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How can I install Chrome for just myself?

Background

By default, the Chrome installer will attempt to elevate, and install two system-wide services, as well as scheduled tasks. I need to run Chrome on a server that is not my own.

I don't want any Chrome footprint to exist outside of my user profile; and definitely not install any global services.

How can I have Chrome only for the local user?

Google does provide a Alternate (offline) Google Chrome installer (Windows)

If you're downloading Chrome for your own user account only, use this installer: Alternate installer for one user account »

But this "standalone" installer also installs two services.

This is complicated by the fact that this is a Windows Server 2008 R2 machine, with UAC disabled. If UAC were enabled, and Google's installed tried to elevate, I would deny it.

Although, I know from experience, that if the current user could elevate, it will refuse to install. If the current user is a standard user (i.e. is already running at the highestAvailable) it will install just for that user.

But this is not my server; I cannot change the global UAC settings. Even if decided I should change it, it server needs a restart before the new UAC setting takes effect. And the hundreds of users of the web-server would not appreciate it.

How can I install Chrome for just me?

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    "Although, i know from experience, that if the current user could elevate, it will refuse to install" This seems not to be the case any longer. I said No to the UAC prompt, and it then recovered, asking if I'd like to install without Admin rights.
    – Ben Voigt
    Sep 7, 2016 at 18:16
  • I realize that this is quite old. In today's world, my answer would be "don't". Installing Chrome, or any Web browser, on a server is generally a very bad idea, and doing so without involving the person who's server this is is doubly bad.
    – Kevin Keane
    Jul 22, 2020 at 0:18

3 Answers 3

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You might consider using the Portable Apps version of Chrome.

http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/google_chrome_portable

This version does not require "installation" and its updates are maintained by the PortableApps team instead of Google. I use it to have a 2nd version of chrome for testing.

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You can use Google Chrome portable, unzip it to a folder you have access to, and create a shortcut to it to where you want it to be (desktop, start menu, pin to taskbar, etc)

Because it is portable, it is not installed. Because you make the shortcut where you want it to be, no one else sees it. If someone still deletes Google Chrome, they're actively doing so because they don't want the software to be on your pc. If you are at a work location, it is likely this is against a policy, and you should contact a system administrator and ask if Google Chrome is allowed.

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  1. Get the offline Google Chrome installer from https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html?standalone=1
  2. Install it on another Windows box where you have full system permissions.
  3. Zip the entire app folder and transfer the archive to the box with the restricted account.
  4. On the target box unzip, create a shortcut, and benefit.

Chrome/Chromium derivatives

You might also want to consider chrome/chromium derivatives which offer portable versions with zero extra fiddling:

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    There is a high change the updater will not work. It's rather essential to keep you browser update-to-date.
    – MrCalvin
    Oct 29, 2021 at 13:06
  • Not to mention many of the registry keys will likely not work either.
    – TylerH
    Feb 15 at 20:16
  • even though the OP's question was more specific, the broad assumption for this answer is that users are in some kind of restricted sandboxed corporate environment with no admin rights to install anything, so updates etc are out of scope, and are up to the user to take care of
    – ccpizza
    Feb 16 at 11:12

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