Open the Files application, right-click the .deb file, and choose Open With Software Install.
- Click Install when the Ubuntu Software window appears, then enter your password.
The graphical installer adds Google’s repository on its own. Updates roll in through the standard system update tool from that point on.
Picking a Chrome Release Channel for Ubuntu
Google maintains three separate builds. All three can run side by side, each with its own launcher and profile directory.
| Channel | Package Name | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Stable | google-chrome-stable | Daily browsing |
| Beta | google-chrome-beta | Upcoming features, light testing |
| Dev | google-chrome-unstable | Bleeding-edge builds |
Confirming Chrome Works on Ubuntu
Once the installer finishes, run these to make sure the binary is in place:
google-chrome --version
which google-chrome-stable
google-chrome &The first command prints the installed version. The second shows the binary path, usually /usr/bin/google-chrome-stable. The third launches the browser. To start with a specific user profile, append –profile-directory=”Profile 1″ to the launch command. For checking the kernel build alongside this, you can pair it with a quick OS version check using uname -r.
Post-Install Tweaks for Chrome on Ubuntu
Enabling GPU Acceleration
On some systems, hardware rendering stays off by default — particularly under Wayland. Open chrome://flags, search for “Override software rendering list,” and switch it on. Or pass flags directly at launch:
google-chrome --use-gl=egl &
google-chrome --use-gl=desktop --enable-features=VaapiVideoDecoder &Native Wayland Mode
Ubuntu 22.04 and newer use Wayland by default. Chrome runs under XWayland out of the box, but native Wayland gives you smoother scaling and better fractional display support. Copy the desktop entry to your local applications folder, then add the flag:
cp /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/Edit the copied file and append –ozone-platform=wayland to the Exec= line. To open the file with a quick editor, you can use nano or any text editor you prefer.
Applying Managed Policies
Sysadmins running Chrome on shared Ubuntu boxes can drop JSON policy files into /etc/opt/chrome/policies/managed/. Anything defined there overrides what individual users can change in the Chrome settings panel — homepage, sync, password manager behavior, default search.
Updating Chrome on Ubuntu
After install, updates ride along with the regular apt workflow:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgradeFor Chrome alone:
sudo apt install --only-upgrade google-chrome-stableNew builds usually reach the Ubuntu repo within a day or two of Google publishing them. The same APT patterns apply across every Debian-based system, so if you’ve used apt to install Java or any other package before, this will feel familiar.
Removing Chrome From Ubuntu
| Goal | Command |
|---|---|
| Remove Chrome, keep settings | sudo apt remove google-chrome-stable |
| Wipe Chrome and config files | sudo apt purge google-chrome-stable |
| Drop the Google APT source | sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list |
| Remove the GPG key | sudo rm /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/google.gpg |
Bookmarks, history, and saved passwords sit in ~/.config/google-chrome/ until you delete that folder by hand. If you want to check how much space that profile takes up, run du -sh on the directory first.
Fixing Common Chrome Ubuntu Problems
Chrome Crashes Right After Launch
Run it from a terminal so error output stays visible. Two flags help narrow the cause:
google-chrome --no-sandbox 2>&1
google-chrome --disable-gpu 2>&1The first bypasses sandbox restrictions that occasionally clash with certain kernel configurations. The second turns off GPU compositing — handy on machines with unsupported drivers.
Missing Graphics Libraries
Errors mentioning libGL or EGL at launch mean a rendering library is missing. Install the required packages:
sudo apt install libegl1 libgl1 libgles2For VA-API hardware video decoding:
sudo apt install libva-drm2 libva-x11-2 vainfoCertificate Errors Behind a Corporate Proxy
Networks that inspect SSL with their own root CA will throw certificate warnings on Chrome. Drop the corporate cert into the system trust store:
sudo cp /path/to/corporate-ca.crt /usr/local/share/ca-certificates/
sudo update-ca-certificatesChrome on Linux reads from this system store, so no browser-side config is needed. To copy the certificate file from another location, the cp command handles it in one line.
FAQs
How do I install Chrome on Ubuntu through the terminal?
Run sudo apt update, then download the .deb with wget from dl.google.com, install it with sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb, and run sudo apt install -f to fix any missing dependencies.
Why is Chrome not in Ubuntu’s default repositories?
Chrome is closed-source proprietary software owned by Google. Ubuntu’s main repos only carry open-source packages, so Google distributes Chrome through its own APT source that you add manually during install.
Can I run Chrome Stable, Beta, and Dev on the same Ubuntu machine?
Yes. The three packages — google-chrome-stable, google-chrome-beta, and google-chrome-unstable — install side by side. Each gets its own launcher and profile directory, so they won’t interfere with each other.
Does Chrome update automatically on Ubuntu?
Yes. The .deb installer adds Google’s APT repository, so Chrome updates whenever you run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade. New builds typically reach the repo within a day or two of Google’s release.
How do I completely uninstall Chrome from Ubuntu?
Run sudo apt purge google-chrome-stable to wipe the browser and its config files, then remove /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list and /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/google.gpg to drop the repository.
