You can get a lot done with Google Chrome, which is probably why its use dwarfs that of competing internet browsers like Edge, Firefox, and Safari. Ease of use is a top selling point, too, from cross-platform syncing to quiet updates.
For the most part, those updates are on auto-pilot; you don’t have to do much beyond opening and closing the browser window. But there are some exceptions. If you want to make sure Google is doing its job, here’s how.
Chrome’s Release Schedule
Google has a publicly available schedule with estimated key dates and official release dates for upcoming versions of Chrome. These versions also include work done to update the Android, Chrome OS, desktop, and iOS versions of the browser.
The schedule typically has a new release every one or two months. Chrome 89, for example, arrived in March 2021, followed by Chrome 90 in April and Chrome 91 in late May. Chrome 92 is expected to release at the end of July and Chrome 93 will initially release at the end of August.
The updates are automatic; when they’re available, Chrome will apply them the next time you open your browser window. With so many users, it can take a few days to a full week for everyone to get the latest version. But if you don’t close your browser in between sessions, no update will come. In this instance you can also manually trigger an update to ensure you’re on the latest version.
Update Chrome on Desktop
You can tell when Chrome has an update because an update icon will appear in the top-right corner of the browser. Eventually that icon will go from green, to yellow, then to red if you don’t restart Chrome, signifying that your instance is now out of date.
If you have an update pending, click that icon in the right-hand corner and select Update Google Chrome. Chrome will then shut down and restart the browser with the update applied.
Which Version of Chrome Am I On?
If there’s no alert, but you want to know which version of Chrome you’re running, click the three-dot icon in the top-right corner and select Help > About Google Chrome. On mobile, open the three-dot menu and select Settings > About Chrome (Android) or Settings > Google Chrome (iOS).
Here, Chrome tells you which version you’re running—in my case, Version 90.0.4430.212 (Official Build) (64-bit). This page will also remind you of any pending updates and give the option to install them by clicking the Relaunch button.
Update on iPhone
Most iPhone users probably have apps set to automatically update. To check the status of this setting, navigate to Settings > App Store > App Updates and toggle it on (or off).
To check manually, open the App Store app and search for the Chrome app. If the button next to it says “Open,” the app is up to date. If it says “Update,” tap that to get the most recent version.
Or select Today at the bottom of the App Store app, tap your profile icon on the top right, and scroll down to see if Chrome is in the list under Available/Upcoming updates. If so, tap Update.
Update on Android
Android apps are updated automatically by default. You can check if this feature is turned on for you inside the Google Play app. Click your profile icon and tap Settings > General > Auto-update apps, then choose the network requirements for automatic updates or turn them off completely.
You can then manually update Chrome under My apps & games in Google Play. If the Google Chrome icon is among the list of pending updates, tap the update button next to it. If it is not included in the list, the Chrome app is already up to date.
