Why people use Chrome
Google Chrome is the most widely used web browser in the world, on phones and computers. It's fast, it updates itself automatically with security fixes, and it syncs bookmarks, passwords, history and open tabs across all your devices when you sign in with a Google account. Chrome's built-in Password Manager can generate strong passwords and warn you if a saved password has appeared in a data breach.
Installing Chrome on each device
Chrome is free on every platform. Only download it from Google:
- Windows: download the installer from google.com/chrome (the button above). It installs in a minute and offers to import bookmarks from Edge or Firefox.
- Mac: download the Mac version from the same page and drag Chrome into Applications. There's one download for both Apple silicon and Intel Macs.
- Linux: Google provides .deb and .rpm packages for Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora and openSUSE.
- Android: Chrome is preinstalled on most phones. If it's missing or disabled, install or enable it from Google Play.
- iPhone and iPad: install Chrome from the App Store. You can make it your default browser in Settings → Apps → Chrome → Default Browser App.
How do I make Chrome my default browser?
On Windows 11, open Settings → Apps → Default apps → Google Chrome and click Set default. On Mac, open System Settings → Desktop & Dock and choose Chrome as the default web browser. On Android, go to Settings → Apps → Default apps → Browser app.
How do I keep Chrome fast?
Chrome slows down over time mostly because of extensions and tabs:
- Limit extensions: each one uses memory and can slow pages. Remove the ones you don't use at chrome://extensions.
- Use Memory Saver (Settings → Performance) so inactive tabs free their memory.
- Restart Chrome when it shows the Update button, which applies security fixes.
- If pages behave strangely, clear cookies and cache for that site rather than for everything.
Chrome alternatives
If you'd like a browser that collects less data, Firefox and DuckDuckGo are popular choices, and Brave is built on the same engine as Chrome, so it supports Chrome extensions, while blocking ads and trackers by default. Microsoft Edge, preinstalled on Windows, is also based on Chromium.
Chrome on iPhone and iPad
On iPhone and iPad, Chrome uses Apple's WebKit engine like every other iOS browser, so pages look and perform much like in Safari. What Chrome adds is Google account sync: your bookmarks, passwords, history and open tabs from a computer appear on your phone. Chrome on iOS can also fill in passwords in other apps if you enable it in iOS Settings → General → AutoFill & Passwords.
Where does Chrome save downloads?
Chrome saves files to your Downloads folder by default. To choose a location for each download, turn on Ask where to save each file in Settings → Downloads. On Android, downloads appear in Chrome's menu → Downloads, and in the Files app. If a video opens in a new tab instead of downloading, right-click it (or press and hold it) and choose Download video or Save video as.
Chrome warns you when a file looks dangerous or comes from a site with a bad reputation. Take those warnings seriously, especially for .exe, .apk and .dmg files.
Profiles and Guest mode
If several people share a computer, give each one a Chrome profile: click the profile picture at the top right and choose Add. Each profile has its own bookmarks, passwords, extensions and sign-in, kept completely separate. For someone borrowing your computer briefly, Guest mode opens a window that can't see your data and forgets everything when it's closed. Incognito, by contrast, is a private window for you: it doesn't save history or cookies, but your employer, school or internet provider can still see the sites you visit.
Security features to know
Chrome's Safe Browsing warns you before you open known phishing and malware sites. Enhanced protection, in Settings → Privacy and security → Security, checks sites and downloads more thoroughly in real time. Safety Check, in the same menu, tells you if Chrome needs an update, if any saved passwords are weak or leaked, and if an extension is harmful. Running it every few months takes ten seconds.
Getting your bookmarks into Chrome
When you install Chrome, it offers to import bookmarks, passwords and history from your current browser. To do it later, open the menu → Bookmarks and lists → Import bookmarks and settings, choose Edge, Firefox or Safari, or an exported HTML file, and click Import.