When Chrome does detect an available update, it downloads the new code and preps it for installation, although that latter step doesn't begin until the user starts or restarts the browser. The browser periodically checks for updates Google's own documentation, which is often left long out of date on the firm's site, says in one place it does so every 23 hours and 20 minutes.
Automatic updates, or manual triggerīecause Chrome does updates automatically, most users need do nothing but relaunch the browser once in a while to stay current. We've dug into Chrome's updates, from their frequency and schedule to how to manage them as an individual or as an IT professional. Among the sticking points has been Chrome's automatic updating mechanism, which some decried for force-feeding unwanted changes, or for delivering those changes at speeds too quickly for customers to absorb. Since its debut, it has gradually convinced first individuals and then enterprises that it is the best replacement for Microsoft's once-leading Internet Explorer.ĭespite its popularity, Google's browser has not been without its critics. (If you haven't actually installed Chrome yet, you can download it for free from Google here.) Chrome updates itself in the background - and has done so since it debuted nearly nine years ago - which is why it's been one of the world's most popular browsers for more than a year now.
