Update Google Chrome
Making sure that your Google Chrome browser is up to date is essential for your computer's security. You will also miss out on a lot of new features and usability improvements if you don't update. Chrome typically keeps itself up to date, but if you need to manually update Chrome, it will only take a minute or two.
Contents
Steps
Windows
- Press the menu button (looks like ⋮ or ☰). This will give you a list of options.
- If the bars are green, orange, or red, then an update has already been detected and is awaiting to install.
- Hover over Help which is at the bottom of the dropdown menu.
- Click on About Google Chrome to your left.
- Note: Older versions of Chrome may have About Google Chrome above the Help option. Select this instead.
- Wait while Google Chrome checks for updates and installs any available updates. After the update is finished installing, click the Relaunch button to restart Chrome as the new version. If no updates are available, it will say that your browser is up to date.
Troubleshooting (Windows)
- Chrome says "Updates are disabled by the administrator". This is caused by an error in your registry, and can be quickly fixed.
- Press ⊞ Win+R and type regedit.
- Use the folder tree on the left to navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Update\ - Double-click the "Update Default" item.
- Change the "Value data" field to "1" and press OK.
- Restart Google Chrome.
macOS and OS X
- Click on Chrome at the top of your screen on the Mac status/menu bar.
- Select About Google Chrome.
- Wait while Google Chrome checks for updates and installs any available updates. After the update is finished installing, click the Relaunch button to restart Chrome as the new version. If no updates are available, it will say that your browser is up to date.
Troubleshooting (macOS and OS X)
- Check your error message. There are a few different ways that Chrome can fail during the update process on OS X. The most common error messages are "Update server not available" messages. This message often has a number attached to it, usually "10", "11", or "12".
- Fix an error "10" or "11". This error is caused by Mac's updating software, Keystone, failing. To fix it you will need to enter commands in the Terminal.
- Close Chrome.
- Open the Terminal. This is located in the Utilities subfolder in your Applications folder.
- Enter the following command: ~/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftware
Update.bundle/Contents/Resources/GoogleSoftware
UpdateAgent.app/Contents/Resources/install.py --uninstall - Enter the following command: sudo /Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftware
Update.bundle/Contents/Resources/GoogleSoftware
UpdateAgent.app/Contents/Resources/install.py --uninstall - Download the "Google Software Update" installer. This can be found on the Google Chrome help page entitled "Can't update Google Chrome on a Mac". The file is a DMG package.
- Open the downloaded DMG file. Run the installer inside.
- Restart Chrome.
- Fix an error "12". This is another Keystone problem. It can usually be fixed by clearing the Keystone cache. If these steps don't work, follow the previous steps for fixing a "10" or "11".
- Click Go → Go to Folder → ~/Library/Caches in your Finder menu
- Find and delete "com.google.Keystone"
- Find and delete "com.google.UpdateEngine"
- Relaunch Chrome and attempt to update.
Mobile (iOS and Android)
- Open the App Store (iOS) or the Google Play Store (Android).
- Navigate to the updates section.
- For iOS, there will be a Updates tab on the very bottom.
- For Android, tap the menu button ☰ and then go to My apps & games. Apps with an update available is labelled with Update.
- Navigate to Google Chrome and tap on the app.
- Press the Update button.
Tips
- If updates still don't work, try repairing Google Chrome or if necessary, reinstalling it.
