Also: How to use ChatGPT to create an app I have a number of sites I use every day (such as content management systems, admin tools, invoicing sites, and more). Sure, I can just open those in regular browser tabs and even pin those tabs for easy access. My problem is I typically already have a ton of tabs open in my web browser, so adding another tab can get messy. I could use tab management, but not every browser handles that feature well. On top of that, there are some sites I’d prefer to A) work with as a more traditional app in its own window and B) quickly access from my desktop menu. Also: My favorite keyboard shortcut of all time (and it works on every browser) If that sounds like you (and you use the Chrome browser), there’s a feature that’s been around for some time that makes it easy for you to create a web app from those sites. Before you get confused, you’re not actually building a web app. Instead, Chrome can turn any site you use into what appears like an application, isolated from the browser, in its own window. The site is still served up and rendered in Chrome, only missing many of the bits that would identify the window as a web browser. Think about it: Instead of opening your browser and then opening yet another tab for the site in question, you simply click on your desktop menu and open the web app for that site. The site in question will open in its own window, minus all the typical browser features (no toolbars, bookmarks, address bars… just a window and the “app”). Also: The best browsers for privacy There are only two reasons why I still have Chrome installed: This feature and to cover Chrome when necessary. Even if I didn’t have to write about Chrome, I’d still have it installed for this feature alone (because there are still sites that perform better in Chrome than any other browser). So, how do you do this? Let me show you.
How to create your first web app with Chrome
What you’ll need: The only thing you’ll need is the Chrome browser installed on any desktop operating system (as this doesn’t work on the mobile version). That’s it. Let’s create our first web app. And that’s all there is to creating your first web app with Chrome. Select More tools > Create shortcut. When you close it, you can reopen the app from your desktop menu by searching for the name you gave it when creating the shortcut. Also: How to run websites as apps on Linux I use this feature regularly when I don’t want to clog up my tab bar and for special sites that I use that don’t require a traditional browser interface. Give this feature a try and see if you don’t start using more and more web apps on your desktop.
