Google issues urgent Chrome update as users told to restart their web browsers immediately

Anyone with Chrome installed on their PC must check their settings immediately and click the restart button. The reason for the urgency is due to Google releasing a new version of its popular software that fixes a number of flaws, including one that has been given the dreaded "zero-day" rating. That worrying stamp means hackers are already aware of the cyber bug and are actively exploiting it in the wild.

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The issue, identified as CVE-2026-85046, could be triggered by visiting a fake website operated by online crooks, allowing them to take control via an attack called Remote code execution (RCE).

RCE is a serious security flaw that basically allows attackers to run malicious commands or software on another computer remotely, potentially stealing data, installing malware or taking complete control of the affected device.

That's why it's so vital that users ensure everything is fully up to date.

"The Stable channel has been updated to 152.0.7977.82/.83 for Windows and Mac and 152.0.7977.82 for Linux, which will roll out over the coming days/weeks," Google explained in a blog post .

"Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2026-85046 exists in the wild.

"We would also like to thank all security researchers that worked with us during the development cycle to prevent security bugs from ever reaching the stable channel."

How to update Google Chrome on your computer

Along with that zero-day bug, this release also fixes a further 11 issues with nine rated as "High" severity and two getting a "Medium" status.

Here's how to update Chrome.

Open Chrome on your computer, then click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner. , select Help and click Google Chrome. Chrome will then check for updates and install them automatically. The final step is to click Relaunch to restart your browser and complete the update.

This latest Chrome update comes just a week after another vital release was pushed out to users. In fact, that change included a whopping 327 security fixes, ten of which address critical vulnerabilities.

Two of the bugs were particularly concerning as they could attract the attention of cyber crooks attempting to hack devices and steal sensitive data.

Both could be triggered by an unprotected Chrome user simply visiting a malicious website and could allow the execution of arbitrary code.