Google pushed Chrome 157 to the stable channel on Tuesday, November 3, and this is one update you should not put off. It contains 213 security fixes, including 7 rated Critical, Google’s highest severity level, and 77 rated High. If you are still on Chrome 156 or older, your browser has known holes that are now public knowledge.
The desktop builds are version 157.0.8103.38 or 157.0.8103.39 for Windows and Mac, and 157.0.8103.38 for Linux. The Android build carries the same version number and the same security fixes, and it reaches Google Play over the next few days. Google rolls the update out gradually, so not every computer is offered it on day one, but you can force the check yourself in under a minute, and this article shows you how.
The most serious flaw is in WebGPU
The top Critical item is a buffer overflow in Dawn, Google’s open source WebGPU implementation, the component that lets web pages use your graphics hardware. Buffer overflows in a component like this are the kind of flaw attackers prize, because a malicious page can potentially use them to run code outside the browser’s sandbox. SecurityWeek’s count of Google’s published severity labels puts the release at 7 Critical, 77 High, and the rest Medium or Low across the 213 fixes.
Who is affected? Anyone on Chrome 156 or older, on Windows 10 or newer, Mac, Linux, Android 10 or newer, or a Chromebook, which gets Chrome through its system update. That is effectively every Chrome user who has not updated in the last few days. Chrome is the world’s most used browser, which is exactly why a 213 fix release draws attention from attackers as well as defenders.
Update Chrome on desktop in under a minute
On Windows, Mac, or Linux, open Chrome, click the three dot menu in the top right, then go to Help, then About Google Chrome. Chrome checks for updates automatically on that page. If version 157 is available, it downloads it, and you click Relaunch to finish. Your tabs are restored after the relaunch, so the interruption is seconds, not minutes.
If the About page still shows Chrome 156, the rollout has not reached you yet. Check again later the same day, and do not ignore the update prompt when it appears. There is no reason to wait for a better moment with 7 Critical fixes in the release.
Update Chrome on Android and Chromebook
On Android, open the Google Play Store, search for Chrome, and tap Update if the button is showing. If you see Open instead, your phone already has the latest version Google Play is offering it, and the rollout will reach you within a few days. You can also check inside Chrome itself under Settings, then About Chrome, to confirm the version number reads 157.0.8103.38.
On a Chromebook, Chrome updates with the operating system. Go to Settings, then About ChromeOS, and check for updates there. If your device is managed by a school or employer, the update may arrive on their schedule, in which case it is worth flagging this release to your IT team, given the Critical ratings involved.
Why this release is bigger than usual
Most Chrome stable releases fix a few dozen security issues. A release with 213 fixes and 7 Critical ratings is a different scale, and it follows a pattern worth noting: browsers are now patched like operating systems, because they effectively are operating systems for most of what people do online. The same week Apple shipped a 134 fix security update for older iPhones, Google shipped this one for Chrome. Keeping the browser current is the single highest value security habit most people have, and it costs about a minute.
One last check after updating: visit the About page again and confirm the version number. If it reads 157.0.8103.38 or higher, you are done. If it does not, the rollout has not reached you yet, and the safest move is to check again tomorrow rather than downloading Chrome from anywhere other than Google or your device’s official store. For more on this week’s updates, see Apple’s 134 fix update for older iPhones and what is new in the iOS 27.3 beta.
