How to Install Google Chrome on Rocky Linux

Google Chrome is a widely used web browser that handles everything from casual browsing to complex web applications. Whether you need to access web-based development tools, run browser extensions for productivity, or simply want a fast browser with cross-device sync, Chrome provides these capabilities through its efficient rendering engine and extensive extension ecosystem. By the end of this guide, you will have Chrome installed on Rocky Linux with verified functionality and the knowledge to update or remove it as needed.

For users on Rocky Linux 10, 9, or 8, installing Google Chrome can be achieved through two methods. You can use Google’s official RPM packages (available in Stable, Beta, or Unstable builds) which automatically configure a repository for future updates, or you can install via Flatpak from Flathub for a sandboxed installation. This guide covers both approaches, including Rocky 10-specific considerations for GPG key warnings and missing GNOME application icons.

Choose Your Google Chrome Installation Method

Before proceeding, consider which installation method best suits your needs. The table below summarizes the key differences between the available options.

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
DNF (Official RPM)	Google	Stable, beta, unstable, or canary	Automatic via dnf upgrade	Most users who want direct system integration
Flatpak	Flathub	Stable or unstable only	Automatic via flatpak update	Users who prefer sandboxed applications

For most users, the DNF method is recommended because it provides the fastest updates directly from Google and integrates with standard system package management. In contrast, the Flatpak method offers sandboxing benefits but may have slight delays in receiving updates.

Method 1: Install Google Chrome via Official RPM

Update Rocky Linux System Before Google Chrome Installation

First, update your system packages to avoid potential conflicts during installation. This ensures your package manager has current metadata and all existing packages are at their latest versions.

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

This command refreshes the repository metadata and upgrades all installed packages. For faster downloads on slower connections, consider reviewing our guide on increasing DNF speed on Rocky Linux.

Import Google Chrome GPG Key

Google Chrome is available in four variants: Stable (recommended for daily use), Beta (preview features with some stability), Unstable (Dev builds for testing), and Canary (daily experimental builds). Before installing any variant, you should import Google’s GPG signing key to verify package authenticity.

The import behavior differs across Rocky Linux versions due to cryptographic policy changes. Specifically, Rocky Linux 8 imports the key without warnings, Rocky Linux 9 also imports cleanly with standard commands, but Rocky Linux 10 displays SHA-1 subkey policy warnings (which do not prevent the import from succeeding).

Rocky Linux 10 shows policy warnings about expired SHA-1 subkeys during import, but the key imports successfully and package verification works correctly. Google signs packages with RSA/SHA-512, so these warnings about legacy subkeys do not affect security.

For all Rocky Linux versions, the following standard import command works:

sudo rpm --import https://dl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub

On Rocky Linux 10, however, you will see warnings similar to the following, which can be safely ignored:

warning: Certificate 7721F63BD38B4796:
  Subkey 4EB27DB2A3B88B8B is expired: The subkey is not live
  Policy rejects subkey 1397BC53640DB551: Policy rejected non-revocation signature (PrimaryKeyBinding) requiring second pre-image resistance

If you encounter import failures on Rocky Linux 10 (rare), download the key locally and import with flags that bypass signature verification:

curl -O https://dl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub
sudo rpm --import --nodigest --nosignature linux_signing_key.pub
rm linux_signing_key.pub

This approach only bypasses verification for the key import step. Subsequently, package installations continue to use RSA/SHA-512 verification, so security remains intact.

Install Google Chrome via DNF Command

With the GPG key imported, you can now install Google Chrome using DNF. Select the command that matches your preferred variant from the options below.

Stable (Recommended for most users):

sudo dnf install https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_x86_64.rpm -y

Beta (preview features with reasonable stability):

sudo dnf install https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-beta_current_x86_64.rpm -y

Unstable/Dev (developer testing builds):

sudo dnf install https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-unstable_current_x86_64.rpm -y

Canary (daily builds with latest experimental features):

sudo dnf install https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-canary_current_x86_64.rpm -y

Each command includes the -y flag, which automatically confirms the installation prompt. Once installation completes, verify Chrome is working:

google-chrome --version

Google Chrome 143.0.7499.169

This installation automatically creates /etc/yum.repos.d/google-chrome.repo, which configures your system to receive future Chrome updates through standard dnf upgrade commands.

Alternative: Create Repository File Manually

If you prefer more control over repository configuration or need to script the installation, you can create the repository file manually before installing. This approach provides better transparency for automation scenarios.

First, create the repository file:

sudo tee /etc/yum.repos.d/google-chrome.repo <<'EOF'
[google-chrome]
name=Google Chrome
baseurl=https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/rpm/stable/$basearch
enabled=1
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=https://dl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub
EOF

Next, update the package list and install Chrome:

sudo dnf update
sudo dnf install google-chrome-stable -y

This method separates repository configuration from package installation, making it easier to verify setup before installing Chrome. Additionally, DNF imports the GPG key automatically on first use.

Method 2: Install Google Chrome via Flatpak and Flathub

Flatpak provides sandboxed application installations that isolate Chrome from system libraries. As a result, this method is useful if you want to run Chrome in a contained environment or prefer Flatpak update handling.

Enable Flathub for Google Chrome

Flathub is the primary source for Flatpak applications. If Flatpak is not already installed on your system, install it first:

sudo dnf install flatpak -y

Then add the Flathub repository:

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

The --if-not-exists flag prevents errors if Flathub is already configured. As a result, this command enables system-wide access to Flathub applications for all users.

Install Google Chrome via Flatpak Command

With Flathub enabled, you can now install Google Chrome using the Flatpak command. Note that Flathub offers stable and unstable (dev) builds, but no beta or canary version.

