How Can I Keep Google Chrome Updated in a Manual Patch Management Environment?

Just a thought — if they're not using Chrome, maybe consider removing it altogether? It could eliminate the issue. But also, keep in mind Chrome does have a self-update service, checking for updates when launched. If users aren't opening it for weeks, it won't get updated. It might be worth blocking user installations to keep it updated system-wide.

Is Chrome available through winget? If it is, that might provide a solution. Just curious if you've tried using it before? I heard some people had mixed results with winget in similar environments.

You should check out Ninite Pro. It automates app updates, including Chrome, which could save you a lot of time.

I've had good luck using Heimdall on my personal laptop for automatic updates of third-party apps. For work, you might look into installing the Chrome enterprise MSI directly over existing installations. You could also set up Group Policy to enforce updates, although if users aren’t launching it, that won’t really help.

Have you considered using PowerShell? It might be more effective. Also, I recommend uninstalling the individual instances of Chrome and using the enterprise version instead. It could simplify things for you! PDQ could also be a good option altogether.