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Google Chrome 86.0.4240.198 was a real Stable desktop release published on November 11, 2020, for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is now obsolete and should not be used for everyday browsing. Google’s current public download pages are intended for current releases, not a normal archive of old installers, so don’t assume a file on a third-party site is an official or safe download. Use this build only when you have a specific compatibility or recovery need, and only in an isolated environment with a verified installer.
Chrome 86.0.4240.198 at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Product | Google Chrome |
| Version | 86.0.4240.198 (major version 86, build 4240, revision 198) |
| Channel | Stable |
| Desktop release date | November 11, 2020 |
| Desktop platforms named by Google | Windows, macOS, and Linux |
| Security fixes noted in the release | CVE-2020-16013 and CVE-2020-16017 |
| Status today | Obsolete; unsuitable for general-purpose browsing |
Google’s release notice documents the desktop release and its security fixes. Google’s VersionHistory documentation also confirms that 86.0.4240.198 was a Windows Stable version. The same version number appeared in Chrome OS and Android release communications, but those products use different update and installation methods; they are not desktop offline installers.
What an offline installer does—and does not do
A web or stub installer downloads browser components during setup. A standalone installer contains the installation payload locally, so setup can run without an active internet connection if the package is complete and matches the target system. “Offline installer” describes installation, not how the browser behaves afterward: it does not automatically disable Chrome’s update components or prevent the browser from contacting online services.
Package type matters. A per-user installer and an all-users enterprise MSI have different deployment and permission implications. An MSI may be used by Windows Installer during repair, modification, or removal, which is why a machine can later request the original MSI rather than accepting any Chrome installer. Google’s Chrome Enterprise documentation describes the current enterprise bundle, including the MSI and policy templates. It is not evidence that Google still offers the 2020 package. Google’s Mac enterprise installation guidance notes that its installation package can be installed without an internet connection.
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Can you still get the exact installer from Google?
The historical release is verifiable; that does not mean Google currently provides a permanent public download for its exact installer. Google’s current public download and enterprise pages are for current Chrome packages, rather than a consumer archive of every prior build. A Google support community response also says Google does not provide older installers. Treat that as guidance, not as proof about every file Google may retain internally.
If you find a file named for version 86.0.4240.198 on a mirror or archive, the filename alone proves nothing about its origin or integrity. Do not label or treat it as an official Google download unless its provenance is traceable to Google and its signature validates. A hash is useful only when you can compare it with a trusted, independently verified value. If you cannot verify the package, do not run it.
Why someone might need this build
There are legitimate but specialized reasons to reproduce this version: investigating a historical browser bug, testing a legacy web application certified against Chrome 86, recreating a research or QA environment, or recovering an installation whose Windows Installer workflow requests the original MSI. A managed organization might also need to reproduce policy behavior from that period.
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These are controlled-testing or recovery cases, not reasons to put Chrome 86 on a new everyday computer. It cannot guarantee that a legacy site or application will work; incompatibility may instead come from changes to TLS, certificates, server-side software, removed plugins, Windows, or the application’s own runtime requirements.
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Choose the right package and platform
- Windows: Check whether the package is 32-bit or 64-bit and whether it is a per-user executable or an all-users enterprise MSI. They are not interchangeable. Enterprise MSIs are generally intended for managed deployment and may require administrative privileges.
- macOS: Use a package matching the Mac and operating-system environment for which it was built. The 2020 release announcement does not establish that every Chrome 86 package works on every Mac or current macOS version.
- Linux: Match the package format to the distribution, commonly
.debor.rpm, and its architecture. A package for one distribution should not be assumed to install on another. - Chrome OS and Android: These do not use the desktop standalone-installer process described here.
Do not infer Chrome 86’s historical system requirements from Google’s current requirements page; requirements and supported systems change over time.
Verify an installer before running it
- Check the package identity. Confirm the filename, architecture, and installer type match the system and the recovery or test case. A familiar name is not authentication.
- Inspect the Windows signature. Right-click the file, choose Properties, and open Digital Signatures. Check that the signer is Google LLC or the expected Google entity and that Windows reports the signature as valid. Do this before execution.
- Calculate a SHA-256 hash. In PowerShell, run:
Get-FileHash .installer.exe -Algorithm SHA256For an MSI, substitute its filename, for example
Get-FileHash .installer.msi -Algorithm SHA256. - Compare only with a trusted checksum. A hash can show that your copy matches a published value, but it cannot prove that the published value itself came from Google. File size is an even weaker check.
If you cannot establish the source and validate the signature, prefer a current official installer or another safe recovery route over an unknown old executable.