Google Chrome Stable:

sudo flatpak install flathub com.google.Chrome -y

Google Chrome Unstable (Dev):

sudo flatpak install flathub com.google.ChromeDev -y

Note that the first Flatpak installation downloads shared runtimes (approximately 1-2 GB), so subsequent Flatpak app installations will be faster. Additionally, you can view installed Flatpak applications with:

flatpak list --app

Launch Google Chrome

After installation, launch Chrome using either command-line or graphical methods. The approach depends on your installation method and whether you have a desktop environment.

Launch Google Chrome from Terminal

The terminal commands differ based on the installation method and Chrome variant. For DNF-installed versions:

google-chrome          # Stable
google-chrome-beta     # Beta
google-chrome-unstable # Unstable/Dev
google-chrome-canary   # Canary

Flatpak-installed Chrome:

flatpak run com.google.Chrome    # Stable
flatpak run com.google.ChromeDev # Unstable/Dev

Launch Google Chrome from Applications Menu

On Rocky Linux desktop installations with GNOME, launch Chrome through the graphical interface:

1. Open Activities: Press the Super (Windows) key or click Activities in the top-left corner.
2. Access Applications: Click the grid icon labeled Show Applications at the bottom of the screen.
3. Launch Chrome: Click the Google Chrome icon. If you installed multiple variants, each appears separately (Google Chrome, Google Chrome Beta, Google Chrome Unstable).

Troubleshoot Rocky Linux 10 Installation Issues

Fix Missing Google Chrome Icon in GNOME

Rocky Linux 10 users may notice Chrome appears in the application menu with a generic placeholder icon instead of the familiar Chrome logo. This occurs because Rocky 10’s default GNOME icon theme lacks the Chrome icon, and Chrome’s RPM package stores icons in /opt/google/chrome/ rather than the standard hicolor theme directory.

To fix this, copy one of the bundled icons to the hicolor theme and refresh the icon cache:

sudo cp /opt/google/chrome/product_logo_128.png /usr/share/icons/hicolor/128x128/apps/google-chrome.png
sudo gtk-update-icon-cache /usr/share/icons/hicolor

Alternatively, download the official SVG logo for a scalable icon:

sudo curl -L https://www.google.com/chrome/static/images/chrome-logo.svg -o /usr/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps/google-chrome.svg
sudo gtk-update-icon-cache /usr/share/icons/hicolor

After running either command, log out and back in. As a result, Chrome now displays its correct icon in the application menu.

Fix Missing dnf config-manager Command

If you receive “No such command: config-manager” when trying to enable or disable the Chrome repository, install the required plugin:

sudo dnf install dnf-plugins-core -y

This package provides the config-manager subcommand for repository management. Note that desktop installations typically include this package, but minimal server installations may not.

Manage Google Chrome

Beyond installation, you may need to update Chrome, temporarily disable its repository, or remove it entirely. The following commands cover these common management tasks.

Update Google Chrome

Chrome installed via DNF updates automatically through system package upgrades. To check for and apply updates manually, run:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

This command refreshes repository metadata and upgrades all packages, including Chrome. Alternatively, to update only Chrome without affecting other packages:

sudo dnf upgrade google-chrome-stable

Similarly, for Flatpak installations, update all Flatpak applications with:

sudo flatpak update

Remove Google Chrome

The removal process depends on your installation method and the Chrome variant installed.

Remove DNF-Installed Chrome

To uninstall the stable version of Chrome, run:

sudo dnf remove google-chrome-stable

Alternatively, for other variants, use the corresponding package name:

sudo dnf remove google-chrome-beta
sudo dnf remove google-chrome-unstable
sudo dnf remove google-chrome-canary

After removal, delete the Google Chrome repository file to prevent DNF from checking for Chrome updates:

sudo rm /etc/yum.repos.d/google-chrome.repo
sudo dnf clean all

The following command permanently removes your Chrome browsing data, including bookmarks, saved passwords, extensions, and browsing history. Export any data you want to keep before proceeding.

Optionally, remove Chrome user data directories:

rm -rf ~/.config/google-chrome
rm -rf ~/.cache/google-chrome

Finally, verify Chrome is completely removed:

which google-chrome

If Chrome is fully removed, this command produces no output.

Disable and Enable Google Chrome Repository

If you want to keep Chrome installed but prevent repository checks during system updates, disable the repository temporarily:

sudo dnf config-manager --set-disabled google-chrome

Next, list available Chrome repositories and verify the disable status:

dnf repolist --all | grep chrome

google-chrome              google-chrome                                disabled

Later, to re-enable the repository when you want to receive updates again:

sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled google-chrome

Remove Flatpak-Installed Chrome

For Flatpak installations, use the following command to uninstall:

sudo flatpak uninstall com.google.Chrome

Similarly, for the unstable version:

sudo flatpak uninstall com.google.ChromeDev

Additionally, remove unused Flatpak runtimes and data with:

sudo flatpak uninstall --unused

Flatpak stores user data in ~/.var/app/com.google.Chrome/. Remove this directory to delete all Flatpak Chrome data including bookmarks, passwords, and extensions.

rm -rf ~/.var/app/com.google.Chrome

Final Thoughts

You now have Google Chrome installed on Rocky Linux with a verified installation method, automatic update configuration, and the knowledge to troubleshoot common issues. In summary, the DNF method provides direct system integration with automatic updates, while Flatpak offers sandboxed isolation for users who prefer that approach. For an alternative browser experience, consider installing Microsoft Edge on Rocky Linux, which uses the same Chromium engine with different features and integration options.