Install Google Chrome on Ubuntu 18.04: Complete Setup Guide

Google Chrome is the most widely used web browser in the world. It is fast, secure, and built for the modern web — with sandboxed tabs, automatic updates, and tight integration with Google services. Its developer tools are also among the most capable available in any browser, making it a common choice for web developers and everyday users alike.

Chrome is not open-source and is not included in the Ubuntu repositories. It is built on Chromium, the open-source browser that is available through Ubuntu’s default repos. If you want a fully open-source option, Chromium is a solid alternative. But for the full Chrome experience — including Widevine DRM for streaming services, proprietary video codecs, and cross-device profile sync — you need to install the official Google package directly.

This guide shows you how to install Google Chrome on Ubuntu 18.04 using the official .deb package and configure automatic updates.

<strong>Prerequisite:</strong>&nbsp;You need sudo access.

Install Google Chrome on Ubuntu

Chrome is not available through apt by default, so you download the .deb installer directly from Google’s servers.

Open a terminal and download the latest stable Chrome package using wget:

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

Install the package using apt:

bashsudo apt install ./google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb

Using apt to install the .deb file (instead of dpkg -i) automatically resolves and installs any missing dependencies in a single step.

First Launch and Account Setup

Once Chrome is installed, open it from the Activities menu by searching for “Google Chrome,” or start it from the terminal:

bashgoogle-chrome

The first time Chrome opens, it asks whether you want to set it as your default browser and whether to send usage statistics to Google. Select your preferences and click OK to proceed.

If you have a Google Account, sign in from the top-right corner. Chrome will sync your bookmarks, passwords, history, and extensions across all your signed-in devices automatically.

Chrome’s built-in password manager saves and autofills login credentials as you browse. For security, run a periodic check at Settings > Privacy and security > Safety Check, it scans your saved passwords against known data breaches.

Chrome also supports multiple user profiles, which is useful when different people share the same machine. Set these up through Settings > Add person.

If you are migrating from Firefox or another browser, import your bookmarks and saved passwords through Settings > Import bookmarks and settings.

Automatic Updates Through the Google Repository

During installation, the Chrome .deb package automatically adds the official Google repository to your system’s source list. Verify it with:

bashcat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list

Output:

deb [arch=amd64] https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb stable main

Because this repository is registered, Chrome updates automatically alongside your other system packages the next time you run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade. You do not need to manually download a new .deb file for future releases.

Uninstall Google Chrome

To remove Chrome from your system:

bashsudo apt remove google-chrome-stable

This removes the Chrome binary but keeps the Google repository in your sources. To remove the repository as well, delete the file at /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list.

Google Chrome is now installed and configured on your Ubuntu 18.04 machine. It stays up to date automatically through the Google repository. Leave a comment below if you run into any issues during installation.