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Chrome 155 on Googlebook now lets you manually install any website as a web app, even when the site was never built with an installable web-app manifest. The page opens in its own app-style window and can be added to the launcher, taskbar, or homescreen instead of remaining a normal browser-tab shortcut.
What changed in Chrome 155
Googlebook previously showed an Install option mainly for websites that met the browser’s installability requirements, including having a suitable web app manifest. A page without that configuration could still be saved, but the result behaved like a shortcut that opened in an ordinary Chrome tab.
That restriction is being removed in Chrome M155. In a Googlebook Community announcement dated October 13, 2026, Googlebook Community Manager Monica said the company was rolling out a Google Play Store update so users could install any webpage and have it work as a web app. The announcement describes the new result as an app that runs in its own window.
The change is a manual installation feature, not a claim that every website has suddenly become a fully native application. The site still runs through Chrome, and its available features depend on how that website was designed.
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How to turn a website into an app
- Open Chrome on your Googlebook.
- Go to the website you want to use.
- Open the Chrome menu and select Save and share > Install and create shortcut….
- On sites that expose it, you can instead select the Install icon in the address bar.
- Select Install and follow the on-screen instructions.
After installation, look for the site in the Googlebook app launcher. You can then pin it to the taskbar or homescreen for quicker access. The exact menu wording can vary slightly by Chrome build, but the new command is the important distinction: choose the install-and-create option rather than making a conventional browser shortcut.
If you already made a shortcut
A shortcut created before the Chrome 155 update does not automatically become a standalone web app. Googlebook’s guidance is to remove the old browser-tab shortcut and install the page again using the new method. This gives Chrome a chance to create the separate-window app entry.
What the installed web app shares with Chrome
The installed window is still powered by Chrome, so it uses the same browser profile rather than creating a separate login environment. Googlebook says installed web apps share the following with Chrome:
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- Google Account login state
- Cookies
- Site permissions
- Installed browser extensions
That sharing is useful for services that require an account: if you are signed in to the site in Chrome, the installed app can normally use the same session. It also means that changing a permission or signing out in Chrome can affect the app window.
Old shortcut versus the new web-app install
| Capability | Browser-tab shortcut | Chrome 155 web-app install |
|---|---|---|
| Where it opens | Regular Chrome tab | Its own app-style window running in Chrome |
| Installable web manifest required | No, but it remains a shortcut | No; manual installation works for any webpage |
| Launcher entry | Not necessarily an app entry | Appears in the Googlebook app launcher |
| Taskbar or homescreen pinning | Limited to shortcut behavior | Can be pinned as an installed web app |
| Login, cookies, and permissions | Uses Chrome’s browsing context | Shares the Chrome profile, including login, cookies, permissions, and extensions |
| Offline capability | Depends on the website | Still depends on the website; some functions may require internet access |
Will every website work offline?
No. Installation changes how the page is launched and displayed; it does not add offline support that the website lacks. Googlebook Help explains that web apps can work offline, but some may not work completely without an internet connection.
A site may open to a cached screen while disconnected yet fail when you try to search, submit a form, stream media, load new messages, or use another server-dependent feature. Treat offline behavior as a site-by-site capability. If offline access matters, test the installed app by disconnecting from Wi-Fi and checking the specific tasks you need.
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Which Googlebook devices receive the feature?
The rollout targets Googlebook devices running Chrome 155. The announcement says users should check that Chrome is version 155.0.8059.79 or higher in Googlebook settings. Distribution is automatic through the Google Play Store, so the command may appear as the update reaches your device rather than immediately on every unit.
Googlebook’s official FAQ identifies Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo among the first-wave manufacturers and says Googlebook devices support Android apps installed through Google Play. Googlebook is positioned as a laptop category built on a shared Android foundation, with adaptive layouts recommended for larger screens and free-form windows. That context explains why a standalone web-app window fits the platform: it gives a website a laptop-style presence while retaining Chrome’s web runtime.
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Check the Chrome build
Open Googlebook settings and confirm Chrome is running version 155.0.8059.79 or later. If it is older, install available updates through Google Play, restart Chrome, and check the site again.
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Use the full menu path
Some pages do not show an address-bar Install icon. Open the three-dot Chrome menu and use Save and share > Install and create shortcut… instead.
Remove the previous shortcut
If the site still opens in a tab, delete the shortcut made before the update and repeat the installation steps. The old entry retains its shortcut behavior.
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Expect site-specific limitations
An installed app can still display a site that was designed only for a browser, and some controls may not be optimized for a separate window. Missing offline functions, pop-up-dependent workflows, or features that require a continuously connected server are limitations of the website, not evidence that installation failed.
Why this matters
The practical benefit is consistency. Any frequently used website—whether or not its developer supplied an installable manifest—can now have a dedicated launcher entry and window on Googlebook. Users no longer need to choose between a cluttered tab and a shortcut that only looks like an app. At the same time, the feature preserves Chrome’s shared account and permission model, so it does not require a second set of credentials or a separate browser profile.
For developers, the change does not replace the value of a properly designed progressive web app. A manifest, responsive layout, service worker, and deliberate offline strategy can still provide a better experience. Chrome 155 simply gives users a way to install pages whose owners have not implemented all of those pieces.
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