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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →A March 1, 2023 report described a redesigned desktop Chrome Apps page at chrome://apps: instead of dividing apps across paginated screens, the page used vertical scrolling, and rounded shapes framed the icons developers had supplied. The change was tied to an experimental flag called “desktop PWAs app home page.” The report documents a design being tested at that time; it does not establish that the flag or layout is available in current Chrome.
What changed in the reported Chrome Apps page redesign?
Chrome Unboxed reported that the redesigned chrome://apps page removed pagination. Users could browse the app collection by scrolling vertically rather than moving between separate pages. The report also described rounded shapes around the existing app icons; it did not say that Chrome replaced those developer-provided icons.
The article characterized the old layout as difficult to browse when an app collection filled many pages and lacked a search bar. That was the reporter’s description, not a measured usability finding, and it should not be read as a statistic about Chrome users. No published figure in the available coverage quantifies whether the redesign improved usability, adoption, or performance.
How was the redesign enabled?
The March 2023 report associated the change with a Chrome experimental flag named “desktop PWAs app home page.” Its description said it applied to desktop UX on Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, Fuchsia, and Lacros. The report called the feature experimental and said its official release timing was unknown at the time.
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That flag should not be treated as a dependable current way to change the Apps page. A June 2023 Chrome Help Community post records one user’s report of a static page with round icons and a black background; a response suggested a flag while warning that flags can disappear. A later post in October 2023 said the user could no longer use it. These are dated individual reports, not an authoritative account of what every Chrome user sees now. The present availability of the flag and the current default design are not established by these sources.
What does this have to do with PWAs?
Progressive web apps (PWAs) are web applications built with modern web capabilities. Google’s Chrome for Developers guide describes them as web apps optimized for enhanced capabilities, installability, and reliability. A PWA may be installed on desktop or mobile, but installation is optional: users can also open a web app directly in a browser. An installed PWA can launch from an icon or shortcut.
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The redesigned page concerned how Chrome displayed app icons; it did not make installing a PWA mandatory. Google’s migration guide says, “Web applications are the preferred path in most cases.” Its advice is about choosing an app technology, not a claim about the impact or present-day availability of this particular Chrome interface change.
Web apps and Chrome extensions serve different needs
Google’s migration guidance distinguishes web apps from extensions by what an application needs to do. Web apps are generally the preferred migration path for Chrome Apps, while extensions can suit cases the web does not support, including some background tasks without a user interface.
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| Consideration | Web apps and PWAs | Chrome extensions |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Build a browser-accessible application; PWAs add modern capabilities and can be installable. | Add functionality that integrates with Chrome, including use cases the web does not support. |
| User experience | Can be used in the browser; installation is optional. An installed PWA can launch from an icon or shortcut. | Integrates more deeply with Chrome. |
| Portability | Web apps are available across browsers and operating systems, although API support varies. | Designed for Chrome and its extension environment. |
| Feature fit | Use web APIs where they provide the needed capabilities. | May support capabilities that web apps lack. |
| Background work | Choose a web app when its available APIs meet the requirement. | Can be suitable for background operation without a user interface when the web does not support the needed use case. |
Can you get the old Chrome Apps page back?
The historical report does not establish a current rollback setting or a supported way to restore the paginated layout. Because the reported control was experimental and subsequent user reports say it became unavailable, an old flag name is not a reliable instruction for current Chrome. The available sources also do not confirm whether today’s chrome://apps behavior matches the 2023 redesign.
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