How to Install Chromium Browser on Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04 and 22.04

When you want a Chrome-compatible browser without Google’s proprietary extras, Chromium is the obvious place to start on Ubuntu. You can install Chromium on Ubuntu through Ubuntu’s default Snap-based path or switch to xtradeb or Flatpak when you want a different package format and update workflow.

Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04 all support at least one of these Chromium paths. Ubuntu still exposes chromium-browser as a transitional package that installs the Chromium Snap. xtradeb currently publishes community-maintained native .deb builds for all three LTS releases, and Flathub offers the same Flatpak across them. You can install any of these packages from a terminal, but a normal Chromium browser window still needs an active graphical session to open.

Install Chromium Browser on Ubuntu

All three methods work, but they solve slightly different problems. The best fit depends on whether you want Ubuntu’s default packaging, a community .deb, or a Flatpak build from Flathub.

Method	Source	Package Format	Update Path	Best For
Ubuntu repository	Ubuntu `chromium-browser` package	Transitional wrapper that installs the Chromium Snap	Snap refreshes	Users who want the simplest default Ubuntu path
xtradeb PPA	Launchpad PPA	PPA-maintained native `.deb`	APT-managed updates	Users who want Chromium on Ubuntu without Snap
Flatpak	Flathub	Flatpak app with separate app data	Flatpak updates	Users who prefer Flathub packaging and separate app data

Use the Ubuntu repository when you are fine with the Snap package and want the least setup.
Use xtradeb when you want an APT-managed .deb package instead of Snap.
Use Flatpak when you want Flathub packaging and separate app data while accepting Chromium’s broad browser permissions.

Chromium itself does not publish an official Ubuntu .deb installer like Google Chrome does. If you want Chromium without Snap, the practical managed choices are the xtradeb PPA for APT-managed packages or Flathub for Flatpak.

On arm64 Ubuntu machines, the current managed paths also exist: Ubuntu’s wrapper package and the Chromium Snap publish arm64 builds, xtradeb publishes arm64 PPA packages, and Flathub lists the Chromium Flatpak for aarch64. The examples below use amd64 or x86_64 output, so your architecture field can differ.

Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04 all support the Snap wrapper and the xtradeb PPA today. Flathub works on the same releases after you install Flatpak.

Update Ubuntu Before Installing Chromium

Refresh your package metadata first so APT sees the latest repository state before you install Chromium.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

These commands use sudo for tasks that need root privileges. If your account does not have sudo access yet, follow the guide on how to add a new user to sudoers on Ubuntu before continuing.

Install Chromium Browser from Ubuntu Repositories

Ubuntu’s repository uses the chromium-browser package name, but that package is a transitional wrapper that installs the Chromium Snap rather than a native .deb build. On a stock Ubuntu system, sudo apt install chromium has no candidate until you add a source such as xtradeb that actually provides a chromium package.

The chromium-browser package lives in Ubuntu’s universe component. If APT says it has no installation candidate, enable Universe first with our guide on enable Universe and Multiverse in Ubuntu, then refresh APT and rerun the install.

sudo apt install chromium-browser

Use Snap metadata to verify the install, because the repository package hands the browser off to Snap behind the scenes.

snap list chromium

Name      Version          Rev   Tracking       Publisher     Notes
chromium  147.0.7727.116   3423  latest/stable  canonical**  -

The canonical** publisher marker confirms the Snap came from Canonical, and the installed revision shows Chromium is now available through the Snap channel rather than as a native package. Snap versions and revisions move quickly, so your output can show a newer build.

