How-to · Chrome for Mac
How to add a website to the Dock in Chrome on Mac: steps for current Chrome
To add a website to the Dock in Chrome on Mac, install the site as a Chrome web app, then drag that app onto the Dock. Chrome has no single Add to Dock button, so the job has two short parts.
Quick answer
- Open the website in Chrome, then select ⋮ More > Cast, save, and share > Install page as app.
- Chrome saves the new app in a Chrome Apps folder inside Applications. Drag that app onto the Dock.
- To pin an app that is already open, Control-click its Dock icon, then choose Options > Keep in Dock.
- To remove the icon, right-click it and choose Options > Remove from Dock. The app stays installed.
What you need
- A Mac with Google Chrome installed and open
- The website open and loaded in a normal Chrome window
- Finder access to the Applications folder, where Chrome saves the app
- A login for the site, if the site needs one
How to Add a website to the Dock in Chrome on Mac in Chrome on a Mac
Open the site in Chrome
Go to the website in a normal Chrome window and wait for the page to finish loading. If the site needs a login, sign in first, so you are not stuck at a sign-in screen later.
Tip: Start on the page you open most often, because the install uses the page you are viewing.
Open the More menu
Click the three dots at the top right of the Chrome window. Google's help page calls this More. The menu opens below the dots.
Tip: The dots sit at the far right of the toolbar, past the address bar.
Select Cast, save, and share
Move the pointer over Cast, save, and share, or select it. Chrome shows a submenu with install options for this page.
Tip: Read the submenu before you click, because the options can change between Chrome releases.
Select Install page as app
Select Install page as app. Google's help page says to follow the on-screen instructions from here. Read each prompt before you confirm it, because the wording can change.
Tip: Older guides call this step Create Shortcut. Use the item that matches your menu.
Or use the install icon
Some sites show an install icon at the right end of the address bar. Select it, then follow the same on-screen instructions. The icon appears only on some sites, so skip this step if you do not see it.
Tip: If the icon is missing, go back to the More menu and check there.
Confirm the prompt
Confirm the install prompt when it appears. The app window opens after the install. Keep that window open for now, or close it. Either way, the app is saved on your Mac.
Find the app in Applications
⌘Space
Open Finder and select Applications in the sidebar. Open the Chrome Apps folder. Your new app sits inside with the site's name. If the folder has a different name, look for a new icon in Applications.
Tip: Press ⌘Space, type Chrome Apps, and press Return to jump to the folder faster.
Drag the app onto the Dock
Drag the app icon from the Chrome Apps folder onto the Dock. Let go where you want it. The icon stays after you release the mouse button, and that is the pin.
Tip: Drag the icon. A double-click opens the app and does not pin it.
Or keep a running app in the Dock
If the app is already open, Control-click its Dock icon. Choose Options, then Keep in Dock. The icon stays in the Dock after you close the app.
Tip: Right-click works the same way if your mouse has a secondary button.
Open and switch to the app
⌘Tab
Click the new Dock icon to open the site as its own app. While it runs, press ⌘Tab to switch back to it from other apps.
Tip: Hold ⌘ and press Tab to move between open apps, then release on the one you want.
Why Chrome has no Add to Dock button
A Chrome tab is a web page, not an app, so the Dock has nothing to pin. Most Mac apps come with an icon you can drag into the Dock. A website does not. Chrome fixes this by installing the site as a web app, which gets its own icon and its own window.
A web app is not the same as a bookmark. A bookmark opens in a normal Chrome tab. A web app opens in its own window and can sit in the Dock like any other app. Google's help page says you open an installed web app by clicking it in the Dock or on the desktop.
What you need before you start
- A Mac with Google Chrome installed and open
- The website open and loaded in a normal Chrome window
- Finder access to the Applications folder, where Chrome saves the app
- A login for the site, if the site needs one
Menu names change. Chrome gets a new update every four weeks, and each update can move a menu item. Google's help page gives the install path as More, then Cast, save, and share, then Install page as app. Older Mac guides from 2021 describe a Create Shortcut dialog with an Open as window checkbox instead. The two do not match, so this page follows Google's wording and notes where older guides differ. Trust the menu you see on your screen.
Where Chrome saves the app on your Mac
When the install finishes, Chrome saves the app in a folder. In guides from 2021, that folder is called Chrome Apps, inside Applications. A March 2024 MacRumors report says a Chrome Canary test build names it Chrome Canary Apps instead. Stable Chrome may use a different name too, so look for the folder if the name on your Mac is not the one here.
The quickest way to find it is Spotlight. Press ⌘Space, type Chrome Apps, and press Return. Finder opens the folder. If you do not see the new app there, look in Applications for an icon named after the website.
66.98%
Chrome's share of worldwide desktop browser use, October 2026
Desktop Browser Market Share Worldwide, StatCounterPin the app to the Dock with a drag
Drag the app icon from the Chrome Apps folder onto the Dock. Let go where you want it. The icon stays after you release the mouse button, and that is the pin. Drag it again later to move it.
| Method | Where you start | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Drag from Chrome Apps | Finder, Applications, Chrome Apps | The app is installed but not open |
| Keep in Dock | Control-click the open app's Dock icon | The app is already open |
Open the app and switch back to it
Click the Dock icon to open the site as an app. Google's help page says installed web apps open from the Dock or the desktop. To switch to a running app, press ⌘Tab. Hold ⌘ and press Tab again to move through other open apps.
