How to Update Google Chrome Browser on Ubuntu

Created by Google, Chrome has cemented itself as one of the best browsers that are available in the market. Updating it on Ubuntu, however, may prove to be a hassle. Here’s how you can update Chrome on Ubuntu.

Google Chrome is currently one of the best browsers available in the market. It’s fast, free, and allows for customizability with the help of extensions. This is why Chrome has about 2.45 billion users worldwide.

Chrome is available on Linux as well. However, updating it can be a hassle. This guide will help you learn how to update Google Chrome on Ubuntu. We’ll go over the installation steps, followed by methods to update it.

Installing Google Chrome on Ubuntu

This section will cover the steps for installing Google Chrome on your system. This method uses the Command Terminal, specifically the $apt install command.

Follow these steps to install Google Chrome on Ubuntu.

Step 1: Update Your System Package List

Before you begin the installation, you will need to update the packages and repositories on your system to the latest available versions. For this purpose, open the Command Terminal and enter the following:

$ sudo apt update
update google chrome browser

Note: You’ll need either sudo or root privileges to follow this guide, as $apt install requires the user to have superuser access.

This should update all repositories. Once the update is complete, proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Importing the Google Chrome Package

By default, the package for Google Chrome isn’t available on Ubuntu. For this purpose, we recommend that you execute the following command

To import the package for Google Chrome, open the Command Terminal on your system and type the following:

$ wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
update google chrome browser

Once the command has finished executing, you can move on to the next step.

Step 3: Installing Google Chrome by Using $apt Install

When the package has been imported successfully, proceed to install Google Chrome by typing the following:

$ sudo apt install ./google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
sudo apt install

If you followed the steps correctly, Google Chrome should now be available on your system. All that’s left is to learn how to update it.

Methods to Update Google Chrome

The methods to update Google Chrome use Ubuntu’s Command Line Interface.

While the CLI methods may seem a little hard at first, as long as you follow the steps, you shouldn’t face any problems.

Note: Ensure you’re on an account with either sudo or root privileges.

Here’s a list of methods to update Google Chrome on Ubuntu.

Method 1: Configuring Automatic Updates for Google Chrome

This method is the easiest way to update Google Chrome. The best part about this method is that it configures Google Chrome to be updated automatically, meaning that you won’t have to write commands in the Terminal whenever you want to upgrade to a new version.

Follow these steps to configure automatic updates for Google Chrome:

  1. Begin by opening the Command Terminal on your system.
  2. Once that’s done, type the following command:
$ cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
command terminal

This should enable automatic updates for chrome. If you want to be extra sure, you can check for updates by typing the following:

$ sudo apt update
update google chrome browser
$ sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install google-chrome-stable
update google chrome browser

If you followed the steps correctly, then automatic updates for Google Chrome should now be available on your system. If not, then you can try the next method.

Method 2: Updating Google Chrome by Using the Google Repository

Another method you can use to update Google Chrome is adding the Google Chrome repository to the list. This method works best for Ubuntu version 18.04.

Follow these steps to update Chrome using repositories.

  1. First and foremost, begin by opening the Command Terminal.
  2. Once that’s done, proceed to type the following:
$ sudo vim /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list

This should create a file that will act as our repository for Google Chrome.

  1. Next, enter the following command to import the contents of the Chrome web browser from its main repository.
$ wget –q –o –https://dl-ssl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub | sudo apt-key add -
  1. Copy these contents by using the following commands:

For 64-bit architecture,

$ sudo sh –c ‘echo “deb[arch=amd64]
http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main" >>
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/google.list'

For 32-bit architecture,

$ sudo sh -c 'echo "deb
http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main" >>
 /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google.list
  1. Lastly, update your browser by entering the following commands:
$ sudo apt update
update google chrome browser
$ sudo apt-get install google-chrome-stable

If you followed the steps correctly, then you should have successfully updated your browser. If this method doesn’t work for you, you can try the third method.

Method 3: Updating Google Chrome Using .Deb Package

You can always try updating Google Chrome using the .deb packages if either method doesn’t work.

This method should work for any Debian-based Linux distribution.

Follow these steps to update Chrome using their .deb package

  1. Start by downloading the package from Chrome’s official website.
  2. Once that’s done, install the new version by typing the following in the Command Terminal:
$ wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
$ sudo dpkg -i google-chrome*.deb
$ sudo apt-get install -f
update google chrome browser
  1. Now, open the new browser by typing the following in the Terminal.
$ google-chrome

By doing so, your system will create a Personal Package Archive(PPA) to your system. This will keep track of any future updates and notify you if an update is available.

Removing Google Chrome From Your System

If the application isn’t working as intended, you can follow these steps to remove Google Chrome from your system.

  1. First and foremost, open the Command Terminal.
  2. Next, type the following command to uninstall Google Chrome from your system
$ sudo apt remove google-chrome-stable

If you followed these steps correctly, then Chrome should no longer be present on your system.

In case you don’t wish to use Vim, we recommend installing the Kate Text Editor as it contains all the necessary features for editing text files.

This concludes our guide on how to update Google Chrome on Ubuntu. If you have any questions or suggestions, let us know in the comments.

Leave a Reply
Related Posts