Installing Chrome with the Linux Command Line: 2 Ways

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Download Chrome on any distro with wget or another browser

Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: January 21, 2026 Fact Checked

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Need to install Google Chrome on Linux from the command line? Whether you're logged in remotely or using a terminal window, it's easy to download Chrome using wget, then use the dpkg or "sudo apt install" command to install the package. If you have access to a different web browser, you can also download the Chrome package in that browser and install it with commands. This wikiHow article will walk you through installing Chrome from the terminal on Ubuntu, Debian, and Linux Mint.

Installing Chrome: Quick Command Line Steps

1. Run the commands "sudo apt update" and "sudo apt upgrade".
2. If wget isn't installed, run the command "sudo apt install wget" to install it.
3. Download the Chrome packaging using the command "wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb".
4. Install the package using the command "sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb".

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Downloading with wget

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1. 
   1
   Open a Terminal window. You can usually do this by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.

   • You can use this method to install Chrome using terminal commands without having to use a different web browser to download the package. If you do have a different web browser to use, you may find it easier to install Chrome with the GUI-based method below.
2. 
   2
   Update your installed packages. To make sure your system is up-to-date, run these two commands:

   • Type sudo apt update and press the Enter key.
   • Type sudo apt upgrade and press Enter.
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3. 
   3
   Install wget if you don't already have it. This is the tool you will use to download the Chrome package from the prompt.

   • Type wget --version and press the Enter key. If you see a version number, just skip to the next step now.
   • If you get an error because wget is not installed, type sudo apt install wget and press the Enter key to install it.
4. 
   4
   Use wget to download the Chrome package. Since there is no longer a 32-bit version of Chrome, you'll need the 64-bit version. To get the latest stable version, run this command:

   • Type wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb and press the Enter key.
   • After the package is finished downloading, you'll return to the command prompt.
5. 
   5
   Install the downloaded Chrome package. To install Chrome from the downloaded package, use the following command:

   • Type sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb and press Enter.
   • Alternatively, you can install the package using the command sudo apt install ./google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb.
6. 
   6
   Fix errors that occurred in the Chrome installation. If you see any errors during the installation, type sudo apt install -f and press the Enter key to repair them.
7. 
   7
   Type google-chrome and press ↵ Enter to launch Chrome.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Downloading in a Different Browser

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1. 
   1
   Click the Download Chrome button on Chrome's Linux download site. If you want to download the Chrome package and install it manually, it's easy to do. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Download Chrome to get started.

   • Use this method if you have a different web browser (like Firefox).
2. 
   2
   Download the package for your version of Linux. If you're using a Debian-based Linux like Ubuntu or Linux Mint, select the .DEB package. If you need a package for a Red Hat-based Linux distribution like RHEL or CentOS, select the .RPM. Once selected, click Accept and Install.

   • If prompted, select a download location and click OK to continue.
3. 
   3
   Install the package. Depending on your desktop environment, you may be able to install the package by double-clicking it and following the on-screen instructions. Otherwise, you can install manually in a terminal window. Here's how:

   • Install the DEB package
     • In a terminal, navigate to your downloads folder. For example, if your downloads folder is called Downloads, type cd Downloads and press Enter.
     • Type sudo apt install ./google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb and press Enter.
       • If the name of the file is different, replace "google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb" with the name of the file you downloaded.
     • Press Y to install Chrome.
   • Install the RPM package
     • In a terminal, navigate to your downloads folder. For example, if your downloads folder is called Downloads, type cd Downloads and press Enter.
     • Type sudo rpm -i google-chrome-stable_current_x86_64.rpm and press Enter.
       • If the name of the file is different, replace "google-chrome-stable_current_x86_64.rpm" with the name of the file you downloaded.
4. 
   4
   Type google-chrome and press ↵ Enter to launch Chrome.
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Community Q&A

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• Question

  I downloaded Google Chrome for Linux in the terminal and launched it by typing "google-chrome," but it said "Command not found." What do I do?

  

  Community Answer

  You have to install it. Downloading is only half the job. Only installed packages can be run from terminal. In Unix systems it usually means it's extracted into a specific path, which is usually done by the package manager itself.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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  Not Helpful 64 Helpful 83
• Question

  I couldn't get the second command to work.

  

  Anuj_Kumar1

  Community Answer

  Make sure you have recent version of Linux and active internet connection. Old version of Linux have old repository links which may not be available.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 14 Helpful 13
• Question

  1. Is it necessary to always open Google Chrome from terminal, and 2. Must the terminal screen be kept open for Google Chrome to keep working?

  

  Arrogance

  Top Answerer

  No. Chrome should show up in the applications of menu of most desktop environments. You can also launch it from a simple run prompt in most environments by pressing Alt-F2, and then entering google-Chrome in the box. Normally, closing the terminal would close Chrome (or most applications launched from it). If you launch google-chrome as a background process (using the command "google-chrome &") and then disown the process (running "disown #", where # is the PID of the process), you can close the terminal and leave Chrome running. Alternatively, launch Chrome with nohup ("nohup google-chrome") and then close the terminal.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 7 Helpful 17

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