Software

How do I remove Chrome apps from the Mac Launcher?

remove Chrome apps from the Mac Launcher
Unwanted apps: Chrome bungs apps in your Launcher

If you’ve ever installed Google Chrome on your Mac, you might have found a few unwelcome visitors plonk themselves in your Launcher. You won’t be able to drag them to the Bin, you can’t find them in the Applications folder. These are Chrome apps, installed in the browser, which for some daft reason get their own slot in the Launcher too. So, how do you remove Chrome apps from the Mac Launcher?

What are Chrome apps?

Chrome apps were basically super-charged browser extensions: add-ons that add extra features to your browser. Google has long since removed them from the Chrome Web Store, but if you’ve already installed them on other devices and synchronised your browser on your Mac, they will probably have been installed on your Mac too.

Examples include:

  • Chrome Remote Desktop
  • Google Docs
  • Google Sheets
  • Pocket
  • LogMeIn
  • Google Play Music

You can tell which apps you have installed in your Chrome browser by opening Chrome, clicking on the three-dots menu button in the top right of the window, selecting More Tools and then Extensions.

Scroll down and your Chrome apps will be listed separately from your regular extensions:

You see those tasty little Remove buttons on each app? You can use those to remove the Chrome apps from your Mac Launcher.

This will, of course, remove the apps from the browser too, which is a pain if you want to still use those apps. If you do, you’re going to have to live with them in your Launcher too, as there appears to be no easy way of hoicking them out of the Launcher but keeping them in the browser.

If you know differently, let us know in the comments below…

NOW READ THIS: Where are my saved passwords in Chrome?

About the author

Barry Collins

Barry has scribbled about tech for almost 20 years for The Sunday Times, PC Pro, WebUser, Which? and many others. He was once Deputy Editor of Mail Online and remains in therapy to this day. Email Barry at barry@bigtechquestion.com.

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