Turn Your Favorite Website Into Desktop Apps With Google Chrome

Turn your websites into desktop apps with Chrome (unlike regular .URL files, you can adjust how the site opens - such as making it open full-screen)

Steps

  1. Ensure any New Tab overriding extensions are OFF, Bookmark bar is ON (use the central menu icon or type in about:settings in the Omnibox), ensure you are on the "app" side of the default New Tab Page.
  2. If the favorite site is not already a bookmark (but why wouldn't it?), visit the site, open a new tab beside it. If already bookmarked, go to Step 4
  3. Drag the favorite site's favicon (in URL bar, left of URL) into bookmark bar (if you had to do step 2)
  4. Go to chrome://apps, and drag the bookmark of the site to the space right of the Chrome icon (or between any two icons if there are other apps already in)
  5. Right-click the newly-made app, set the tab property (like "Fullscreen tab" for your Runescape bookmark)
  6. Right-click again, choose "create shortcut", choose where to create your shortcut. (see warnings)

Tips

  • You could use the main menu while on the site, but that would need to be adjusted later on, and the menu itself may be placed differently (such as in Yandex.browser or Comodo Dragon)
  • Also, to avoid the hassle between Chrome and Dragon (such as if you sync Chrome on Linux with Dragon on Windows), you can bookmark about:settings (Extensions and history are sections of Settings) and about:plugins (if you need to disable Flash to prevent browser from crashing). You don't need to bookmark Downloads, just hit Ctrl+J.
  • If there is any bugs or it does not have the function to do this, then please update Google Chrome to the latest database.

Warnings

  • DO NOT CHECK "pin to taskbar" if you're not on Windows 7 or later!
  • Don't pin AT ALL you're on Linux/OSX!
  • On Windows XP/Vista (prior to 7), make it a DESKTOP shortcut then drag to quick launch (or any other folder embedded in taskbar).

Things You'll Need

  • Google Chrome
  • A new tab opened
  • Any website
  • Bookmarks bar always showing

Related Articles

  • Add Google Shortcuts from Chrome