To install Google Chrome on Windows 11, open any browser, go to google.com/chrome, click Download Chrome, run the downloaded ChromeSetup file, and click Yes when Windows asks for permission. Chrome installs in about a minute and opens by itself. Sign in with a Google Account to bring back your bookmarks, passwords, and extensions.
Before you start
- Applies to: Windows 11 and Windows 10, on both Intel or AMD PCs and Arm PCs such as Snapdragon laptops.
- You need: An internet connection and a Windows account that is allowed to install apps. On a work or school PC, that is often an administrator account only.
- Space: Roughly a few hundred megabytes free on your system drive, usually C:.
- Time: A couple of minutes.
- Cost: Nothing. Chrome is free.
How do I download and install Chrome on Windows 11?
- Open Microsoft Edge, or any browser you already have, and go to google.com/chrome.
- Click Download Chrome. Edge may show a banner asking you to stay with Edge. You can close it and carry on.
- Read the terms and click Accept and Install. A small file called ChromeSetup.exe downloads.
- Open your Downloads folder, or click the download item in your browser toolbar, and run ChromeSetup.
- Windows shows a User Account Control box asking to let the app make changes. Click Yes.
- Wait while Chrome downloads the rest of itself and installs. It opens on its own when it is done.
- In the welcome screen, click Get started to import bookmarks, or Sign in to sync everything from another device.
The file you download first is a tiny stub installer. It fetches the real browser during setup, which is why the install needs a working connection. If that is a problem, use the offline installer instead.
How do I know the download is the real Chrome?
Fake Chrome installers are a common way to spread malware, and search ads for “chrome download” are a favourite hiding place. Three checks take ten seconds:
- The address bar must read google.com/chrome. Not a lookalike domain, not a software portal, not a shortened link.
- The file should be named ChromeSetup.exe, or ChromeStandaloneSetup64.exe for the offline version. A name with extra words or a .zip wrapper you did not ask for is a warning sign.
- Right-click the file, choose Properties, then Digital Signatures. The signer must be Google LLC. If that tab is missing, delete the file.
Can I install Chrome from the terminal instead?
Yes. Windows 11 includes winget, Microsoft’s built-in package manager, and Google publishes Chrome to it. This is the fastest route if you are setting up a new PC and do not want to open a browser at all.
- Right-click the Start button and choose Terminal (Admin).
- Type winget install Google.Chrome and press Enter.
- Accept the source agreement if you are asked, then wait for the install to finish.
One thing to know: Chrome keeps itself updated through its own updater, so you do not need to run winget again to stay current. Running winget upgrade on a Chrome that has already updated itself sometimes reports a version mismatch. That is a bookkeeping quirk, not a broken install.
Is Chrome in the Microsoft Store?
No. Google does not publish Chrome in the Microsoft Store. Google put a Chrome installer there once, years ago, and Microsoft pulled it for breaking Store rules. Anything in the Store today calling itself Chrome is not from Google, so download from google.com/chrome instead.
Why will Chrome not install in S mode?
Windows 11 in S mode only runs apps from the Microsoft Store, and Chrome is not in the Store, so the installer is blocked. The fix is to switch out of S mode, which is free and takes a minute.
Switching out of S mode is permanent. You cannot switch back, and you will lose the extra lockdown S mode provides. Make the change only if you are sure you want to install apps from outside the Store.
- Open Settings, then System, then Activation.
- Find the Switch out of S mode section and click Open Store.
- On the Store page that opens, click Get. Do not confuse this with a page offering a paid Windows upgrade.
- Once you see the confirmation, install Chrome the normal way.
Does Chrome work on Arm laptops like Snapdragon PCs?
Yes. Google ships a native Arm64 build of Chrome for Windows on Arm, and the download page detects your processor and gives you the right one automatically. You do not need to pick anything. If you are grabbing an installer for a different machine, use the Other Platforms link on the download page and choose the Windows Arm option there.
How do I install Chrome with no internet on the PC?
Use the offline installer, a single standalone file that already contains the whole browser. Download it on a PC that does have a connection, copy it over on a USB drive, and run it. Our guide to the Google Chrome offline installer covers where to get it and the update trap to watch for on machines that stay offline.
