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10 Tech How-To

Install Google Chrome with Windows PowerShell

Guide 10-12348 · Updated · Step by step

This guide shows you how to download and install Google Chrome using Windows PowerShell, either with a simple one-liner or a more controlled script. You’ll need an internet connection and a Windows 10 or 11 PC with PowerShell 5.1 or later (which comes preinstalled). No admin rights are required for a per-user install, but if you want Chrome for all users, run PowerShell as Administrator.

What You’ll Need

  • A Windows PC (Windows 10 or 11) with PowerShell available (search for “PowerShell� in the Start menu).
  • An active internet connection.
  • Optional: Administrator privileges if you want to install Chrome system-wide.

Step-by-Step

  1. Open PowerShell. Press Win, type powershell, and select “Windows PowerShell� (or “Terminal� on newer Windows). If you want a system-wide install, right-click it and choose “Run as administrator�.
  2. Check your execution policy (optional). Run Get-ExecutionPolicy. If it returns Restricted, you’ll need to bypass it for the current session. You can do that with the command in the next step.
  3. Download the Chrome installer. Use Invoke-WebRequest to fetch the official standalone installer. The URL below always points to the latest stable version. Run this in PowerShell: 
    Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://dl.google.com/chrome/install/standalonesetup64.exe" -OutFile "$env:TEMP\chrome_installer.exe"

    This saves the installer to your temporary folder. If you’re on a 32-bit system, use standalonesetup.exe instead.

  4. Run the installer silently. Execute the downloaded file with the silent flag so it installs without any prompts: 
    Start-Process -FilePath "$env:TEMP\chrome_installer.exe" -ArgumentList "/silent /install" -Wait

    The -Wait ensures PowerShell waits until the installation finishes.

  5. Verify the installation. After the installer completes, check that Chrome is installed. Run: 
    Test-Path "$env:ProgramFiles\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" -or (Test-Path "${env:ProgramFiles(x86)}\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe")

    If it returns True, Chrome is installed. You can also just search for “Chrome� in the Start menu.

  6. Clean up the installer (optional). Remove the downloaded file to free space: 
    Remove-Item "$env:TEMP\chrome_installer.exe"

Common Mistakes

  • Using the wrong URL. The dl.google.com link is the official one. Some third-party sites offer modified installers—avoid them.
  • Forgetting the silent flag. Without /silent, the installer may pop up a GUI and require user interaction, which defeats the purpose of a scripted install.
  • Not waiting for the process to finish. If you omit -Wait, PowerShell may move on before the installation completes, causing errors when you try to launch Chrome.
  • Running as admin when not needed. A per-user install works fine without admin rights. Running as admin can cause issues if you later try to update Chrome with a per-user profile.
  • Confusing 32-bit and 64-bit. The URL standalonesetup64.exe is for 64-bit Windows. On 32-bit systems, use standalonesetup.exe.

Tips

  • Use the official standalone installer. It’s small, always current, and doesn’t require an existing Chrome installation.
  • Test in a VM first. If you’re deploying to many machines, try the command in a virtual machine to ensure it works in your environment.
  • Add a check for the download. After Invoke-WebRequest, verify the file exists and its size is reasonable (around 1–2 MB). You can do that with Get-Item "$env:TEMP\chrome_installer.exe" | Select-Object Length.
  • Use a single line for quick installs. Combine the download and install into one command: 
    Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://dl.google.com/chrome/install/standalonesetup64.exe" -OutFile "$env:TEMP\chrome_installer.exe"; Start-Process -FilePath "$env:TEMP\chrome_installer.exe" -ArgumentList "/silent /install" -Wait
  • Consider using winget. If you have Windows Package Manager, winget install Google.Chrome is even simpler. But the PowerShell method works on older systems.

Troubleshooting

  • “Invoke-WebRequest� fails with a TLS error. Older PowerShell versions may use TLS 1.0 by default. Force TLS 1.2 by running [Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12 before the download command.
  • The installer runs but Chrome doesn’t appear. Check if the installation was blocked by Group Policy or antivirus. Look for errors in the Event Viewer (Windows Logs > Application). Also, try running the installer manually (without /silent) to see any error messages.
  • PowerShell says “Execution Policy� blocks the script. You can bypass for the current session with Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy Bypass before running your commands. This doesn’t change your system settings permanently.
  • “Access denied� when running as administrator. Make sure you actually right-clicked and chose “Run as administrator�. If you’re on a managed corporate PC, your IT policy may prevent installation.
  • The download is very slow or times out. Try using curl.exe instead: curl.exe -L -o "$env:TEMP\chrome_installer.exe" https://dl.google.com/chrome/install/standalonesetup64.exe. This often works better on Windows 10 1803+.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Do I need admin rights to install Chrome this way? No, the standalone installer can install Chrome per-user without admin. For a machine-wide install, you need admin rights.
  • Will this overwrite an existing Chrome installation? Yes, it will update or replace the existing Chrome installation to the latest version.
  • Can I install Chrome silently for all users? Yes, run PowerShell as Administrator and use the same command. The installer will detect that it’s running with admin rights and install for all users.
  • How do I uninstall Chrome if I change my mind? You can use winget uninstall Google.Chrome or go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features, find Chrome, and click Uninstall. In PowerShell, you can also run Get-Package -Name "Google Chrome" | Uninstall-Package.
  • Is it safe to download Chrome from dl.google.com? Yes, that’s Google’s official download domain. The URL provided in this guide is the official standalone installer.
  • What if I have a 32-bit Windows? Replace standalonesetup64.exe with standalonesetup.exe in the download URL.

Related

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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