Google Chrome Shows Updated in Automox But the Local Browser is Not

Issue

Automox reports Google Chrome as updated to the latest version, but on the device itself Help About Google Chrome still shows an older version number. The browser appears to be behind even though the patch or policy run succeeded.

Environment

• Automox (current agent release)
• Windows and macOS devices with Google Chrome managed by a third-party patch policy
• Console areas: device Software page, Activity Log

Overview

In most cases the version difference is expected and temporary. Automox installs the new Chrome version on disk, but Chrome finishes applying an update only when the browser is relaunched. A Chrome window that was open during patching keeps running the older version until it is closed and reopened, so About Google Chrome continues to display the previous version until the relaunch completes.

Two other situations can produce the same appearance:

• The console reflects the last scan, not the live device. Automox's scan/detection records the installed version at scan time. If Chrome updated after the most recent scan, the console and the local browser can disagree until the next scan runs.
• A per-user Chrome install versus a machine-wide install. Automox patches the machine-wide Chrome installation. If a user has a separate per-user copy of Chrome under their profile, that copy is updated independently and can lag behind.

Resolution

1. Relaunch Chrome to finish the update (most common cause):
   • In Chrome, open Help About Google Chrome (or go to chrome://settings/help).
   • If the page shows "Nearly up to date! Relaunch Chrome to finish updating," click Relaunch. Chrome applies the staged update and the version number updates to match what Automox reports.
   • If simply relaunching does not update the version, fully close every Chrome window (confirm no chrome.exe / Google Chrome process is still running) and reopen the browser.
2. Force a fresh scan if the console and the device still disagree:
   • Run a scan on the device from the console (Scan Device), or wait for the next scheduled scan.
   • After the scan finishes, re-check the version on the device Software page. The console reflects what the latest scan detected, so a stale scan is a common reason the numbers differ.
3. Confirm which Chrome installation you are comparing:
   • Verify the version shown in About Google Chrome is the machine-wide install, not a separate per-user copy under a user profile. Automox patches the machine-wide installation; a per-user copy updates on its own schedule.
4. Prevent the recurrence by handling Chrome's running state during patching:
   • By default Automox will not patch some applications while they are running, and Chrome may skip or defer the update if the browser is open. Review Third-Party Patching Best Practices to decide whether to override that behavior for your environment.
   • To have Automox force-close Chrome automatically so the update applies in place, deploy the base Windows - Software Lifecycle - Manage Third Party Override Options worklet (macOS: MacOS - Software Lifecycle - Manage Third Party Override Options) from the Worklet Catalog and add Chrome to its force-close (kill_if_running) list. Enter Chrome by its exact Cached Package Name — google_chrome on Windows, or the Bundle Name com.google.Chrome on macOS (matching is exact and case-sensitive) — and assign the worklet to the same devices your patch policy targets. The next patch run then closes Chrome before patching, so the new version applies without waiting for the user to relaunch. Because this closes the browser during the patch window, expect users to lose unsaved tabs; see Naming Scheme for Third-Party Software Packages for the exact package-name format.
   • To instead prompt users to close Chrome before patching, see Policy for Third-Party Apps with a Shutdown Requirement.

Notes

• This is not a patch failure. The update was installed successfully; the running browser instance simply reflects the old version until it is relaunched.
• Chrome's own update mechanism and the relaunch prompt are controlled by Chrome, not by Automox. Automox delivers and installs the new version; the user (or a forced relaunch/restart) completes it.
• After a relaunch and a fresh scan, the device Software page and About Google Chrome should show the same version. If they still differ, capture both version numbers and open a support ticket.