Chrome 124 Replaces GoogleUpdate.exe with New Updater.exe Tool

UPDATE: The latest Google Chrome 124.0 stable version comes with the updater tool location change implemented. The old GoogleUpdate.exe file will be renamed to updater.exe on devices that are upgraded to Chrome 124.0 or later versions.

SUMMARY: Chrome 123.0 and later versions will use a new version of Google Update tool. The previous GoogleUpdate.exe will be replaced with new Updater.exe tool to automatically update the web browser.

Ever since Google Chrome web browser was released to public, it was using a built-in updating tool GoogleUpdate.exe to automatically download and install the newer versions of Chrome in user’s device.

GoogleUpdate.exe service runs in background and regularly checks for newer versions of Chrome. If it finds a new version, it automatically downloads and upgrades the existing version of Chrome to the latest version in user’s device. Many Chrome users were blocking this executable process to disable automatic update feature in Chrome web browser.

We posted an exclusive tutorial to describe what is GoogleUpdate.exe process and how to disable it long time back in year 2008. You can learn more about this executable in following article:

How to Disable or Remove GoogleUpdate.exe Process in Chrome

Now the updater tool is going to receive a new version in Chrome. Starting with Chrome 123.0 version, the web browser will use a new executable Updater.exe instead of GoogleUpdate.exe.

Following screenshot shows the existing GoogleUpdate.exe executable file or service used by Chrome in Windows operating system:

The GoogleUpdate.exe file is stored under following directory in Windows:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update\

You can manually check the executable using File Explorer as shown in following screenshot:

GoogleUpdate_Exe_Folder_Location_Windows_File_Explorer.png

In Chrome 123 and later versions, Chrome will start using a new executable Updater.exe in place of GoogleUpdate.exe.

Following screenshot shows how the new Updater.exe executable file or service looks in Windows operating system:

Google_Chrome_Updater_Exe_Running_Task_Manager_Windows.png

The location of Updater.exe file will also change. It’ll no longer present under previous C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update\ directory. The new location of Updater.exe file will be as following:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\GoogleUpdater\Version_Number\

Following screenshot shows the new location of Updater.exe executable in File Explorer:

Google_Chrome_Updater_Exe_Folder_Location_Windows_File_Explorer.png

Here is the official information provided by Google about this change:

Google Update changes

We are in the process of rolling out a new version of Google Update. As part of this change, the location for GoogleUpdate.exe on Windows will change and will be named updater.exe. Note that the previous path will continue to persist until the transition is fully completed.

Previous: C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe

Current: C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\GoogleUpdater\VERSION\updater.exe

If you remember, recently Opera browser also announced about a similar change in their updating utility. You can read more details about it in following article:

Changes to Launcher.exe and Opera_AutoUpdate.exe in Opera Web Browser

Also Check:

How to Disable or Remove MicrosoftEdgeUpdate.exe Process Running in Task Manager?

[Tip] How to Disable or Block Auto-Update Feature (Opera_AutoUpdate.exe) in Opera

[Tip] Disable Automatic Background Updates Feature in Mozilla Firefox