One of the key features of Windows 8 is the new Start Screen which provides nice big shortcuts to your apps, settings, and other features using the new Windows Metro user interface. But it’s not just reserved for apps installed on your computer. You can also add shortcuts to web apps.
The folks at Chrome Story noticed that it’s easy to pin any web app from the Chrome web store to the start screen.
All you have to do is fire up your Google Chrome web browser, find the app you want in the New Tab page, and then:
- Right-click on the app and choose the option to “Create Shortcut.”
- Check the box that says Desktop.
- Go to your Windows desktop and right-click on the shortcut.
- Now choose the option that says “Pin to Start.”
That’s it. Now you should be able to fire up a Google Chrome window with quick access to Gmail, YouTube, Angry Birds, or any other Chrome web app from the start screen.
The only problem is that Windows won’t give you a big, attractive icon. Instead you’ll see a gray square with a tiny icon and the name of the web app.