Install Chromium Browser with xtradeb PPA

The xtradeb PPA publishes Chromium as a native Ubuntu package for 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04. This is the main APT-managed option when you want Chromium on Ubuntu without Snap, but it is still an unofficial community PPA rather than an Ubuntu archive package.

sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:xtradeb/apps

Pin the PPA before installing Chromium so other xtradeb packages do not override Ubuntu’s own packages by accident. This command uses tee because normal shell redirection does not inherit sudo.

printf '%s\n' \
'Package: *' \
'Pin: release o=LP-PPA-xtradeb-apps' \
'Pin-Priority: 100' \
'' \
'Package: chromium*' \
'Pin: release o=LP-PPA-xtradeb-apps' \
'Pin-Priority: 700' | sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/chromium-xtradeb > /dev/null

Refresh APT and confirm that Chromium now resolves to the xtradeb source before you install it.

sudo apt update
apt-cache policy chromium

Relevant output includes:

chromium:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 147.0.7727.137-1xtradeb1.2604.1
  Version table:
     147.0.7727.137-1xtradeb1.2604.1 700
        100 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/xtradeb/apps/ubuntu resolute/main amd64 Packages

The candidate version and the xtradeb URL confirm that APT will pull Chromium from the PPA instead of Ubuntu’s Snap wrapper. The 700 priority on the Chromium version shows the targeted package pin is active, while the broader xtradeb repository remains lower priority for unrelated packages. Ubuntu 24.04 uses the same check with a 2404 package suffix, while Ubuntu 22.04 can show a different current Chromium build from the same PPA. Treat the version as a current example, not a fixed requirement.

sudo apt install chromium

Use APT metadata again after installation so you can confirm both the installed version and the active xtradeb candidate.

apt-cache policy chromium

chromium:
  Installed: 147.0.7727.137-1xtradeb1.2604.1
  Candidate: 147.0.7727.137-1xtradeb1.2604.1
  Version table:
 *** 147.0.7727.137-1xtradeb1.2604.1 700
        100 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/xtradeb/apps/ubuntu resolute/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

The installed and candidate versions now match, and the 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status line confirms Chromium is installed from the xtradeb package rather than just available from the repository.

Install Chromium Browser from Flatpak

Flatpak is a good fit when you want Chromium packaged through Flathub and stored under a separate app data path. The Chromium Flatpak still has broad browser permissions, including home-directory and device access, so treat it as a different package format rather than a strict privacy boundary.

Ubuntu does not pre-install Flatpak. If you need it first, follow our guide on how to install Flatpak on Ubuntu, then come back here to add Flathub and Chromium.

Add the Flathub remote at system scope, then verify that the remote exists before you install Chromium.

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
flatpak remotes --system

flathub

The --if-not-exists flag makes the command safe to rerun, and the remote check proves Flathub is ready before you download the browser.

sudo flatpak install flathub org.chromium.Chromium -y

Use flatpak info after the install because it is a clean, headless-safe way to confirm the app ID, branch, origin, and version.

flatpak info org.chromium.Chromium

Relevant output includes:

Chromium Web Browser - The web browser from Chromium project

          ID: org.chromium.Chromium
         Ref: app/org.chromium.Chromium/x86_64/stable
        Arch: x86_64
      Branch: stable
      Origin: flathub
     Version: 147.0.7727.137

That output confirms Chromium came from Flathub and shows the exact Flatpak build installed on the system. The version line can be newer by the time you run the command.

Launch Chromium Browser on Ubuntu

Once Chromium is installed, you can open a normal browser window from a terminal or from your desktop menu. The command depends on whether you installed the Ubuntu or xtradeb build, or the Flatpak build.

Launch Chromium Browser from the Terminal

Use the plain chromium launcher for the Ubuntu Snap and the xtradeb package.

chromium

Use the Flatpak run command when you installed Chromium from Flathub.

flatpak run org.chromium.Chromium

Add & at the end of either command if you want the browser to start in the background and return the terminal prompt immediately. For automation or headless use, pass Chromium flags to the same launcher you installed, but keep desktop troubleshooting separate from server-only runs.

Launch Chromium Browser from the Applications Menu

The graphical launcher is still the easiest way to open Chromium during normal desktop use.

Open the Show Applications menu or press the Super key.
Type Chromium in the search field.
Select Chromium Web Browser to start it.

Update Chromium Browser on Ubuntu

Each packaging format updates Chromium differently, so use the command that matches the method you installed.

Update the Chromium Snap Package

Snap refreshes Chromium automatically, but you can force an immediate check when you want to pull the newest stable build right away.

sudo snap refresh chromium

snap "chromium" has no updates available

Update Chromium Browser from the xtradeb PPA

The PPA-maintained package from xtradeb updates through the normal APT workflow, so you can upgrade Chromium without touching unrelated packages.

