Using Progressive Web Apps to Access Gmail on Windows
If you’ve ever wanted a more app-like experience for Gmail on Windows but found Google’s lack of a dedicated desktop app a bit frustrating, you’re not alone. I’ve been there myself. Thankfully, there’s a workaround using Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), which are essentially web apps that look and behave a lot like native software. It’s a bit of a hack, and not officially supported, but honestly, once it’s set up, it feels quite seamless. It did take some fiddling to get right, so I’ll share what finally worked reliably for me.
Opening Gmail in Chrome
First off, open Google Chrome. Other browsers like Edge or Firefox don’t handle PWAs as smoothly—at least, not quite as well as Chrome. Navigate to https://mail.google.com and sign in. Wait until your inbox fully loads. This step might seem super basic, but I’ve found that if Gmail isn’t completely loaded before creating the shortcut, you might end up with a blank window or some other odd behaviour later. So, give it a few seconds to settle in.
Creating a Shortcut for Gmail
Once Gmail looks good and is fully loaded, click on the three-dot menu icon at the top right of Chrome (that vertical ellipsis). Hover over ‘More tools’—it’s a little tucked away—and then select ‘Create shortcut…’. Depending on your Chrome version, it might just say ‘Create shortcut’ directly. When the dialog box appears, give your shortcut a name — probably just ‘Gmail’. The important part: check the box labeled ‘Open as window’. This will make Gmail open in its own window, separate from Chrome’s main window, and without the address bar, tabs, or other web browser clutter. It’s almost like a dedicated app. Click ‘Create’, and… that’s it. Usually, the shortcut appears on your desktop quite quickly, but sometimes I had to refresh or double-click it a few times to see it show up.
Pinning Gmail to Your Taskbar
Double-click the new shortcut to make sure it opens Gmail in a standalone window. Once it opens smoothly, right-click its icon in the taskbar and select ‘Pin to taskbar’. Now, you’ve got quick access whenever you need it. While this doesn’t turn Gmail into a true native app—as it’s technically a PWA made using Chrome—it’s close enough that the experience is much cleaner than just leaving a tab open or having it in a regular browser window. Plus, because it opens in its own window, it’s easier to focus and switch between apps.
Why Does This Work?
This trick utilises Chrome’s support for PWAs—web services packaged so they run more like native apps. They’re lightweight, don’t require a full browser window to be open, and can be pinned, launched quickly, or even appear in your app list. It’s a good middle ground: better than just leaving Gmail open in a tab and cluttering your browser, but simpler than installing a dedicated app. Having a separate window means fewer distractions, and it loads faster when you want to check your email. Sure, Chrome still runs behind the scenes, but that’s a small price to pay for the convenience.
Final Tips
Keep in mind, this setup isn’t foolproof. Chrome updates or Windows patches might sometimes break the shortcut or require you to reset or recreate it after a while. Clearing your cache or re-adding the shortcut usually fixes any issues if Gmail stops opening correctly. Also, pay attention during the shortcut creation—there’s a tiny checkbox that says ‘Open as window’. If you’re using other browsers like Edge, the process is similar, but menu labels and steps differ slightly. In Edge, you can go to Settings > Apps > Install this site as an app to get a similar setup.
In my experience, this method is better than just pinning a tab because it opens Gmail as a separate, dedicated window—more like a standalone app. Yeah, it’s a bit of a workaround, but it works quite well once you’ve got it all configured.
Hope this helps — it took me a fair bit of fiddling to figure out. The official Google way would be nice, but until then, this trick is pretty solid. Hopefully, it saves someone else a weekend of frustration!