Windows 11 does not have an official, standalone Gmail desktop client from Google. The supported way to get Gmail in an app-like window is to install Gmail as a Chrome web app. This adds Gmail to Chrome’s app list and lets you launch it separately from a normal browser tab.
You can also create a regular website shortcut if Chrome does not offer the web-app installation option. Both methods use Gmail on the web at mail.google.com; neither downloads a native Gmail-for-Windows email program.
Before you install Gmail on Windows 11
Install Google Chrome first if it is not already on the laptop. Google supports Chrome on Windows 10 and later with compatible Intel processors. On ARM-based computers, Chrome requires Windows 11 or later.
To install Chrome:
- Download the Chrome installation file from Google.
- Run the downloaded file.
- If Windows asks, “Do you want to run this file?”, select Run.
- If Windows asks, “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?”, select Yes.
- Open Chrome after installation finishes.
If Chrome is already installed, open it and continue with the steps below.
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Install Gmail as a Chrome web app
This is the closest official equivalent to a Gmail desktop app on Windows 11.
- Open Google Chrome.
- Go to
https://mail.google.com/and sign in to your Google account if prompted. - Select the More button, shown as ⋮, in the top-right corner of Chrome.
- Select Cast, save, and share.
- Select Install page as app….
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
Chrome may also show an Install icon on the right side of the address bar while Gmail is open. Select that icon if it appears, then follow the prompts.
After installation, Gmail is available as a Chrome web app. It opens Gmail in an app-style window and gives it an entry in Chrome’s app launcher. The messages, labels, settings, and account data still come from Gmail online.
How to create a Gmail shortcut if the app option is missing
Chrome may not display Install page as app… in every situation. In that case, create a shortcut to Gmail:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
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- Select More (⋮) in the top-right corner.
- Select Cast, save and share.
- Select Create shortcut….
- Keep the suggested name or enter a different name, such as Gmail.
- Select Create.
This creates a shortcut for Gmail rather than a separate email client. Older Chrome instructions may tell you to use More tools → Create shortcut or mention an Open as window checkbox. Chrome’s current instructions use Cast, save and share → Create shortcut…, and the current dialog does not list that checkbox.
Put Gmail on the desktop or Start menu
To manage the installed Gmail web app and create additional shortcuts:
- Open Chrome.
- Enter
chrome://appsin the address bar and press Enter. - Right-click the Gmail app.
- Select Create shortcut.
- Choose where you want the shortcut, such as the desktop or Start menu.
- Select Create.
You can then launch Gmail from that shortcut without first opening a normal Chrome tab.
Make Gmail open when you sign in to Windows
If you want Gmail to start automatically when you sign in:
- Open Chrome and go to
chrome://apps. - Right-click the Gmail app.
- Select Launch at startup.
To stop this behavior, return to chrome://apps, right-click Gmail, and deselect Launch at startup.
What happens if Gmail does not appear as an app?
| Problem | What to try |
|---|---|
| Install page as app… is not listed | Use More → Cast, save and share → Create shortcut… instead. |
| The Install icon is missing | Use the More menu and the shortcut method. The address-bar icon is only displayed on some websites and in some Chrome situations. |
| You are being asked to sign in repeatedly | Check that Chrome is not deleting site data when it closes, and avoid deleting Gmail’s Chrome data unless necessary. |
| You expected a Gmail program in the Chrome Web Store | Do not install an old Chrome App. Chrome Apps stopped working on Windows, macOS, and Linux after December 2022. The current Windows method is a web app or shortcut. |
| The shortcut opens a browser page | That is expected for a shortcut. Use Install page as app… when available for the more app-like window. |
Can Gmail work without an internet connection?
Do not assume that installing the web app provides a complete offline Gmail client. Chrome web apps may support some offline behavior, but Google states that some web apps may not work completely without an internet connection. Gmail’s web-app installation does not guarantee that every message, search, attachment, or sending function will be available offline.
Uninstall Gmail from Windows 11
Remove the installed web app from its app window:
- Open the Gmail app window.
- Select More (⋮) in the top-right corner.
- Select Uninstall Gmail.
- Select Remove.
Chrome may offer Also delete data from Chrome. Select this only if you also want to remove the web app’s stored Chrome data. You may need to sign in to Gmail again the next time you open it.
If you created only a shortcut, deleting the shortcut does not uninstall Gmail or remove your Google account. It only removes that shortcut from the location where it was created.
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Why the Chrome Web Store is not the right place to install Gmail
Some older guides say to search the Chrome Web Store for a Gmail Chrome App. That procedure is outdated for Windows 11. Google says Chrome Apps in the Chrome Web Store are supported only on Chromebooks and stopped working on Windows after December 2022. Web shortcuts, extensions, and themes remain supported on desktop platforms, but an old Chrome App is not an official Windows Gmail client.
Official Google documentation
- Install and manage web apps in Chrome
- Create shortcuts to websites in Chrome
- Chrome Web Store Apps policy
- Chrome system requirements and installation
FAQ
Is there an official Gmail app for Windows 11?
Google does not provide a native Gmail desktop client for Windows 11. The supported desktop-style option is to install Gmail as a Chrome web app or create a Chrome shortcut to Gmail.
Can I install Gmail from the Chrome Web Store?
Not as a Windows Chrome App. Google says Chrome Apps stopped working on Windows after December 2022. Use Gmail’s Chrome web-app installation option instead.
Does the Gmail Chrome web app work without internet?
Not necessarily. Some Chrome web apps provide limited offline behavior, but Google does not guarantee that every web-app feature will work without an internet connection.
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Will uninstalling the Gmail web app delete my Gmail account?
No. Uninstalling removes the Chrome web app. If you select “Also delete data from Chrome,” Chrome-stored site data is removed and you may need to sign in again, but your Google account and Gmail messages are not deleted.
How do I make Gmail open automatically with Windows?
Open chrome://apps in Chrome, right-click Gmail, and select Launch at startup. Repeat the process and deselect that option to turn it off.
The Bottom Line
For Windows 11, open Gmail in Chrome and choose More → Cast, save, and share → Install page as app…. If that option is unavailable, create a shortcut through More → Cast, save and share → Create shortcut…. The result is a convenient Gmail web app or shortcut—not a separately installed native Gmail email client.
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