Install Chrome App Launcher Mac
Mac users on the Google Chrome Dev Channel are now able to download and enable the Chrome App Launcher.
The feature, which was rolled out to Windows users earlier this year, gives instant access to installed web apps, shortcuts, bookmarks and search results without the need to open Chrome itself.
- Apps Launcher is a small Chrome extension that enables you to launch in your web browser with minimal effort. Chrome extension designed to reduce the time you spend launching Google apps To install the Apps Launcher extension to your web browser you need to navigate to the appropriate Chrome.
- This past July, Google released a Chrome app launcher for Windows. Today, Mac users can finally get in on the fun, as Google has released a developer preview of the app launcher for Mac.
On Windows, it’s under the Google Chrome heading on the All apps list. On a Mac, you can find it inside Launchpad. Either right-click and choose Pin to Taskbar (Microsoft machines) or drag the icon.
Squared Off Design
Chrome’s App Launcher works on Windows and Mac in much the same way as it down on Chrome OS.
You get a small, square icon that, when clicked, reveals a grid of app icons and a search box.
Application icons badged with a small arrow icon are ‘traditional’ web apps/shortcuts that open in a new tab. Apps without this are newer ‘Packaged Apps’ and open (typically) in their own window.
Depending on the number of apps you have installed you may see several ‘lines’ at the bottom of the App launcher box. These denote the number of pages available.
You can switch pages by clicking on one of these lines or by swiping with two fingers on your trackpad.
Right-click/two-finger tap on an app icon and you can perform one of several options, including specifying whether an app opens as a regular tab, a pinned tab, or full-screen.
You can also choose to view the selected item in the Chrome Web Store, or uninstall straight from the App Launcher.
(Super) Search Box
The search box does more than just search through apps you have installed. It’s able to sift through your bookmarks, fetch results from Google and show the ‘top hit’ for your term from the Chrome Web Store.
Turn On the Chrome App Launcher
As mentioned at the outset of this article: you need to be on the Chrome Dev Channel in order to be able to enable and use the app launcher.
Assuming you’re signed in with a Google account, all you need to do is hit the button below to enable the feature.
A few things worth noting:
- A new folder called ‘Chrome Apps’ will appear in ‘Applications’
- Packaged apps will appear in Launchpad
Stable users clicking on the button below will find themselves redirected to the webstore.
I find Progressive Web Apps (PWA) an absolute blast to work with. They load stuff fast, feel incredibly responsive, and remain functional even when network connectivity isn’t the greatest — some PWAs also run completely offline. But what’s best is the fact that with Google Chrome, I can have them 'installed' on my PC and Mac.
Despite running on a Chrome wrapper, PWAs give off the impression of functioning just like any other application. They feature their icons within the desktop, completely do away with the Chrome address bar and tabs, and allow for a fully immersive experience.
Chrome provides multiple ways to install and uninstall PWAs on Windows and macOS. Let me walk you through all the best ways to do that.
Also on Guiding Tech
21 Superb Chrome Extensions to Boost Productivity
Read MoreInstalling Progressive Web Apps
The actual process of installing a progressive web app in Google Chrome isn’t complicated at all. However, not all sites have progressive web apps. So you must first load a site to determine whether it features PWA functionality. The first two methods listed below won't work otherwise.
But if your favorite site isn't a progressive web app, then do not worry. Chrome lets you basically convert any site into a PWA using the Create Shortcut functionality. While you can’t expect the advanced features that you normally receive from actual progressive web apps, they do function quite similarly. The third method in this list will help you do that.
1. 'Install' Option on Address Bar
The easiest way to install a progressive web app in Chrome is to use the Install icon on the address bar. Provided that the site supports PWA functionality, wait until the page fully loads, and then click the ‘+’-shaped icon to the right side of the URL bar.
Rc default app mac. Now, all files of that type will open on your newly set default app.On a final note, no matter what apps you set as default, it’s essential that you keep your Mac in tip-top condition.
On the Install App confirmation box that shows up subsequently, click Install. That should prompt Chrome to install the site as a progressive web app. You can find it listed within the desktop immediately.
2. 'Install' Option on Chrome Menu
Another easy method to install progressive web apps involves using the Chrome menu. With the site loaded, open the Chrome menu, and then click Install 'site name.'
Once again, you will be greeted with a confirmation window. Click Install to get the site installed on your computer.
This method is particularly useful if you don't see the Install icon within the URL in the first method. Hence, it's always worth double-checking the Chrome menu to determine whether the site supports PWA functionality.
3. Install Using Create Shortcut Option
Chrome also includes the ability to install any website as a progressive web app forcibly. You can achieve that by using the Create Shortcut functionality present within the Chrome menu. You can also use this method to install actual PWAs, but the two methods above are far more convenient in that regard.
Start by opening the Chrome menu. Point to More Tools, and then click Create Shortcut.
Check the box next to Open As Window, and then click Create to add a shortcut to the website.
Note: If you don't check the box next to Open As Window, the shortcut that you create will not open in a dedicated Chrome window.Also on Guiding Tech
#chrome
Click here to see our chrome articles pageUninstalling Progressive Web Apps
Although PWAs are ‘installed’ on your PC or Mac, they aren’t fully integrated into the operating system. So you can’t uninstall them like ordinary Windows or macOS applications, although this may be a possibility at a later date.
Merely deleting the icons from the desktop won’t cut it either since Chrome will still assume that you have them installed. Instead, here the two proper ways that you can follow to remove PWAs from your PC or Mac.
1. 'Uninstall' Option on PWA Menu
Open the PWA app that you want to remove, and then click the three-dotted icon to the upper-right corner of the screen. On the menu that shows up, click Uninstall 'app name.'
Then, you will come across a confirmation prompt. Check the box next to Also Clear Data From Chrome if you want to remove browsing data and cookies related to the PWA app. That is ideal for troubleshooting purposes, and can help deal with issues caused by an outdated browser cache.
Otherwise, keep the box unchecked. Click Remove to uninstall the PWA.
2. Uninstall Using Apps Launcher
Google Chrome's Apps Launcher also provides you with the means to uninstall PWAs. If you already deleted the desktop icon for the PWA, then this provides the perfect means to uninstall the app fully.
Type chrome://apps into the address bar, and then press Enter to bring up the Apps Launcher.
Right-click the PWA from among the list of apps, and then click Remove From Chrome.
However, when you update individual apps, the login for an Apple ID other than your own shouldn’t appear unless that app was purchased or downloaded by that other party. How yo update a mac app.
Click Remove to confirm. After that, check the box next to Also Clear Data From Chrome if you want to remove the browser cache of the PWA.
Tip: The Apps Launcher also provides the means to add deleted PWA icons back to the desktop. Right-click the app, and then click Create Shortcuts to do that.Also on Guiding Tech
7 Awesome Google Chrome Tricks to Boost Your Productivity
Read MoreInstall Chrome App Launcher Mac Download
Love Them or Hate Them
Progressive web apps are a game-changer. I love the fact that I can focus on a task without getting distracted by dozens of Chrome tabs. But PWAs are still few and far between, so don't forget to 'force' Chrome to create apps for sites that don't support the functionality yet. But of course, not all progressive web apps are the best, so make sure to remove those that don't offer anything special.
Next up: Running into annoying webpage elements all the time? Here are five amazing Chrome extensions to block them.
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.Read NextTop 5 Chrome Extensions to Block Page ElementsAlso See#web apps #shortcuts
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Microsoft Edge was initially code-named Project Spartan.