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Windows 11 does not have a current YouTube desktop app distributed through the Chrome Web Store. Google retired Chrome Apps on Windows, macOS, and Linux after December 2022.
The supported desktop option is to install YouTube as a Chrome web app. It opens in its own app-style window, separate from your normal browser tabs, while still using YouTube’s website. If Chrome does not offer the web-app installation option, you can create a YouTube shortcut that works similarly.
Install YouTube as an app in Windows 11
These steps install YouTube through Google Chrome. They do not download a separate YouTube program or an offline copy of the website.
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- Open Google Chrome on your Windows 11 laptop or PC.
- Go to youtube.com.
- Select the three-dot More button in the upper-right corner.
- Select Cast, save and share.
- Select Install page as app….
- Confirm the installation when Chrome prompts you.
Chrome may show an Install icon on the right side of the address bar instead. Select that icon and follow the same installation process.
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After installation, Windows should make the YouTube web app available through the Start menu. You can search for YouTube, open it, and optionally pin it to Start or the taskbar like other Windows apps.
What gets installed?
The installed item is a Chrome web app. It is a website configured to open in an app-like window, rather than a separately downloaded YouTube desktop application.
Your YouTube account, subscriptions, recommendations, comments, and other account features continue to come from YouTube. Sign in inside the installed app if Chrome does not carry over your existing session.
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Chrome does not display an install control for every website or every browser state. If neither Install page as app… nor the address-bar Install icon appears, create a website shortcut instead.
- Open Chrome and visit youtube.com.
- Select More ⋮.
- Select More Tools.
- Select Create shortcut.
- Enter YouTube as the name, or use another name.
- Select Create.
On Windows, Linux, and Chromebook, Chrome documents this shortcut method as adding a website “as an app.” Depending on your Chrome version, the shortcut may open in a normal browser tab unless the option to open it in a separate window is available.
Create a Start menu or desktop shortcut
If YouTube was installed as a Chrome app, you can manage its shortcuts from Chrome’s app launcher:
- Open a new Chrome tab.
- Enter
chrome://appsin the address bar and press Enter. - Right-click the YouTube app or shortcut.
- Select Create shortcut.
- Choose where to place the shortcut, such as the desktop or Start menu.
- Select Create.
You can also search for YouTube from the Windows Start menu, right-click the result, and use the available pinning option to place it in a more convenient location.
Make YouTube open when Windows starts
Chrome can launch an installed web app automatically when you sign in to Windows:
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- Open Chrome.
- Go to
chrome://apps. - Right-click the YouTube app.
- Select Launch at startup.
To stop this behavior, return to chrome://apps, right-click YouTube, and clear Launch at startup.
Uninstall the YouTube web app
- Open the installed YouTube app.
- Select the three-dot More button.
- Select Uninstall YouTube, or the equivalent app name shown by Chrome.
- Select Remove.
If Chrome offers Also delete data from Chrome, select it only if you also want to remove the app’s stored Chrome data.
Chrome requirements for Windows 11
Google lists Windows 11 or later for Chrome on Windows computers using an ARM processor. For Windows computers with an Intel processor, Google lists Windows 10 or later and an Intel Pentium 4 or later with SSE3 support. A normal supported Windows 11 system should meet these requirements.
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Fixes for common installation problems
| Problem | What to try |
|---|---|
| No install option appears | Use More → More Tools → Create shortcut. The missing control usually means Chrome is not offering web-app installation for the current site or browser state; it does not mean that you need to find a YouTube download file. |
| You cannot find the installed app | Open the Windows Start menu and search for YouTube. You can also check Chrome’s app page at chrome://apps. |
| The app opens in a browser tab | Remove the shortcut and try the Install page as app… method again. A basic website shortcut is not always the same as a standalone web-app window. |
| Installation is blocked on a work or school computer | The device may be managed by an administrator. Organization policies can block Chrome app installation even when Chrome and YouTube work normally. |
| Chrome itself will not install | Check that Windows meets Chrome’s requirements and that you have permission to install software. For a computer without internet access, Google provides an offline Chrome installer that can be downloaded on another computer and transferred to the Windows PC. |
Can YouTube videos be downloaded to the PC?
Installing the YouTube web app does not download videos for offline viewing. YouTube Premium subscribers can download videos on a computer by signing in to YouTube with Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Opera, opening a video’s Watch page, and selecting Download below the video. That is an offline-viewing feature, not a desktop app installation.
Is there a command to install the YouTube app?
Google’s documented method uses Chrome’s graphical menus. No command-line syntax is required to install the YouTube web app in Windows 11.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
Is there an official YouTube app for Windows 11?
There is no current YouTube Chrome App distributed through the Chrome Web Store for Windows. The practical desktop option is YouTube’s Chrome web app, installed from youtube.com.
Why can’t I find YouTube in the Chrome Web Store?
Chrome Apps stopped working on Windows, Mac, and Linux after December 2022. Older instructions telling you to install YouTube from the Chrome Web Store are outdated.
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Does the YouTube web app work without internet access?
The app itself is a website shortcut or web app and normally requires an internet connection. YouTube Premium’s separate download feature can provide offline viewing for eligible videos.
Can I install YouTube without Chrome?
The steps in this guide use Chrome. If Chrome is unavailable, you can still use youtube.com in another supported browser, but the installation menus and web-app behavior will differ.
Will uninstalling the app delete my YouTube account?
No. Uninstalling removes the Chrome web app and, if you choose the data option, its stored Chrome data. It does not delete your YouTube or Google account.
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To install YouTube on a Windows 11 laptop or PC, open youtube.com in Chrome and choose More → Cast, save and share → Install page as app…. If that option is unavailable, use More → More Tools → Create shortcut. This creates an app-style way to open YouTube; it is not a separately downloaded YouTube desktop program.
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