Post

Mastering Chrome Updates: A Comprehensive Guide for All Operating Systems

Posted
By Tom Grant
5 min read
Mastering Chrome Updates: A Comprehensive Guide for All Operating Systems

TL;DR

  • Keeping Google Chrome updated is crucial for security and optimal performance.
  • This guide provides step-by-step instructions for updating Chrome on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and Chrome OS.
  • Understanding Chrome’s version numbers helps in tracking updates effectively.

Main Content

Frequent updates are essential for maintaining the security and performance of Google Chrome, the world’s most popular browser. While it’s impractical to provide elaborate update instructions for every platform in each article, this comprehensive guide covers updates for all major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and Chrome OS. Not every update will be available simultaneously across all platforms, so it’s important to check the Google Chrome releases website for the latest information.

Why Update Chrome?

Keeping your Google Chrome browser up to date is essential for security, performance, and access to the latest features. Whether you’re on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, or iOS, updating Chrome is straightforward if you know where to look.

Understanding Chrome Version Numbers

Before diving into the update process, it’s helpful to understand Chrome’s version numbers, which can be confusing. The version number consists of four parts separated by dots: MAJOR.MINOR.BUILD.PATCH.

  • MAJOR: Indicates significant releases with new features or changes, typically updating 7–8 times per year.
  • MINOR: Rarely changes and mainly supports the versioning scheme.
  • BUILD: Represents a specific snapshot of Chrome’s source code, advancing with each new build candidate.
  • PATCH: Indicates smaller fixes and security patches applied to a particular build.

For example, version 137.0.7151.56 means:

  • Major version 137 (milestone release)
  • Minor version 0 (standard)
  • Build number 7151 (code snapshot)
  • Patch number 56 (latest fix on that build)

Why Version Numbers Matter

The BUILD and PATCH numbers uniquely identify the exact code you are running. A higher build or patch number indicates a newer, more up-to-date version of Chrome. Minor differences in patch numbers (e.g., 118.0.5993.117 vs. 118.0.5993.118) usually mean a quick fix or minor patch was released shortly after the initial version.

How to Check Your Chrome Version

To verify your Chrome version:

  1. Open Chrome.
  2. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner.
  3. Go to Help > About Google Chrome.

Chrome will display your current version and automatically check for updates. If a newer version is available, it will download and prompt you to relaunch the browser to complete the update.

Updating Chrome Chrome is updating

Update Chrome on Windows

Method 1: Using Chrome’s Built-in Update Feature

  1. Open Chrome.
  2. Click the three-dot menu icon (⋮) in the top-right corner.
  3. Hover over Help, then click About Google Chrome.
  4. Chrome will automatically check for updates and download them if available.
  5. Once downloaded, click Relaunch to complete the update.

To enable automatic updates, ensure the “Automatically update Chrome for all users” option is enabled in Chrome’s settings. You can find this setting by going to “About Google Chrome” within the Chrome settings. Closing and restarting Chrome may be required to apply the update.

Method 2: Using Windows Update (for Chrome Enterprise)

If your organization manages Chrome updates via Windows Update or group policies, updates may be automatic. Contact your IT admin if you don’t see updates.

Update Chrome on macOS

Method 1: For Each Device

  1. Open Chrome.
  2. Click the three-dot menu icon (⋮) at the top-right.
  3. Select Help > About Google Chrome.
  4. Chrome will check for updates and install them automatically.
  5. Click Relaunch to finish updating.

You can also set up automatic browser updates for all users if Google Chrome is installed in your Applications folder. Go to “About Google Chrome” and click Automatically update Chrome for all users.

Method 2: For Chrome Enterprise

Mac administrators can use Google Software Update to manage Chrome browser and Chrome apps updates on users’ Mac computers.

Update Chrome on Linux

Chrome updates on Linux depend on your distribution and how you installed it.

For Debian/Ubuntu-based Systems:

  1. Open a terminal.
  2. Run: 
    1
2

    sudo apt update
sudo apt --only-upgrade install google-chrome-stable
  3. Restart Chrome to apply updates.

For Fedora/openSUSE:

  1. Open a terminal.
  2. Run: 
    1

    sudo dnf upgrade google-chrome-stable
  3. Restart Chrome.

If you installed Chrome via a package manager, it should handle updates automatically when you update your system.

Update Chrome on Android

Chrome updates on Android are handled through the Google Play Store:

  1. Open the Google Play Store app.
  2. Tap your profile icon (top right).
  3. Select Manage apps & device.
  4. Under Updates available, look for Chrome.
  5. Tap Update next to Chrome if available.

Alternatively, if you have auto-updates enabled, Chrome updates automatically. To enable auto-updates for Android apps, open the Google Play Store, tap your profile picture, go to “Manage apps and device,” and then tap “Manage.” Select the app you want to update automatically, tap the “More” button, and toggle on “Enable auto-update.”

Update Chrome on iOS (iPhone and iPad)

Chrome updates on iOS come through the Apple App Store:

  1. Open the App Store.
  2. Tap your profile icon at the top right.
  3. Scroll down to Available Updates.
  4. Find Google Chrome and tap Update.

If auto-updates are enabled on your device, Chrome updates automatically.

Chrome in App Store Chrome in App Store’s recently updated section

Updating Chrome on Chrome OS

Chrome OS updates include Chrome browser updates:

  1. Click the time in the bottom-right corner.
  2. Click the Settings gear icon.
  3. In the left menu, select About Chrome OS.
  4. Click Check for updates.
  5. If an update is available, it will download and install automatically.
  6. Restart your Chromebook to complete the update.

Summary Table of Update Methods

Platform Update Method Notes
Windows Chrome Menu > Help > About Chrome Manual or automatic update
macOS Chrome Menu > Help > About Chrome Manual or automatic update
Linux Package manager commands Varies by distro
Android Google Play Store Manual or automatic update
iOS Apple App Store Manual or automatic update
Chrome OS Settings > About Chrome OS System update

If you still have questions about updating the Chrome browser, let us know in the comments, and we will update this article accordingly.

For more details, visit the full article: source

Conclusion

Keeping your Google Chrome browser updated is crucial for maintaining security, optimizing performance, and accessing the latest features. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of how to update Chrome across various operating systems, ensuring you stay protected and up-to-date. If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, feel free to reach out.

Additional Resources

For further insights, check:

Tutorial, Browser Tools
update chrome browser security google chrome
This post is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by the author.