The offline installer is also the first thing to try when the normal installer keeps failing partway through, because it removes the mid-install download that usually breaks.
What do I do when Chrome will not install?
Most failed installs come down to four things: no disk space, security software blocking the installer, a damaged leftover copy of Chrome, or an account without permission to install apps. Work through these in order.
- Check free space on your system drive. Error 0x80070070 means the disk is full. Clear a few gigabytes and try again.
- If you see error 4, a newer Chrome is already on the PC. Uninstall it first, then install again.
- Errors 7, 12, 13, 31, 35, 57, 102 and 103 all mean the install failed for an unclear reason. Download a fresh copy of the installer, then run the offline installer instead.
- For error 1603 or 0x00000643, restart the PC and run the offline installer as administrator by right-clicking it and choosing Run as administrator.
- 0xa0430721 usually points at a broken earlier install or a blocked installer. Remove any existing Chrome from Add or remove programs, restart, then install fresh.
- If a corporate PC refuses everything, your administrator may block the install by policy. In that case, ask IT rather than hunting for workarounds.
Turning antivirus off is sometimes suggested for stubborn installs. If you do that, disconnect from the internet first, install Chrome, then turn protection back on straight away. Leaving it off is not worth the risk.
How do I set Chrome as my default browser on Windows 11?
Windows 11 does not have a single switch the way Windows 10 did. Chrome can ask Windows for you, which is the quick way.
- In Chrome, open the three-dot menu and choose Settings.
- Select Default browser.
- Click Make default, then confirm Google Chrome in the Windows settings window that opens.
Links from some Windows features, such as search results in the taskbar, can still open in Edge afterwards. Our guide on making Chrome the default browser on Windows 11 covers the file types people usually miss and what Windows will not let you change.
What should I do right after installing Chrome?
- Sign in and turn on sync so bookmarks, passwords, history, and extensions follow you to your phone and other computers.
- Import from your old browser. Three-dot menu, then Bookmarks and lists, then Import bookmarks and settings.
- Check that updates are working. Three-dot menu, then Help, then About Google Chrome. Chrome checks and updates itself on that screen.
- Check your Safe Browsing level. In Settings, under Privacy and security, open Security and pick Enhanced protection if you want the strongest warning system for risky sites and downloads.
How do I uninstall Chrome on Windows 11?
- Close all Chrome windows.
- Press the Windows key and type Uninstall, then open Add or remove programs.
- Find Google Chrome, click the three dots beside it, and choose Uninstall.
- Tick Also delete your browsing data only if you want the profile on this PC wiped as well. Anything you synced stays in your Google Account.
FAQ
Is Google Chrome free?
Yes. Chrome is free to download and free to use, with no trial period and no account required. You only need a Google Account if you want to sync your data across devices.
Do I need the 32-bit or 64-bit version?
You do not have to choose. The installer from google.com/chrome detects your Windows 11 PC and installs the matching build, including the Arm64 build on Snapdragon and other Arm laptops.
Can I install Chrome without administrator rights?
Often yes. If the User Account Control prompt cannot be approved, Chrome falls back to installing just for your user account inside your own profile folder. On a managed work PC, policy may block even that, and only your IT team can allow it.
Does installing Chrome remove Microsoft Edge?
No. Chrome installs alongside Edge and the two run independently. Edge stays part of Windows 11 and cannot be fully removed, but you can set Chrome as your default browser so links stop opening in Edge.
Is it safe to download Chrome?
Yes, as long as you download it from google.com/chrome. Third-party download portals often wrap the installer in bundled software, and sponsored search results have been used to serve fake Chrome installers. Check the digital signature says Google LLC if you are unsure.
Related guides
- Google Chrome Offline Installer: Download and Install
- How to Make Chrome Default Browser on Windows 11
- How to Make Google Chrome Faster
- Stop Google Chrome from Running in the Background on Windows
Installing Chrome on Windows 11 is a download-and-run job from google.com/chrome, and signing in brings your bookmarks, passwords, and extensions straight back. If the installer stalls, the offline installer solves most of it, and if S mode is in the way, that is a one-time switch in Settings.
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