If you’ve been loving your new Googlebook but felt limited by how websites are handled, relief is finally here. Google is officially rolling out Chrome M155 via the Google Play Store, bringing a massive quality-of-life update that changes how you interact with the web.
Previously, Chrome on Googlebook restricted web app installations strictly to sites featuring a specialized, installable web manifest. If a page lacked that specific setup, you were stuck opening it as a standard browser tab shortcut. Thanks to direct community feedback—similar to how modern productivity platforms and AI knowledge bases like Google Gemini Notebook and the recent Google NotebookLM rebrand are streamlining how we interact with digital tools—Google is breaking down those web barriers.
What’s New in Chrome M155 for Googlebook?
1. Force-Install Any Webpage as a Web App
You can now manually install any webpage directly from the Chrome browser. Instead of hiding away in a crowded tab bar, your favorite sites can now run in their own dedicated, standalone application windows complete with clean, distraction-free interfaces.
2. Deep System Integration
Once installed, these web apps don’t just live in a window—they integrate smoothly into your Googlebook ecosystem:
App Launcher & Taskbar: Pin your newly minted web apps directly to your taskbar or homescreen for instant access.
Shared Ecosystem: They seamlessly share your Google Account login, saved cookies, site permissions, and even your installed browser extensions.
Window Management: Web apps run in independent instances, letting you resize, split-screen, or alt-tab between them just like native desktop software.
3. Bonus UI Tweaks: Settings in a New Tab
As a handy bonus in this update, Chrome’s settings page now opens in a dedicated new tab instead of an overlay. This makes it significantly easier to reference and cross-check a webpage while tweaking your browser or system preferences.
Why Force-Installing Web Apps Changes the Game
For power users, turning standard websites into isolated web apps delivers several key advantages:
Distraction-Free Workspace: Eliminates address bars, bookmarks, and open tabs so you can focus strictly on the task at hand.
Dedicated Taskbar Slots: Keep essential communication dashboards, documentation tools, or music streaming sites pinned separately from your active browsing sessions.
Custom App Icons & Names: Easily identify, organize, and search for custom web tools directly through your Googlebook App Launcher.
How to Install Any Webpage Today
Getting started takes just a few seconds. Follow these quick steps:
Open Chrome on your Googlebook.
Navigate to the website you want to transform into an app.
Head to the top-right corner, open the Chrome menu, select Save and share, and click Install and create shortcut… (alternatively, look for a direct Install icon right inside the address bar on supported pages).
Hit Install and follow the quick on-screen prompts.
Managing and Uninstalling Web Apps
Managing force-installed web apps is straightforward:
Managing Permissions: Open the web app, click the More (three dots) menu at the top right of the app window, and select App info to adjust permissions or site settings.
Uninstalling: If you no longer need an app, click the More menu inside its window and hit Uninstall [App Name]. You can also right-click its launcher icon to uninstall directly from your system launcher.