Install it only in an isolated test environment
- Create a disposable virtual machine or isolated physical test machine. Take a snapshot so you can revert after testing.
- Disconnect it from the internet during installation unless the task specifically requires connectivity. Transfer the installer through trusted removable media or an internal share.
- Verify the package’s signature and, where available, its hash. Install the matching architecture and package type.
- Confirm the installed version at
chrome://versionor through Menu → Help → About Google Chrome. Record the complete version, architecture, OS, installer filename, and hash. - Test only the application or behavior you need. Revert the snapshot or retire the test machine afterward.
An old browser can expose the machine to risk even if its installation was performed offline. Do not sign into sensitive accounts or use the test environment for email, banking, shopping, password storage, or ordinary browsing.
Silent installation with an enterprise MSI
If you have independently verified an appropriate enterprise MSI, a conventional Windows Installer command for a quiet install is:
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msiexec /i GoogleChromeStandaloneEnterprise64.msi /qn /norestartTo write a verbose installation log as well:
msiexec /i GoogleChromeStandaloneEnterprise64.msi /qn /norestart /l*v "%TEMP%chrome-install.log"The exact MSI filename varies. /qn suppresses the interface; it does not resolve a wrong architecture, unsupported operating system, or damaged package. /norestart prevents an automatic Windows restart. For removal, use the product code obtained from the installed package or your deployment system rather than guessing:
msiexec /x {PRODUCT-CODE} /qn /norestartGoogle’s current enterprise documentation covers MSI-based deployment and policy templates. Confirm the options and package behavior against the actual MSI you are deploying, especially when managing a historical build.
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Chrome 86.0.4240.198 included fixes for two high-severity vulnerabilities: CVE-2020-16013, an inappropriate implementation issue in V8, and CVE-2020-16017, a use-after-free issue in site isolation. Google said exploits for both existed in the wild when it announced the release. The CISA advisory warned that the vulnerabilities could enable an attacker to take control of an affected system and urged users and administrators to apply the update.
Those fixes improved this build over earlier Chrome 86 releases. They do not make it secure by today’s standards. It has not received years of subsequent security maintenance, and a standalone installation does not guarantee that it will remain at this version. If Google Update or another update mechanism is active, Chrome may update; do not leave an obsolete browser exposed to the public internet just to preserve its version.
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For a controlled lab, block outbound connections at the VM or firewall level, avoid sensitive sign-ins, and document whether update services or scheduled tasks are present. Use enterprise policy only in a managed environment where its behavior is understood. Do not rely on unsupported registry changes as a substitute for isolation.
Troubleshooting common problems
Windows asks for the original MSI
Windows Installer may need the source package to repair, modify, or remove an MSI-based installation. The correct source is the matching original package—same version, architecture, and installation channel—not simply another Chrome installer with a similar name. A user-posted Google support case describes a request for GoogleChromeStandaloneEnterprise_86.0.4240.198_x64.msi; it is an example of the problem, not an official download source. If you cannot obtain and verify the exact MSI, avoid an unknown upload. Revert a clean snapshot or use a supported recovery approach instead.
The installer will not run
Possible causes include a wrong architecture, an incompatible operating system, an incomplete or modified file, permission restrictions, a Windows Installer problem, or a conflict with an existing installation. Recheck the signature and hash, use the package matching the system, copy it to a local disk, and review Windows Installer logs or Event Viewer. A clean disposable VM can help separate system conflicts from package problems. Do not download a replacement MSI from an untrusted source.
Chrome updates immediately
That can happen when update components or management policies are active. For historical testing, isolate the machine and record what updates. Offline installation does not itself disable updates.
The legacy site still fails
Changing browser versions will not fix every site issue. Check whether the application depends on a particular Windows component, vendor runtime, certificate or TLS configuration, or browser integration. Chrome 86 is not a universal legacy-app fix or a way to restore supported Flash. Chrome enterprise release notes stated that Flash would stop working in all Chrome versions after December 31, 2020; installing this build in 2026 does not restore supported Flash functionality. See the Chrome enterprise release notes.
Quick Recap
Safer alternatives
- For normal browsing: Install the current supported Chrome release from Google’s official download or enterprise channel.
- For historical reproduction: Use a disposable, snapshotted VM with strict network isolation and verified media.
- For enterprise compatibility: Ask the application vendor about supported browser modes or managed legacy-browser options before pinning an obsolete browser.
- For QA automation: Use a reproducible, version-pinned test environment. A Chromium build is not automatically identical to Google Chrome; branding, codecs, update services, policies, and proprietary components can differ.
- For fleet deployment: Use the current Chrome Enterprise bundle, MSI, and policy templates with an approved deployment process rather than standardizing on Chrome 86.
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