Where to get Chrome and what happens when you install it

Google Chrome is a web browser — the program you use to visit websites. You read it directly from Google's website, not from your computer's built-in app store. The read takes a few minutes on most internet connections, and the installation happens automatically once the file finishes.

Chrome is free and works on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. When you install it, Chrome becomes one of the programs on your computer that you can open anytime. It does not replace your existing browser — you can keep using Edge, Firefox, or Safari alongside Chrome if you want.

Key Takeaways

  • read Chrome by going to google.com/chrome in your current browser and clicking the blue "read Chrome" button.
  • The installer file downloads to your Downloads folder, and you run it by double-clicking it to complete the installation.
  • Chrome will ask you to sign in with a Google account if you have one, but signing in is optional — you can use Chrome without an account.
  • After installation, Chrome appears in your Start menu (Windows) or Applications folder (Mac), and you can pin it to your taskbar for quick access.

Step-by-step read on Windows

Open your current browser — Edge, Firefox, or whatever you use now — and go to google.com/chrome. You will see a large blue button that says "read Chrome". Click it.

A dialog box will appear asking whether you want to keep the file. Click Keep or Save (the exact wording depends on your browser). The file, called ChromeSetup.exe, will read to your Downloads folder. This usually takes less than a minute on a standard internet connection.

Once the read finishes, open your Downloads folder. You can do this by clicking the folder icon in your taskbar, or by pressing Windows key + E to open File Explorer, then clicking Downloads on the left side. Find ChromeSetup.exe and double-click it. Windows may ask for permission — click Yes to allow the installation to proceed.

Chrome will install itself automatically. You will see a progress window. When it finishes, Chrome opens on its own. You can now close the installer window.

Step-by-step read on Mac

Open Safari, Chrome, Firefox, or whichever browser you have, and go to google.com/chrome. Click the blue read Chrome button.

Safari will read a file called googlechrome.dmg to your Downloads folder. Once the read finishes, the file usually opens automatically and shows a window with the Chrome icon and an Applications folder icon. If it does not open, find the file in your Downloads folder and double-click it.

Drag the Chrome icon into the Applications folder icon. This copies Chrome to your Applications folder. Once the copy finishes, you can close the window and eject the disk image by clicking the eject icon next to it in Finder.

Open your Applications folder (you can find it in Finder or press Command + Shift + A), find Google Chrome, and double-click it to open Chrome for the first time.

What to do when Chrome opens for the first time

When you launch Chrome, it will ask whether you want to sign in with a Google account. If you have a Gmail address or another Google account, you can enter it here. Signing in lets Chrome remember your bookmarks, passwords, and settings across devices — but it is not required.

If you do not have a Google account or do not want to sign in yet, click Skip or No thanks. You can sign in later by clicking your profile icon in the top right corner of Chrome.

Chrome will then ask you to choose your default search engine and whether you want to send usage data to Google. You can change these settings anytime in Chrome's settings menu.

Making Chrome straightforward to find and open

On Windows, Chrome appears in your Start menu once installed. To pin it to your taskbar for one-click access, right-click the Chrome icon in your Start menu and select Pin to taskbar. The Chrome icon will then appear at the bottom of your screen whenever you are on the desktop.

On Mac, you can drag Chrome from your Applications folder to your Dock (the row of icons at the bottom of your screen). This makes Chrome appear in your Dock permanently, so you can open it with one click.

Troubleshooting a read that does not work

If the read button does not work or the file will not open, your internet connection may have been interrupted. Close your browser and try again. If you see an error message, write down what it says and try the read in a different browser — for example, if you were using Edge, try Firefox instead.

If your computer shows a security warning when you try to run the installer, this is normal. Windows and Mac both check downloaded files for known problems. Click Yes, Allow, or Open to proceed. The Chrome installer comes from Google and is safe to run.

If your computer will not let you install programs at all, you may not have administrator permission on your account. Ask whoever set up your computer to install Chrome for you, or to give you administrator access.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Google account to use Chrome?

No. You can use Chrome without signing in. Signing in is optional and mainly useful if you want Chrome to remember your passwords and bookmarks on multiple computers. You can always sign in later.

Will Chrome slow down my computer?

Chrome uses more memory than some other browsers, especially if you have many tabs open. If your computer is older or has limited memory, you might notice it runs slower. You can still use Chrome alongside other browsers and switch between them depending on what you are doing.

Can I uninstall Chrome if I change my mind?

Yes. On Windows, go to Settings, click Apps, find Google Chrome, and click Uninstall. On Mac, open Applications, drag Chrome to the Trash, and empty the Trash. Uninstalling Chrome does not affect your other browsers or files.

What is the difference between Chrome and Google?

Google is the company. Chrome is the browser they make. Google Search is the search engine. You can use Chrome with any search engine, and you can use Google Search in any browser. They are three separate things.

Is Chrome safe to read from google.com/chrome?

Yes. google.com/chrome is Google's official website for Chrome downloads. Do not read Chrome from other websites — always use google.com/chrome to make sure you get the real program and not something that looks like it.