How to Install Google Chrome on Your Mac

Download Chrome directly from Google and drag it to your Applications folder

Installing Chrome on Mac takes about two minutes. Go to google.com/chrome in your web browser, click the blue "Download Chrome" button, and a file called "googlechrome.dmg" will download to your Downloads folder. Open that file, then drag the Chrome icon onto the Applications folder icon that appears in the same window. Once the copy finishes, you can eject the installer and open Chrome from your Applications folder or Spotlight search.

The process is the same whether you have an Intel Mac or an Apple Silicon Mac (M1, M2, M3, or newer). Google detects your Mac type automatically and sends you the right version. You do not need to restart your Mac or install anything else first.

Key Takeaways

Download the Chrome installer from google.com/chrome and open the .dmg file that appears in your Downloads folder.
Drag the Chrome icon to the Applications folder shown in the installer window to complete the installation.
After installation, you can delete the .dmg file and open Chrome from Applications or by searching for it with Spotlight.
Chrome will ask to use your Mac password the first time you open it, which is normal and required for security features.

Step-by-step installation walkthrough

Open any web browser on your Mac and navigate to google.com/chrome. The page shows a large blue button labeled "Download Chrome". Click it. Your Mac will download a file called "googlechrome.dmg" — this is the installer package.

Once the download finishes, open your Downloads folder (or look for a download notification in your browser). Double-click the "googlechrome.dmg" file. A window will open showing two icons: the Chrome logo on the left and a folder labeled "Applications" on the right, with an arrow between them. Drag the Chrome icon onto the Applications folder. Your Mac will copy Chrome into the Applications folder, which usually takes 30 seconds to a minute.

When the copy finishes, you can close the installer window and eject the .dmg file by dragging it to the Trash or right-clicking and selecting "Eject". The .dmg file is no longer needed after installation. Open Chrome by going to Applications in Finder, finding Google Chrome, and double-clicking it. You can also search for Chrome using Spotlight (press Command + Space, type "Chrome", and press Enter).

What happens when you open Chrome for the first time

When you launch Chrome, your Mac will ask for your password. This is a security feature that lets Chrome access your keychain and store passwords safely. Enter your Mac password and click "Always Allow" — this is normal and does not give Chrome unusual permissions. The password prompt appears only once.

Chrome will then ask whether you want to sign in with your Google account. You can sign in to sync your bookmarks, history, and passwords across devices, or skip this step and use Chrome without signing in. Both options work fine. After this setup, Chrome is ready to use.

Making Chrome your default browser

If you want Chrome to open when you click links in emails or other apps, set it as your default browser. Open Chrome, click the three-dot menu in the top right, select "Settings", then click "Default browser" in the left sidebar. Click the "Make default" button. Your Mac will open System Settings and ask you to confirm — select Chrome from the dropdown menu and close System Settings.

You can change your default browser back to Safari or another browser at any time using the same steps. macOS does not lock you into one choice.

Updating Chrome automatically

Chrome checks for updates automatically and installs them in the background. You do not need to download a new installer or visit google.com/chrome again. When an update is ready, Chrome will show a circular icon with an arrow in the top right corner of the window. Click it and select "Relaunch" to restart Chrome with the latest version. If you ignore the notification, Chrome will update the next time you close and reopen it.

You can check which version of Chrome you have by clicking the three-dot menu, hovering over "Help", and selecting "About Google Chrome". This page also shows you whether you are fully up to date.

Uninstalling Chrome if you change your mind

To remove Chrome, open Finder, go to Applications, find Google Chrome, and drag it to the Trash. That is all you need to do. Chrome does not leave behind hidden files or registry entries the way some programs do on Windows. If you want to remove your Chrome data as well (bookmarks, passwords, history), open Chrome before deleting it, click the three-dot menu, go to "Settings" > "Privacy and security" > "Clear browsing data", select "All time", check all boxes, and click "Clear data". Then close Chrome and move it to the Trash.

Removing Chrome from your Mac does not affect any other browsers or programs you have installed. You can reinstall it at any time by returning to google.com/chrome and following the same download and installation steps.

Troubleshooting installation problems

If the .dmg file will not open, your Mac may have blocked it because it came from the internet. Right-click the googlechrome.dmg file, select "Open", and click "Open" again in the dialog that appears. This tells your Mac you trust the file. If you still cannot open it, try downloading Chrome again from google.com/chrome.

If Chrome will not copy to Applications, check that you have enough free space on your Mac (Chrome needs about 300 MB). You can also try restarting your Mac and downloading the installer again. If the problem persists, restart your Mac in Safe Mode by shutting down, turning it back on, and holding Shift until the login screen appears. Then try installing Chrome again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to uninstall Safari to use Chrome?

No. You can have both Safari and Chrome installed at the same time. Many people use Safari as their default browser and Chrome for specific tasks. You can switch between them whenever you want.

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

Yes. google.com/chrome is Google's official website. Downloading from there is safe. Do not download Chrome from other websites, as they may host outdated or modified versions.

Will Chrome slow down my Mac?

Chrome uses more memory than Safari, especially if you have many tabs open. On newer Macs with 8 GB of RAM or more, this is usually not noticeable. On older Macs with less RAM, you may see slower performance if you open many tabs at once.

Can I use Chrome on an older Mac?

Chrome requires macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or newer. If your Mac is older and cannot update to Catalina, you cannot install the latest version of Chrome. Check your macOS version by clicking the Apple menu, selecting "About This Mac", and looking at the "System Software" line.

What is the difference between Chrome and Chromium?

Chrome is Google's web browser. Chromium is the open-source code that Chrome is built on. Most people should download Chrome from google.com/chrome. Chromium is for developers and advanced users who want to build their own browser.

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