Turn your favorite sites into desktop apps in just a few clicks
Do you want to turn your favorite website into a desktop shortcut for your computer? With Google Chrome, you can use the "Create shortcut" tool to make a custom desktop app that opens to a specific webpage or install a website's progressive web app (PWA). These can be pinned to your taskbar or Dock for quick access. This wikiHow will show you how to create a desktop app shortcut for any website on your Windows PC, Mac, or Chromebook.
Tips to Turn Your Favorite Website Into a Desktop App
- Open a website in Google Chrome.
- Click â‹® in the top-right corner.
- Hover over Save and share .
- Click Create shortcut…
- Click Create .
Steps
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Open a website in Google Chrome. Chromebooks should already have Chrome preinstalled. If you don't have it installed, you can easily download it . [1] X Research source
- Use this method to add a shortcut of a specific website to your computer's desktop.
- You can also use Google Chrome to create a Google Search shortcut .
-
Click â‹® . This will be in the top-right corner.
- A drop-down menu will open.
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Hover over Save and share . You can find this below Find and edit .
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Click Create shortcut… . A new window will open.
- If you want the shortcut to open in a new page, check the box for Open as window . Otherwise, the webpage will open in a new tab if there's an existing browser session open.
- You can also rename the webpage if desired. Click the title field and enter the new name.
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Click Create . This is the blue button in the bottom-right corner.
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Open the shortcut. Double-click the shortcut on your desktop. The webpage should open in Google Chrome.
- If you checked Open as window , the shortcut will open automatically after creation.
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Pin your shortcut (optional). You can pin your shortcut to your Start menu or taskbar (Windows), or Dock (Mac) for easy access.
- On Windows
, right-click the shortcut on your desktop, then click Pin to Start
.
- To pin to the taskbar, open the shortcut. Right-click the shortcut in the taskbar, then click Pin to taskbar .
- On Mac , drag the shortcut onto the Dock, wait for a space to appear, and then release it.
- On Windows
, right-click the shortcut on your desktop, then click Pin to Start
.
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Open a website in Google Chrome. You can use Google Chrome on your desktop computer or the Chrome app on your Android device. [2] X Research source
- A progressive web app (PWA) is an app built using technology for web platforms, but has the enhanced feel of a platform-specific app. This is helpful if your device doesn't offer a native app for a certain website.
- While most popular websites have a PWA, not every website will have this feature.
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Click the "Install" icon in the address bar. The address bar is at the top-center of the page. You can find the Install icon (which resembles a down-arrow within a monitor) on the right side of it. A pop-up menu will open.
- On Android, you'll see "Add [website] to Home screen" or similar.
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Click Install . This is the left button.
- On Android, this button will be on the right side.
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View the app. The PWA should open automatically in a new window. This will act as its own application, separate from the Google Chrome browser. You can also find this app on your desktop or app folder.
- On Android, navigate to your homepage and tap the newly added app to open it.
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Delete the PWA (optional). You can easily remove the PWA on your device if you no longer want it.
- On desktop:
- Launch the PWA from your computer.
- Click â‹® in the top-right corner.
- Click Uninstall [website]…
- Click Remove .
- On Android:
- Open Settings .
- Tap Apps & Notifications .
- Tap See all apps .
- Tap the PWA.
- Tap Uninstall .
- On desktop:
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Community Q&A
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QuestionIs there any way to do this same thing on an android device?Community AnswerYes. Go to the website. Tap the three dot (menu) button. Select "Add to Desktop."
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Tips
- People build desktop apps because they can work offline—they're more reliable and enable productivity without the Internet. Web apps require online access to function.Thanks
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- Another simple way to do this is: 1. Go to the webpage. 2. Click the three dots in the upper right corner. 3. Select "More tools" --> "Create shortcut." 4. Give the shortcut a name and check the box for "Open as window." 5. Click "Create."
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