Chrome’s automatic updater ran. Solution: Uninstall Chrome, reinstall using the 109 offline installer. Immediately after installation, open C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update and rename GoogleUpdate.exe to GoogleUpdate.exe.bak . This kills the updater (but also means you will never get any security patch, even for 109).

The offline installer is a complete, standalone executable file (typically 70-90 MB). It contains all the necessary files to install Chrome without any further downloads. It is ideal for:

For users uncomfortable with deep links, maintains a clean archive of old Chrome versions. Search for "Chrome 109 FileHippo" and ensure you click the green "Download Old Version" button. Always scan downloaded .exe files with Windows Defender or Malwarebytes before running.