ChromeOS does not document a setting for choosing an arbitrary custom icon for a web app or website shortcut. The available options depend on which one you have: an installed web app may offer a site-proposed icon update for you to review, while a website shortcut can be created and pinned to the shelf but has no documented icon picker.
First, identify what you added
An installed web app and a website shortcut are different things in ChromeOS. The distinction matters because Google documents an icon-update review for installed web apps, but not a manual icon replacement control for either type.
| Type | What you can do | Icon options documented by Google |
|---|---|---|
| Installed web app | Install it from the site and review an update if Chrome notifies you. | Accept or ignore a site-proposed name or icon update; no arbitrary custom-image picker is described. Google Chromebook Help |
| Website shortcut | Create a shortcut in Chrome and pin it to the shelf. | Google documents naming the shortcut, but not replacing its icon. Google Chromebook Help |
This describes the controls in the cited help pages, not proof that no experimental or managed-device workaround exists.
If it is an installed web app
Install the web app
- Open the website in Chrome.
- Select More → Cast, save, and share → Install page as app…. Some sites instead show an Install button in the address bar.
- Follow the on-screen prompts.
Google documents this installation flow in its web app help.
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Review a proposed icon update
If an installed web app wants to update its name or icon, Chrome notifies you. Choose Review app update to see the offer. You can accept the update, ignore it, or uninstall the app; this is a decision about the change proposed by the site, not a way to upload your own image.
If it is a website shortcut
Google’s documented workflow creates the shortcut and lets you pin it to the shelf, but does not provide an icon-replacement step:
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- Open the website in Chrome.
- Select More → Cast, save and share → Create shortcut.
- Enter or edit the shortcut name if prompted, then create it.
- Open the Launcher, right-click the shortcut, and choose Pin to shelf.
See Google’s instructions for customizing the Chromebook shelf. A Chromebook Community Product Expert has said that a shortcut’s favicon is controlled by the website host. That is community guidance, rather than a formal guarantee in Google’s help documentation; if the site’s icon is unattractive or low-resolution, contacting its owner is the practical route.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do about an unexpected icon change
A changed icon is not necessarily a problem, but take care if it suddenly resembles a different app or otherwise seems suspicious. Google advises uninstalling a web app if you suspect a malicious change, such as its name or icon changing to impersonate another app. For an installed web app, use its uninstall option rather than accepting an update you do not trust. Google’s web app guidance covers the warning and update review.
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