How to Install Google Chrome on Linux Mint

Google Chrome helps you browse modern websites, run web applications, and sync bookmarks and passwords across devices. Common use cases include accessing Google services with native integration, testing websites with Chrome DevTools, and running Progressive Web Apps as standalone applications. Specifically, by the end of this guide, you’ll have Google Chrome installed from the official repository with automatic updates enabled, verified with a version check.

This guide covers importing the Google APT repository using the modern DEB822 format, installing stable or testing builds, and troubleshooting duplicate repository warnings. Notably, Linux Mint 22 is based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and uses DEB822 .sources files as the standard repository format. For a privacy-focused alternative, see our guide on installing Chromium Browser on Linux Mint.

Prepare System for Google Chrome Installation

Update Linux Mint System Packages

Update your system packages before installing new software to prevent compatibility issues.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Install Required Packages

Next, install packages needed for secure repository management. These tools handle HTTPS connections and GPG key verification.

sudo apt install software-properties-common apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl -y

Import Google Chrome GPG Key

Download and install Google’s package signing key. This key verifies that packages come from Google and haven’t been tampered with during download. Once installed, the key enables secure package authentication for all Chrome updates.

curl -fSsL https://dl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub | sudo gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/google-chrome.gpg >> /dev/null

Add Google Chrome Repository in DEB822 Format

Next, create the repository configuration file using the modern DEB822 .sources format. This format is the standard on Linux Mint 22 and provides better multi-architecture support and cleaner syntax than legacy .list files.

cat <<EOF | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.sources
Types: deb
URIs: https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/
Suites: stable
Components: main
Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/google-chrome.gpg
EOF

Linux Mint 22 (based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS) uses DEB822 .sources format as the standard for repository configuration. This format provides cleaner syntax and better multi-architecture support than the legacy one-line .list format. Linux Mint 21 also supports .sources files, though some tools may still generate legacy .list files by default.

Refresh APT Index After Google Chrome Repository Import

The final step in importing the Google Chrome repository involves updating the repository list with the “apt update” command to incorporate the new additions to the apt sources list.

sudo apt update

Install Google Chrome Browser

Install Google Chrome Stable Build

Now, install the stable version of Google Chrome, which receives thorough testing before release and is suitable for daily use and production environments.

sudo apt install google-chrome-stable -y

Then, verify the installation:

google-chrome-stable --version

Google Chrome 131.0.6778.85

Install Beta or Unstable Builds (Optional)

Alternatively, you can install testing versions alongside the stable build.

Google Chrome Beta and Unstable versions provide early access to upcoming features. However, these builds may contain bugs or performance issues.

Warning: Beta and Unstable builds are not recommended for production systems or primary computers. Use them only for testing new features in non-critical environments.

Install Beta version:

sudo apt install google-chrome-beta -y

Install Unstable version:

sudo apt install google-chrome-unstable -y

You can install all three versions simultaneously since they use separate directories and executables. However, if you install multiple versions, you may encounter duplicate repository warnings—see the troubleshooting section below for the fix.

Launch Google Chrome

Once installed, launch Google Chrome from the command line or application menu.

Launch from Terminal

To begin, start Google Chrome from the terminal with one of these commands depending on the installed version:

google-chrome-stable

For beta or unstable versions:

google-chrome-beta

google-chrome-unstable

Launch from Applications Menu

In most cases, users will launch Chrome from the application menu. The exact location depends on your desktop environment, but typically follows this path:

Menu > Internet > Google Chrome

On first launch, Chrome prompts you to set it as the default browser and asks permission to send usage statistics and crash reports to Google. Simply make your privacy choices, and then click OK.

Additionally, you can skip signing in to Chrome by clicking the X on the sign-in tab. The browser works fully without a Google account, although sync features require sign-in.

Manage Google Chrome

Update Google Chrome

Google Chrome updates automatically through the APT package manager when you run system updates. Therefore, check for and install updates with:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Uninstall Google Chrome

Remove Google Chrome packages when you no longer need them. Importantly, the --purge flag removes configuration files along with the package.

Remove stable version:

sudo apt remove google-chrome-stable --purge

Remove beta or unstable versions:

sudo apt remove google-chrome-beta --purge

sudo apt remove google-chrome-unstable --purge

Remove Google Chrome Repository

Afterward, remove the Google Chrome repository and GPG key to completely clean up the installation:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.sources
sudo rm /usr/share/keyrings/google-chrome.gpg

Remove User Data (Optional)

Finally, you can remove personal Chrome data if you no longer need it.

Warning: The commands below permanently delete your Google Chrome user data including bookmarks, passwords, browsing history, cookies, extensions, and settings. Export any data you want to keep before proceeding.

To proceed, remove user configuration and data directories:

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

Troubleshooting Google Chrome Issues

Duplicate Repository Warnings

When installing multiple Chrome versions (stable, beta, and unstable), each installation may create its own repository file. As a result, this causes duplicate source warnings when running apt update.

Specifically, the error appears as multiple warnings like:

W: Target Packages (main/binary-amd64/Packages) is configured multiple times in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome-beta.list:3 and /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome-unstable.list:3
W: Target Packages (main/binary-all/Packages) is configured multiple times in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome-beta.list:3 and /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list:3

This happens because Google’s installer sometimes creates legacy .list files even when you configured .sources files. While the warnings are harmless, they do clutter your terminal output.

First, check which repository files exist:

ls -la /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome*

The expected output showing the issue looks like this:

/etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome-beta.list
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome-unstable.list
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.sources

To fix this, remove the duplicate legacy .list files and keep only your .sources file:

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

However, because Chrome installers can recreate these files during updates, you should replace them with read-only placeholders to prevent future conflicts. The following commands create empty files that APT ignores but prevent installers from writing new configuration:

sudo touch /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
sudo chmod 444 /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list

Apply the placeholder technique only to redundant Chrome .list files. Keep your google-chrome.sources file intact so updates continue flowing from Google’s repository. If you installed multiple channels (stable, beta, unstable), repeat the placeholder steps for each corresponding .list file that appeared.

Alternatively, if you removed your .sources file by accident, recreate it:

cat <<EOF | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.sources
Types: deb
URIs: https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/
Suites: stable
Components: main
Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/google-chrome.gpg
EOF

Afterward, update the package list and verify the warnings are gone:

sudo apt update

You should see a clean update without duplicate target warnings. Furthermore, all three Chrome versions will continue receiving updates from the single repository file.

Conclusion

You now have Google Chrome installed with automatic updates from the official repository. As a result, the browser supports extension installation, cross-device sync, and DevTools for web development. For enhanced privacy, alternatively consider installing Chromium from the official repositories, or explore Firefox for an open-source alternative focused on user privacy.