Google Chrome App

<h2 id="history">History</h2>
<p>On August 19, 2016, Google announced that it would begin phasing out Chrome Apps for <a href="/facts/Microsoft_Windows/bwhAhuSL">Windows</a>, <a href="/facts/MacOS/Y93vVpTm">MacOS</a> and <a href="/facts/Linux/9FvCKSTq">Linux</a> (both packaged and hosted) by the end of 2016, finishing the process in early 2018.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> The company said that such apps would continue to be supported and maintained on <a href="/facts/ChromeOS/zH0B5Xtk">ChromeOS</a> "for the foreseeable future".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> The plan later changed, with Chrome Apps set to last until at least January 2025 for ChromeOS.
</p><p>On January 15, 2020, Google announced that Chrome would begin phasing out support for Chrome Apps completely starting in March 2020, with support for consumers until June 2021.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> On October 14, 2021, Google announced that support from Chrome Apps for Enterprise and Education customers using ChromeOS would be extended until at least January 2025.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a>
</p><p>The new timeline for chrome apps is now this 
</p>
<ul><li>July 2025: End of support for user-installed Chrome Apps (scheduled for ChromeOS M139).
<ul><li>Chrome Apps that are force-installed through the admin console will continue to be supported.</li>
<li>Can be overiden with flag #allow-user-installed-chrome-apps</li></ul></li>
<li>July 2026: Last ChromeOS release with support for Chrome Apps in Kiosk Mode (scheduled for ChromeOS M150).
<ul><li>Devices on the LTS channel with Chrome Apps in Kiosk Mode will receive support until April 2027.</li></ul></li>
<li>February 2028: Last ChromeOS release with support for Chrome Apps (scheduled for ChromeOS M168), marking the end of life for all Chrome Apps.
<ul><li>Devices on the LTS channel can continue to use Chrome Apps until October 2028.</li>
<li>No exceptions will be granted.</li></ul></li></ul>
<h2 id="types">Types</h2>
<p>Chrome apps can be hosted or packaged. Hosted apps have their background web pages on a remote server and the app acts like a <a href="/facts/Bookmark_(World_Wide_Web)/E4WpX0Ku">bookmark</a> or shortcut;<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> packaged apps have offline functionality making use of local storage.
</p>
<h3>Packaged</h3>
<p>Packaged apps were launched on September 5, 2013.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> They have features very similar to a native desktop app, namely offline capable (by default), can interact with hardware devices, and can access local storage.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> Packaged apps are not confined to the regular Chrome interface and can display without a classic window menu and <a href="/facts/Operating_system/8XTuvMh2">operating system</a> <a href="/facts/User_interface/e9sPEWVD">user interface</a> elements.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a>
</p>
<h3>Hosted</h3>
<p>Hosted apps are the original type of Chrome apps. They contain a single <a href="/facts/Manifest_file/h8PEdvVx">manifest file</a> that contains the URL and additional information about the app. Hosted apps typically require an internet connection and are subject to regular web page security restrictions.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Progressive_web_app/IpkL2Yhb">Progressive web app</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="https://developer.chrome.com/apps/about_apps">What Are Chrome Apps?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://support.google.com/chrome_webstore/answer/3060053">Add & open Chrome apps - Chrome Web Store Help</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>"Chrome for PC". Famous File. