ChromeOS App Mall is Google’s catalog for discovering Chromebook apps and games. Open discover.apps.chrome to browse listings; depending on the app, you may install a web app, continue to Google Play for an Android app, or open a cloud-gaming service. App Mall is a discovery hub, not a new universal app store or package format.
What is ChromeOS App Mall?
App Mall is a ChromeOS web app that brings Chromebook-oriented apps and games together in one catalog. Its pages offer search, categories, featured selections and individual listings. The current catalog includes categories such as Productivity, Learning, Reading, Video Streaming and Gaming, as well as cloud-gaming services including Boosteroid and GeForce NOW.
Google’s ChromeOS 132 release notes point users to https://discover.apps.chrome to find new apps. Chromium’s implementation identifies that address as the Mall app’s base URL and includes a preinstalled web-app definition for it.
How App Mall came to ChromeOS
In March 2024, 9to5Google reported that Google was preparing an experimental feature behind the chrome://flags/#cros-mall flag, described as “Enables an app to discover and install other apps.” The planned web address initially returned a 404 error. In a May 2024 preview, the interface included Home, Apps and Games sections, search, featured listings, collections, detail pages, screenshots and installation controls.
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ChromeOS 132 later documented the removal of the Apps & Games module from the Explore app and directed users to the online catalog instead. App Mall therefore took over that discovery role; it does not mean that every app is installed directly from a single store.
How to find and install an app
- Open the catalog: Visit discover.apps.chrome on your Chromebook.
- Find a listing: Browse Apps or Games, explore a category or featured collection, or use search.
- Check the delivery option: The listing may offer a web/PWA installation, send you to Google Play for an Android app, or open a cloud-gaming service.
- Complete installation or launch: Follow the instructions for that destination. A Google Play listing uses the Play Store flow; a web app follows its web installation path. A cloud-gaming listing is a service to open, not an Android package to install.
Web apps, Android apps and cloud gaming compared
| Delivery type | What happens | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Web app or PWA | The listing offers a browser-based app and may provide an installation path. | Check whether it supports the features, screen layout and input methods you need; offline availability depends on the individual app. |
| Android app | The listing takes you to Google Play to download the app. | Your Chromebook must support Android apps, and an administrator may restrict installation on a managed device. |
| Cloud gaming | The listing opens a web-based gaming service, such as Boosteroid or GeForce NOW. | It is a streaming service rather than a locally installed game; the listing and service determine compatibility and controls. |
Google says, “You can download Android apps from the Google Play Store app and use them on your Chromebook.” That option is conditional: not every Chromebook supports Android apps, and workplace or school device policies may block them. Web apps and cloud services also vary in offline support, screen optimization and input handling, so check the specific listing rather than assuming all catalog entries behave alike.
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Is App Mall replacing the Explore app?
Google’s ChromeOS 132 release notes say the Apps & Games module was removed from Explore and tell users to visit discover.apps.chrome to discover apps. The change moves app discovery to the Mall catalog; the release note does not say that the entire Explore app was removed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What you can find in the catalog
The live catalog features listings including Microsoft 365, Adobe Express, LumaFusion, WhatsApp, Disney+, Prime Video, Zoom, Roblox, YouTube, Netflix and Spotify. Availability and installation route can vary by listing, device and region; the catalog’s presence alone does not guarantee that every app can be installed on every Chromebook.
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