Why, Google?
Google Chrome, Google’s foray into the browser market, started on Windows, leaving Mac OS and Linux users wondering what happened to them. Luckily, about a year later, the first beta versions of Chrome for Mac started to appear. However, one feature that had been in the Windows version since the beginning was missing — the ability to create desktop shortcuts to open your favorite web applications in their own window. Even more strangely, the “File” menu still contaned a menu item for “Create Application Shortcut…”, but it was grayed out. One would think that this implied an eventual implementation of this feature…
Fast forward to the present day — about two years have passed, and Chrome for Mac OS has progressed from version “5.0″ (the first Mac version) to version “15″. However, that menu item remains as grayed-out as it ever was! This, of course, makes one wonder if Google has any plans to enable the feature. Luckily, even if they don’t, there is now a way to create Chrome web application shortcuts on your mac! These shortcuts act just like “real” applications, can run alongside Chrome without interference and are even compatible with Mission Control/Exposé and Spaces!
The Procedure
- Grab the tool from this page – the download link is where is says “(download the updated version from here)”
- Run the tool, specify the name and URL of the web app, and select a square PNG file as an icon
- The application will be created in your Applications folder. Drag it to your dock, if you’d like.
- …and you’re done!
Google Chrome, running alongside apps for Remember the Milk, Gmail, and Google Calendar!
Thanks, this worked a treat on Mac OS Lion. I now have google docs Icon in my launcher and with offline-mode, I basically have a nice new office suite
Does it work on Mountain Lion too?
@X
I don’t have Mountain Lion yet, so I’m not sure. If you can test it, I’ll update the post with your result.
I think this is great, but does anyone know how I can enable the navigation? I would like my clients to use this for Google Docs, but they are going to need buttons.
I’m running OS X 10.8.2 (Mountain Lion) and this worked great for me, thanks!
I’d also like to add that the Google Play app store is an excellent place to grab a nice sized icon for this. Just do a search for an app, and copy the icon URL for the desired app. You’ll end up with something like this:
https://lh4.ggpht.com/-Lymw9XVvZ_yKoYTLKt2P-zBBsDK35tXEopVX0rL89r8daWwQZDZjrvSggLOXzDyqPQ=w78-h78
You can also request different image sizes by changing that last URL parameter. (The height isn’t necessary since they all seem to be square)
https://lh4.ggpht.com/-Lymw9XVvZ_yKoYTLKt2P-zBBsDK35tXEopVX0rL89r8daWwQZDZjrvSggLOXzDyqPQ=w512