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade chromium

Update the Chromium Flatpak Package

Flatpak can update Chromium on its own schedule, but this command refreshes the app immediately at system scope.

sudo flatpak update org.chromium.Chromium -y

Remove Chromium Browser from Ubuntu

Use the removal path that matches the package format you installed. The Snap, PPA, and Flatpak builds all clean up differently.

Remove the Chromium Snap Package

When you used Ubuntu’s chromium-browser package, remove the transitional APT wrapper and the Snap it installed. Then verify that neither installed state remains.

sudo apt remove chromium-browser
sudo snap remove --purge chromium
dpkg-query -W -f='${db:Status-Abbrev} ${binary:Package}\n' chromium-browser 2>/dev/null | grep '^ii' || echo "chromium-browser package not installed"
snap list chromium 2>/dev/null || echo "chromium snap not installed"

chromium-browser package not installed
chromium snap not installed

The --purge option skips Snap’s automatic data snapshot. Omit it only when you intentionally want Snap to retain a removable snapshot after uninstalling the app.

Remove Chromium Browser from the xtradeb PPA

Remove the Chromium packages first, then verify that none of the xtradeb Chromium packages remain installed before you clean up the PPA itself.

sudo apt remove chromium chromium-common chromium-sandbox
dpkg-query -W -f='${db:Status-Abbrev} ${binary:Package}\n' chromium chromium-common chromium-sandbox 2>/dev/null | grep '^ii' || echo "chromium packages not installed"

Relevant output includes:

chromium packages not installed

Once the package is gone, remove the xtradeb source, the pin file, and the legacy trusted-key files that older Ubuntu releases can create for this PPA.

sudo add-apt-repository --remove -y ppa:xtradeb/apps
sudo rm -f /etc/apt/preferences.d/chromium-xtradeb
sudo rm -f /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/xtradeb-ubuntu-apps.gpg /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/xtradeb-ubuntu-apps.gpg~
sudo apt update
apt-cache policy chromium

Relevant output includes:

chromium:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: (none)

Remove the Chromium Flatpak Package

Remove the Flatpak app first, then verify that the app ID no longer appears in the installed app list.

sudo flatpak uninstall org.chromium.Chromium -y
flatpak list --app --columns=application,origin | grep '^org\.chromium\.Chromium\b' || echo "NOT_INSTALLED"

NOT_INSTALLED

If Flatpak reports unused runtimes after removing Chromium, review the list before pruning them. This cleanup can affect runtimes shared by other Flatpak applications.

sudo flatpak uninstall --unused

Find Chromium User Data Before Removing It

The next commands permanently delete local Chromium profiles, including bookmarks, browsing history, saved passwords, and extensions stored under the paths they remove. Export anything you want to keep before you continue.

Chromium does not create every possible data directory on every install, and Snap or Flatpak removal may already remove some method-specific data. The safest cleanup pattern is to find the paths that actually exist for your account first, then remove only those paths.

find "$HOME" -maxdepth 4 \( -path "$HOME/.config/chromium" -o -path "$HOME/.cache/chromium" -o -path "$HOME/.var/app/org.chromium.Chromium" -o -path "$HOME/snap/chromium" \) -print

After you confirm which paths exist, remove only those locations. The Snap path usually appears only after Chromium has been launched at least once.

for path in \
  "$HOME/.config/chromium" \
  "$HOME/.cache/chromium" \
  "$HOME/.var/app/org.chromium.Chromium" \
  "$HOME/snap/chromium"
do
  [ -e "$path" ] && rm -rf -- "$path"
done

Conclusion

Chromium is ready on Ubuntu with the packaging model that fits your desktop, whether that means the default Snap, a PPA-maintained native .deb from xtradeb, or the Flathub Flatpak. If you want Google’s sync and Widevine stack, install Google Chrome on Ubuntu. If you want the stricter privacy-focused fork, install Ungoogled Chromium on Ubuntu.