How to Install Google Chrome on Ubuntu 26.04

If you need a fast, feature-rich web browser on your Ubuntu 26.04 system, Google Chrome is a popular choice. While Ubuntu ships with Firefox by default, many users prefer Chrome for its tight integration with Google services, extensive extension library, and consistent cross-platform experience. In this tutorial, we will walk through how to install Google Chrome on Ubuntu 26.04, configure it as your default browser, and keep it updated. If you are looking to install Google Chrome on a different Linux distribution, check out our comprehensive Google Chrome installation guide for Linux covering Ubuntu 24.04, Fedora, Linux Mint, Arch Linux, CentOS, and more.

Software Requirements

Installing Google Chrome on Ubuntu 26.04 via Command Line

Google Chrome is not available in the default Ubuntu repositories because it is proprietary software. Therefore, you need to download the official .deb package directly from Google. The command line method is the most straightforward approach to install Google Chrome on Ubuntu 26.04.

1. Update your system packages: Before installing any new software, it is good practice to update your package index:

   $ sudo apt update

2. Download the Google Chrome .deb package: Use wget to download the latest stable version of Google Chrome directly from Google’s servers:

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

   This downloads the 64-bit version of Chrome, which is the only architecture supported on modern Ubuntu systems.

3. Install the downloaded package: Use apt to install the .deb file. This will automatically resolve and install any required dependencies:

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

   IMPORTANT
   The ./ prefix is required when installing a local .deb file with apt. Without it, apt will search the repositories instead of the local filesystem.

4. Verify the installation: Confirm that Google Chrome was installed successfully by checking its version:

   $ google-chrome --version

   You should see output similar to:

   Google Chrome 146.x.xxxx.xx

   

Launching Google Chrome on Ubuntu 26.04

After installation, you can launch Google Chrome using several methods.

From the Activities menu: Click Activities in the top-left corner (or press the Super key), type Chrome, and click the Google Chrome icon.

From the terminal: Run the following command to start Chrome:

$ google-chrome

To launch Chrome in the background without blocking your terminal, append an ampersand:

$ google-chrome &

On its first launch, Chrome will ask whether you want to set it as the default browser and whether to send usage statistics to Google. Adjust these options according to your preference.

Setting Google Chrome as Default Browser on Ubuntu 26.04

If you did not set Chrome as the default browser during the first launch, you can configure it manually.

From the command line: Use the xdg-settings utility to set Chrome as your default web browser:

$ xdg-settings set default-web-browser google-chrome.desktop

Verify the change:

$ xdg-settings get default-web-browser

The output should display:

google-chrome.desktop

From GNOME Settings: Open Settings, navigate to Default Applications, and select Google Chrome from the Web dropdown menu.

Updating Google Chrome on Ubuntu 26.04

When you installed the .deb package, Google Chrome automatically added its official repository to your system. Consequently, Chrome updates are handled through the standard APT package management workflow. To update Chrome along with all other system packages, simply run:

$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt upgrade

You can also update Chrome specifically:

$ sudo apt install --only-upgrade google-chrome-stable

Additionally, Chrome checks for updates in the background and will notify you when a new version is available. However, applying the update still requires the APT commands shown above.

Uninstalling Google Chrome from Ubuntu 26.04

If you decide to remove Google Chrome from your system, follow these steps.

1. Remove the Google Chrome package: Use apt to purge Chrome along with its configuration files:

   $ sudo apt purge google-chrome-stable

2. Remove the Google repository: Delete the APT source file that was added during installation:

   $ sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list

3. Remove the Google signing key (optional): If you no longer need the Google signing key, remove it:

   $ sudo rm /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/google-chrome.gpg

4. Clean up user data (optional): To remove your Chrome profile data, bookmarks, and cache:

   $ rm -rf ~/.config/google-chrome
   $ rm -rf ~/.cache/google-chrome

Conclusion

You have successfully learned how to install Google Chrome on Ubuntu 26.04 using the command line. The installation process is straightforward: download the official .deb package from Google and install it with apt. Chrome’s automatic repository setup ensures you always receive the latest updates through the standard Ubuntu update mechanism. If you need to install Chrome on other Linux distributions, refer to our Google Chrome installation guide for Linux for distribution-specific instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Google Chrome available in the Ubuntu repositories? No, Google Chrome is proprietary software and is not included in the official Ubuntu repositories. You must download the .deb package directly from Google. However, the open-source Chromium browser is available in the Ubuntu repositories as an alternative.
2. What is the difference between Google Chrome and Chromium on Ubuntu 26.04? Google Chrome is a proprietary browser built on the open-source Chromium project. Chrome includes additional features such as automatic updates via its own repository, built-in support for certain media codecs (like AAC and H.264), and integration with Google services. Chromium lacks these proprietary components but is fully open source.
3. Can I install Google Chrome on a 32-bit Ubuntu system? No, Google discontinued 32-bit Linux builds of Chrome in 2016. The .deb package is only available for 64-bit (amd64) systems. All modern Ubuntu 26.04 installations run on 64-bit architecture.
4. How do I install a beta or development version of Google Chrome? Google provides separate packages for the beta and development channels. Replace stable with beta or unstable in the download URL. For example: wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-beta_current_amd64.deb. You can install multiple channels side by side.
5. Why does Chrome ask to be the default keyring manager on first launch? Chrome uses the GNOME Keyring to securely store passwords and cookies. On first launch, it may prompt you to create or unlock a keyring. This is normal behavior and helps protect your stored credentials.