Installing Google Chrome on Ubuntu has always been slightly awkward — it is not in the official repositories because it is proprietary, the snap version does not exist, and every few releases Canonical changes something about how third-party .deb packages register their apt sources. On Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Numbat, the process is straightforward if you follow the official method, but there are enough outdated guides floating around that it is worth documenting the correct 2026 approach from scratch. This guide covers the terminal-based install, automatic repository registration, the Chrome-versus-Chromium decision, and a few post-install tweaks we recommend. After testing this process on clean installs, upgrades from 22.04, and minimal server-with-desktop setups, we are confident this method works everywhere.
Why Chrome Is Not in the Ubuntu Repositories
Google Chrome is built on the open-source Chromium engine, but Chrome itself includes proprietary components: the Widevine DRM module (needed for Netflix, Spotify web player, and Disney+), the official Google update mechanism, and various Google-integrated services. Canonical cannot redistribute these, so Chrome will never appear in apt search google-chrome on a stock system.
Chromium, the open-source base, is available — but on Ubuntu 24.04 it ships exclusively as a snap package, which some users dislike due to slower startup times, sandboxing quirks with certain extensions, and the inability to use it as a default browser in some configurations.
Method 1: Terminal Install (Recommended)
This is the cleanest approach. It downloads the official .deb, installs it, and automatically adds Google’s apt repository for future updates.
wget -q -O /tmp/google-chrome-stable.deb https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
sudo apt install /tmp/google-chrome-stable.deb
That is it. The .deb package includes a post-install script that creates /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list and adds Google’s signing key to /etc/apt/keyrings/. From now on, sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade will keep Chrome current.
Verify the installation:
google-chrome --version
You should see something like Google Chrome 133.x.xxxx.xx.
Method 2: Download from the Web
If you prefer the GUI approach:
- Open Firefox (the default browser)
- Navigate to the Chrome download page
- Select the
.debpackage for 64-bit - Open the downloaded file — Ubuntu’s App Center will handle the install
This does the same thing as Method 1 but with more clicking.
Verifying the Repository Is Set Up
After installation, confirm the apt source exists:
cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
You should see a line pointing to http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ with stable main. If this file is missing or empty, Chrome will not auto-update. Reinstalling the .deb package regenerates it.
Chrome vs Chromium: Which Should You Use?
This is a genuine question worth thinking about, not just a default “use Chrome” recommendation.
Choose Chrome if:
- You need Widevine DRM (streaming services)
- You want seamless Google account sync (bookmarks, passwords, tabs across devices)
- You prefer
.debpackage management over snaps - You need Chrome DevTools features that sometimes land in Chrome before Chromium
Choose Chromium if:
- You want a fully open-source browser
- You do not use DRM-protected streaming
- You are comfortable with the snap version’s trade-offs
- You prefer to avoid Google’s telemetry
On Ubuntu 24.04, Chromium is only available as a snap:
sudo snap install chromium
The snap version starts a few seconds slower on first launch (subsequent launches are faster) and stores its profile under ~/snap/chromium/ rather than ~/.config/chromium/.
Post-Install Tweaks
Set Chrome as the Default Browser
xdg-settings set default-web-browser google-chrome.desktop
Or open Settings → Default Applications and select Google Chrome.
Enable Hardware Acceleration
Navigate to chrome://flags and enable:
- Override software rendering list — forces GPU acceleration even on drivers Chrome considers “blocklisted”
- GPU rasterization — offloads page rendering to the GPU
Then check chrome://gpu to verify hardware acceleration is active. On Ubuntu 24.04 with Nvidia or Intel graphics, this typically works out of the box under Xorg. Under Wayland, Chrome uses its own Ozone platform layer — launch with:
google-chrome --ozone-platform=wayland
Or set this permanently by editing /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop and appending the flag to the Exec= line.
Manage Extensions Wisely
Chrome extensions run with broad permissions. We recommend keeping the extension count low and auditing permissions periodically via chrome://extensions. Essential extensions for Ubuntu users:
- uBlock Origin — ad blocking (use the Manifest V2 version while it lasts)
- Bitwarden — password management
- GNOME Shell Integration — if you want to install GNOME extensions from the web
Reduce Resource Usage
Chrome is memory-hungry. If you are on a machine with 8 GB or less of RAM:
- Enable Memory Saver mode in Settings → Performance
- Disable preloading in Settings → Privacy and Security → Preload Pages
- Use tab groups and close tabs you are not actively using
Updating Chrome
Chrome updates arrive through apt alongside your regular system updates:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
Chrome also has its own background update checker. You will see a coloured arrow in the browser toolbar when an update is pending — just relaunch to apply.
Removing Chrome
If you decide Chrome is not for you:
sudo apt remove google-chrome-stable
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
Your profile data remains in ~/.config/google-chrome/ until you delete it manually.
Related Guides
- Ubuntu 24.04 Post-Install Checklist — complete setup guide after a fresh install
- Snap vs Flatpak vs Deb — understanding package formats on Ubuntu
- Wayland vs Xorg — how your display server affects browser behaviour
