Google Plans Chrome for ARM64 Linux in Q2 2026

After years of partial support and user requests, Google has announced plans to deliver Chrome builds for ARM64 Linux machines in Q2 2026. Until now, Linux users running on Arm CPUs have typically had to rely on Chromium builds or community ports rather than Google’s official Chrome distribution.

In a blog post, Google framed the decision as a response to growing demand for a browsing experience that pairs the open‑source Chromium project with Google’s ecosystem of apps and services. The company didn’t spell out specific device targets, but the announcement follows earlier platform rollouts: Chrome came to Apple’s Arm Macs in 2020 and to Windows on Arm in 2024.

For many Linux-on-Arm users — owners of single-board computers, Arm‑based laptops, and newer energy-efficient notebooks — the absence of an official Chrome package has meant missing features tied to Google’s builds, including certain sync, security, and media components. Community members have often patched or rebuilt Chromium to fill the gap, but official support could simplify installs and improve compatibility with Google services.

Google’s note left open whether the timeline addresses existing demand from devices already in the market or anticipates a wave of future Arm‑based Linux hardware. Regardless, native support typically brings performance and battery-efficiency advantages compared with running x86 binaries through translation layers.

Expect distribution changes too: packaging for popular Linux formats (deb, rpm, and possibly snaps or Flatpaks) and updates to Google’s channel strategy — stable, beta, and developer builds — to include ARM64. Developers and distro maintainers will likely watch documentation and release artifacts closely to plan testing and integration.

For now, the key takeaway is simple: if you’re running Linux on Arm, Chrome as an official Google build looks set to arrive in Q2 2026, which could make a noticeably smoother browser experience for this growing class of devices.