How Big Is the Google Chrome File?

Google releases newer versions of Chrome approximately every six weeks. As the company adds new features to the browser, the installation files size may change. If you visit the Chrome download Web page and click "Accept and Install," a dialog window opens that offers to save the file. It also shows the file's size. As of the date of publication, the size of the 23.0.1271.64 m version is 30.3MB. If you have a slow dial-up connection and would like to download the file quickly, consider using a computer that has a faster broadband connection. You can then save it to an external drive and install it on your own computer.

When you install Google Chrome, it creates a User Data folder that collects and manages your personal information. This folder's Bookmarks file grows as you visit websites and save bookmarks. Although bookmark entries are small, the Bookmark file can become large when you bookmark hundreds or thousands of sites. Chrome also uses more disk space if you choose to create additional user profiles. Each profile you create maintains its own set of files that contain the profile's personal settings.

The Chrome User Data folder also maintains files that grow and shrink as you surf the Web. Websites, for example, often store tiny bits of data called cookies on your hard drive. The user data directory contains those cookies as well as the file that holds your browsing history. Your browsing history grows as you surf the Web -- until you clear the history by clicking the Chrome menu, clicking "History," and then clicking "Clear browsing Data."

Find your user data directory by opening Windows Explorer and navigating to the C:\Users folder. Click the “AppData” folder to reveal the Local folder, and click the “Local” folder to reveal the Google folder. Click that folder to display the Chrome folder, and click that folder reveals the User Data folder. This folder contains a separate subfolder for each Chrome Profile. Unless you create an additional profile, the folder contains one profile folder named Default. If you right-click that folder and select "Properties," you can see the folder's size in the Properties window that opens.

You may need to type "Folder Options" in your Start menu and press "Enter" if you cannot find the AppData folder; the file may be hidden. After pressing "Enter" and then clicking "View," you see a radio button named "Show Hidden Files, Folders and Drive." Click that radio button to select it if you'd like to make hidden files visible. This allows you to find your Chrome User Data folder.