How to Install Google Chrome on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

Google Chrome is the most used Internet Explorer software on the earth, with a recent update in 2021 that Chrome is currently the primary browser of more than 2.65 billion internet users. However, as you would know, after installing CentOS 9 Stream, only Mozilla Firefox is packaged with the distribution but luckily, installing Google Chrome is a straightforward task.

In the following tutorial, you will learn how to install Google Chrome in three alternative ways: stable, beta, or unstable versions on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Jammy Jellyfish using the command line terminal, along with how to remove the browsers.

Update Ubuntu

First, before you begin to update your system, make sure all existing packages are up to date to avoid any conflicts during the installation.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Install Required Packages

To successfully install the Google Chrome Browser, you will need to install the following packages; run this command if you are unsure; it will not harm your system.

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

These are pretty generic dependencies that may be already installed. Run the command regardless if unsure, as many other installations require these on your system.

Install Google Chrome

Import Google Chrome GPG Key

The first step in installing Google Chrome is to import the GPG key for the digital signature; without this, your installation will not complete successfully.

To import the GPG key, use the following command:

wget -q -O - https://dl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub | sudo apt-key add -

Import Google Chrome Repository

Once the GPG import is complete, you will need to import the Google Chrome repository now as follows:

sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list'

Install Google Chrome – Stable

The next step is to update the repository list using the apt update command to reflect the new additions to the apt sources list.

sudo apt update

Next, install the Google Chrome stable edition, the recommended option for most users.

sudo apt install google-chrome-stable -y

Once installed, verify the version of Google Chrome with the following command:

google-chrome --version

Example output:

Google Chrome 97.0.4692.71

Install Google Chrome Beta / Unstable

Alternatively, you can install Google Chrome Beta or Unstable. These two versions are not recommended for daily use, especially not on a main desktop or production server. However, you can install alternative versions for those who want to live on the edge.

Install Google Chrome Beta:

sudo apt install google-chrome-beta -y

Install Google Chrome Unstable (Nightly Build):

sudo apt install google-chrome-unstable -y

Note these do not replace your stable version, and they are installed separately. To verify the installation of beta or unstable, use the following command.

Verify Google Chrome Beta:

google-chrome-beta --version

Example output:

oogle Chrome 97.0.4692.71 beta

Verify Google Chrome Unstable (Developer):

google-chrome-unstable --version

Example output:

Google Chrome 98.0.4758.9 dev

Launch Google Chrome

Now that you have installed Chrome, you can launch the application. You can type the following command in the terminal to launch Chrome:

google-chrome

To run Chrome in the background and continue using the terminal:

google-chrome &

However, this is not practical, and you would use the following path on your desktop to open with the path.

Activities > Show Applications > Google Chrome {version}

Alternatively, use the search function in the Show Applications menu if you have many applications installed.

Example:

The first time you open Google Chrome, you will be greeted by the following pop up:

Untick or leave as is by setting Chrome to the default Browser over what is typically Firefox, along with the option of sending Google data and crash reports.

Click the OK button to continue.

Next, you will be prompted to skip this or sign in optionally.

Click on the “Get Started,” and you can see the “Skip” in the Chrome Browser tab.

Example:

Once done, you will see The Google Chrome Browser finally as per below:

Congratulations, you have installed Google Chrome Browser.

Update Google Chrome

To update Google Chrome, run the APT update command in your terminal.

sudo apt update

If one is available, use the upgrade option:

sudo apt upgrade

Note this will update all packages (recommended), for example, to upgrade the Chrome package.

sudo apt upgrade google-chrome-stable

Remove (Uninstall) Google Chrome

To remove Google Chrome, use the following command.

sudo apt autoremove google-chrome-stable --purge

Alternatively, if you have the beta or unstable builds installed, use one of the following commands.

Remove Google Chrome Beta:

sudo apt autoremove google-chrome-beta --purge

Remove Google Chrome Unstable (Nightly Build):

sudo apt autoremove google-chrome-unstable --purge

To remove the repository, use the following rm command.

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

Comments and Conclusion

In the tutorial, you have learned how to add and import the GPG key and repository, then install Google Chrome’s latest stable or alternative upstream version on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Focal Fossa.

Overall, Chrome is the most used browser, with 70% of users using it. Remember, it is probably one of the most targeted Internet Browsers for zero-day exploits. Keep it up to date, and you will be fine.