Installing Chrome PKG on macOS

Installing Google Chrome on macOS using the PKG installer provides enterprise administrators with powerful deployment options. The PKG format supports silent installations, MDM integration, and centralized management across Mac fleets.

Prerequisites

Before installing Chrome PKG:

macOS 10.12 or later
Administrative privileges
Chrome PKG installer (download from ChromeDL)
Terminal access or MDM solution

Manual Installation

For individual installations:

Download the Chrome PKG file
Double-click the PKG file to start the installer
Follow the installation wizard
Chrome will be installed to /Applications/Google Chrome.app

Silent Installation via Terminal

Install Chrome silently using the installer command:

sudo installer -pkg GoogleChrome.pkg -target /

This command:

Runs with administrator privileges
Installs to the root volume
Provides no user interaction
Overwrites existing installations

Installation with Logging

Add logging for troubleshooting:

sudo installer -pkg GoogleChrome.pkg -target / -verbose -dumplog > /tmp/chrome_install.log 2>&1
            

Scripted Installation

Create a bash script for automated deployment:

#!/bin/bash

PKG_PATH="/path/to/GoogleChrome.pkg"
LOG_FILE="/tmp/chrome_install.log"

echo "Installing Google Chrome..."

if sudo installer -pkg "$PKG_PATH" -target / -verbose > "$LOG_FILE" 2>&1; then
    echo "Chrome installed successfully."
    echo "Installation log saved to $LOG_FILE"
else
    echo "Installation failed. Check log file: $LOG_FILE"
    exit 1
fi
            

JAMF Deployment

For JAMF-managed environments:

Upload the PKG to your JAMF distribution point
Create a new policy
Add the PKG as a package payload
Set execution to "Install"
Scope to target computers or groups

Intune Deployment

Deploy Chrome PKG via Microsoft Intune:

Create a new macOS app
Upload the PKG file
Set install command: sudo installer -pkg GoogleChrome.pkg -target /
Configure detection rules
Assign to user groups or devices

Munski Deployment

Using Munki for Chrome deployment:

# Import the PKG
munkiimport GoogleChrome.pkg

# Configure manifest
manifestutil add-pkg GoogleChrome --manifest production
            

Custom Installation Location

The PKG installer doesn't support custom paths. Chrome installs to /Applications/ by default. For custom locations, use the DMG installer instead.

Note: PKG installations are system-wide. Individual users cannot install to their home directories using this method.

Post-Installation Configuration

Set as Default Browser

# Set Chrome as default browser for all users
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices/com.apple.launchservices.secure LSHandlers -array-add '{LSHandlerContentType=public.html;LSHandlerRoleAll=com.google.chrome;}'
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices/com.apple.launchservices.secure LSHandlers -array-add '{LSHandlerURLScheme=https;LSHandlerRoleAll=com.google.chrome;}'
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices/com.apple.launchservices.secure LSHandlers -array-add '{LSHandlerURLScheme=http;LSHandlerRoleAll=com.google.chrome;}'
            

Disable Auto-Updates

# Create enterprise plist
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.google.Keystone.Agent checkInterval 0
            

Troubleshooting

Installation Fails

Verify you have administrator privileges
Check disk space (minimum 200MB free)
Ensure no other Chrome installation is running
Try installing with verbose logging

Chrome Won't Launch

Check system requirements and Gatekeeper settings:

# Check Gatekeeper
spctl --status

# If Gatekeeper is blocking, allow the app
sudo spctl --master-disable
# Re-enable after installation
sudo spctl --master-enable
            

Permission Issues

Repair disk permissions if needed:

sudo diskutil repairPermissions /

Uninstallation

To remove Chrome PKG installation:

sudo rm -rf "/Applications/Google Chrome.app"
sudo rm -rf "/Library/Google/"
sudo rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Chrome/
            

Verification

Verify successful installation:

# Check if Chrome is installed
ls "/Applications/Google Chrome.app"

# Check version
"/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome" --version

# Check for running processes
pgrep -f "Google Chrome"
            

Best Practices

Always test installations on a representative Mac first
Use MDM solutions for large-scale deployments
Implement logging for troubleshooting
Document your deployment procedures
Keep installation packages in a central repository

Conclusion

The Chrome PKG installer provides reliable deployment options for macOS environments. Whether using Terminal commands or MDM solutions, you can efficiently deploy Chrome across your Mac fleet. For PKG downloads, visit our download page.