How to install Google Chrome on Ubuntu 22.04

Introduction

Ubuntu 22.04, being a popular Linux distribution, offers a plethora of software packages directly from its repositories. However, some proprietary software such as Google Chrome is not available by default. Fear not, as there are easy ways to install this popular web browser.

This article will walk you through installing Google Chrome on Ubuntu 22.04 using two methods: Debian Package and Personal Package Archive (PPA).

Method 1: Download and install the Google Chrome Debian package

Step 1: Download Google Chrome

1. Visit the official Google Chrome download page.
2. Click the "Download Chrome" button.
3. Choose the "64 bit.deb (for Debian/Ubuntu)" option.
4. Click "Accept and install".

Save the .deb file to your preferred location, usually the Downloads folder.

Alternatively, you can also download the latest Google Chrome Debian package via the following command:

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

Step 2: Install Google Chrome

Open a terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.

Navigate to the location where you saved the.deb file, typically with the command:

cd ~/Downloads

Install the package using the following command:

sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb

In case you encounter dependency issues, fix them using:

sudo apt-get install -f

Step 3: Launch Google Chrome

Once the installation is complete, you can launch Google Chrome both from the terminal using the google-chrome command and from the application menu.

Method 2: Installing Google Chrome using the official PPA

While Google doesn't provide an official PPA for Chrome, you can use an unofficial one that will help you get updates through the package manager.

Step 1: Add the repository GPG key

Open a terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T) and run the following command to add the repository GPG key to your system:

wget -q -O - https://dl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub | sudo gpg --dearmour -o /usr/share/keyrings/chrome-keyring.gpg

In the above command the GPG keyring is stored in: /usr/share/keyrings/chrome-keyring.gpg

Step 2: Adding Chrome PPA

Using the GPG keychain file above, run the following command to set up the official Google Chrome PPA on your Ubuntu system:

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

Step 3: Update package lists and install

Your system is ready to install Google Chrome. First update the package list:

sudo apt update

Finally run the following command to install the Google Chrome web browser on your Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Linux system.

sudo apt install google-chrome-stable

Step 4: Launch Google Chrome

Once the installation is done, you can launch Google Chrome from the application menu or from the terminal using the chromium-browser command.

Conclusion

Whether you choose the direct Debian package method or the PPA approach, installing Google Chrome on Ubuntu 22.04 is straightforward. Remember, while the PPA method is unofficial, it can be useful for getting updates through the Ubuntu package manager. Whichever method you choose, you'll have access to one of the world's most popular web browsers on your Ubuntu machine.