Open your "Downloads" folder, tap the APK, and follow the prompts. 🚀 Better Alternatives for KitKat Users

Tap on the notification. (Alternatively, open your device's Downloads folder using a File Manager app and tap the downloaded .apk file). A screen detailing the app's permissions will appear. Tap Install at the bottom right corner.

Finding the right version of Google Chrome for an older device running Android 4.4.2 KitKat

To ensure your device stays safe from malware, only download APK files from reputable, verified hosting websites. Step 1: Find a Trusted APK Repository

Once you've downloaded the correct Chrome APK file, you need to install it manually. Here's how:

If you are using an older smartphone or tablet running Android 4.4.2 KitKat, you already know how difficult it is to find working applications. Google officially dropped support for Android KitKat years ago, meaning you can no longer download or update the Google Chrome app directly from the Google Play Store.

A parse error usually means the APK file is corrupt or it requires a newer version of Android than 4.4.2. Double-check that you downloaded Chrome version 81 or lower, and not a modern version. Can I update this version of Chrome in the future?

Because you aren't using the Play Store, you'll need to manually "side-load" the file:

Chrome 81, released in April 2020, marked the deprecation of TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 protocols. While Chrome 81 could still connect to sites using older TLS versions, it was part of Google's transition away from these outdated security standards.

Google has been gradually phasing out support for legacy Android versions. Support for KitKat (API level 19) was officially deprecated in the Chromium code base starting with Chrome M81, and Google moved forward with that deprecation thereafter.