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023. <a href="https://famousfile.com/google-chrome-for-windows/" target="_blank">https://famousfile.com/google-chrome-for-windows/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>"Add & open Chrome apps - Chrome Web Store Help". support.google.com. Retrieved 8 March 2024. <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome_webstore/answer/3060053" target="_blank">https://support.google.com/chrome_webstore/answer/3060053</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>"Transition from Chrome Apps". Chrome for Developers. Retrieved 2025-06-28. <a href="https://developer.chrome.com/docs/apps/migration" target="_blank">https://developer.chrome.com/docs/apps/migration</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>Welch, Chris (19 August 2016). "Google will end support for Chrome apps on Windows, Mac, and Linux". The Verge. Vox Media, Inc. Retrieved 20 August 2016. <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2016/8/19/12555052/google-shutting-down-chrome-apps" target="_blank">https://www.theverge.com/2016/8/19/12555052/google-shutting-down-chrome-apps</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>Welch, Chris (19 August 2016). "Google will end support for Chrome apps on Windows, Mac, and Linux". The Verge. Vox Media, Inc. Retrieved 20 August 2016. <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2016/8/19/12555052/google-shutting-down-chrome-apps" target="_blank">https://www.theverge.com/2016/8/19/12555052/google-shutting-down-chrome-apps</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>Roy-Chowdhury, Rahul (19 August 2016). "From Chrome Apps to the Web". Chromium Blog. Google. Retrieved 20 August 2016. <a href="https://blog.chromium.org/2016/08/from-chrome-apps-to-web.html" target="_blank">https://blog.chromium.org/2016/08/from-chrome-apps-to-web.html</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>"Changes to the Chrome App Support Timeline". Chromium Blog. Retrieved 2020-11-18. <a href="https://blog.chromium.org/2020/08/changes-to-chrome-app-support-timeline.html" target="_blank">https://blog.chromium.org/2020/08/changes-to-chrome-app-support-timeline.html</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:8"><p>"Extending Chrome App Support on Chrome OS". Chromium Blog. Retrieved 20 June 2024. <a href="https://blog.chromium.org/2021/10/extending-chrome-app-support-on-chrome.html" target="_blank">https://blog.chromium.org/2021/10/extending-chrome-app-support-on-chrome.html</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:9"><p>"Choosing an App Type". Google. Retrieved 24 May 2014. <a href="https://developer.chrome.com/webstore/choosing" target="_blank">https://developer.chrome.com/webstore/choosing</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:10"><p>"A new breed of Chrome Apps". Google Chrome Blog. Google. Retrieved 24 May 2014. <a href="http://chrome.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-new-breed-of-chrome-apps.html" target="_blank">http://chrome.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-new-breed-of-chrome-apps.html</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:11"><p>"What Are Chrome Apps?". Google. Retrieved 24 May 2014. <a href="https://developer.chrome.com/apps/about_apps" target="_blank">https://developer.chrome.com/apps/about_apps</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:12"><p>Lardinois, Frederic (5 September 2013). "Chrome's Native-Like Packaged Apps Come Out Of Dev Preview And Head To The Desktop, Now Called "Chrome Apps"". TechCrunch. Retrieved 24 May 2014. <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2013/09/05/chromes-native-like-packaged-apps-come-out-of-dev-preview-and-head-to-desktop-now-called-chrome-apps/" target="_blank">https://techcrunch.com/2013/09/05/chromes-native-like-packaged-apps-come-out-of-dev-preview-and-head-to-desktop-now-called-chrome-apps/</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:13"><p>"What Are Chrome Apps?". Google. Retrieved 24 May 2014. <a href="https://developer.chrome.com/apps/about_apps" target="_blank">https://developer.chrome.com/apps/about_apps</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:14"><p>Lardinois, Frederic (5 September 2013). "Chrome's Native-Like Packaged Apps Come Out Of Dev Preview And Head To The Desktop, Now Called "Chrome Apps"". TechCrunch. Retrieved 24 May 2014. <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2013/09/05/chromes-native-like-packaged-apps-come-out-of-dev-preview-and-head-to-desktop-now-called-chrome-apps/" target="_blank">https://techcrunch.com/2013/09/05/chromes-native-like-packaged-apps-come-out-of-dev-preview-and-head-to-desktop-now-called-chrome-apps/</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:15"><p>"Hosted Apps". Google. Google Inc. Retrieved 24 May 2014. <a href="https://developers.google.com/chrome/apps/docs/developers_guide" target="_blank">https://developers.google.com/chrome/apps/docs/developers_guide</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Google Chrome App open-in-new

Google Chrome App