You can also manage installed apps at chrome://apps in a Chrome tab. Right-click an app there to create a shortcut or set it to launch at startup. Google's help page lists these options, so use it if your menu looks different.
Worked example: pin a site you open every day
Say you open a project tracker every morning. Open it in Chrome and wait for it to load. Select ⋮ More, then Cast, save, and share, then Install page as app. Confirm the prompt and let the app window open.
Drag the new app from the Chrome Apps folder onto the Dock. The next morning, click the icon and the tracker opens as its own app. If you still want the normal browser tab, open the site in Chrome the usual way. Both routes work side by side.
Remove the website from the Dock or uninstall it
Removing an app from the Dock does not delete it. Right-click the Dock icon, choose Options, then choose Remove from Dock. The app stays in the Chrome Apps folder, so you can pin it again later.
To uninstall the app, open it. Select ⋮ More, then Uninstall with the app name, then Remove. Google's help page says you can also choose to delete the app's data. Choose that only if you want to clear what the app stored.
If you want the app gone from your Mac, move it to the Trash. Right-click the Dock icon, choose Options, then Show in Finder. Drag the app to the Trash. You can also select the app in Finder and press ⌘Delete. Empty the Trash when you are sure.
Updates and offline use
When an update is ready, the app window shows App update available at the top right. Google's help page lists three choices: Update, Uninstall, and Ignore. Choose Update to get the new version. Ignore hides the prompt for now.
Some web apps do not work fully offline, Google's help page warns. If the app shows a blank page without internet, reconnect and open it again. Do not count on offline work unless the site says it supports it.
Common mistakes when you add a website to the Dock
- Dragging the Chrome Apps folder onto the Dock instead of the app inside it.
- Following an old Open as window guide and changing chrome://flags. Those settings are historical and probably outdated.
- Expecting the install option on every site. Some sites do not show it.
- Thinking the app vanished when auto-hide hides the whole Dock.
Dock size, magnification, position, auto-hide, and the minimize effect live in System Settings > Desktop & Dock, according to Apple's Dock help page. Change them there. Changing size or position does not remove pinned apps. If a pinned app seems missing, first check whether auto-hide is on.
When the install option or the Dock pin fails
One install failure is documented. A January 2023 MacRumors forum thread reports that Create shortcut worked for other accounts on the same Mac, but failed for one user account, on two Macs. No fix was posted. If you see this, try the steps from another user account on that Mac, and check the thread for updates.
If the app opens in a normal tab, do not reach for flags. A 2018 HowToGeek article says Mac Chrome needed two chrome://flags settings to bring back open-as-window shortcuts. That advice is historical and probably outdated. Use the install route in the steps above instead.
Safari and other browsers
This page covers Chrome only. Safari has its own route. A 2024 MacRumors article mentions that Safari on macOS Sonoma and later has a built-in Add to Dock option. This page did not check those steps, so use Safari's own menus. Chrome is still the most used desktop browser worldwide, with a 66.98% share in October 2026, according to StatCounter.
Keep the steps current
Google ships a new Chrome update about every four weeks. Menu names can move with each release. If a step here does not match your screen, check Google's help page first, then follow the menu you see.
Next steps
If you want to pin Gmail next, the steps are in how to pin Gmail to the Dock. To make Chrome the browser that opens links from other apps, see how to set Chrome as your default browser. If you want to clear stored site data later, see how to clear browsing data in Chrome.
Chrome shortcuts for this on Mac
| To do this | Press |
|---|---|
| Search for Chrome Apps in Spotlight | ⌘Space |
| Switch to the installed app | ⌘Tab |
| Move the selected app to the Trash in Finder | ⌘Delete |
If it does not work
- Install page as app is not in the menu
- Google's help page describes this path, but menus change between releases. Look for an install icon at the right end of the address bar. If neither option appears, the site may not offer installation. No Google page lists which sites offer it.
- The app is not in the Chrome Apps folder
- Press ⌘Space and search for Chrome Apps. A 2024 MacRumors report says a Chrome Canary build names the folder Chrome Canary Apps. Look in Applications for a new icon with the site's name.
- Create shortcut fails for one user account
- A January 2023 MacRumors forum thread describes the same failure on two Macs, for one account only. No fix was posted. Try the steps from another user account on that Mac, then check the thread for updates.
- The app opens in a normal tab, not a window
- Do not change chrome://flags for this. A 2018 HowToGeek article says Mac Chrome needed flags to bring back open-as-window shortcuts. That advice is historical and probably outdated. Use the install route instead.
- The app shows App update available
- Choose Update to install the new version. Choose Ignore to dismiss the prompt for now. Google's help page also lists Uninstall in that window.
- The app shows a blank page without internet
- Google's help page warns that some web apps do not work fully offline. Reconnect to the internet, then open the app again. If the site still fails, check its own help page.
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Questions people ask
Does Chrome have an Add to Dock button for websites?
Not a single one. You install the site as a Chrome web app with Install page as app, then drag the app from the Chrome Apps folder onto the Dock. Google's help page describes the install step.
Why don't I see Install page as app in my menu?
Menus change between Chrome releases, and some sites never offer installation. Look for an install icon at the right end of the address bar. If neither appears, the site may not support installing it as an app.
Does removing a website from the Dock delete the app?
No. Right-click the Dock icon, choose Options, then Remove from Dock. The app stays in the Chrome Apps folder until you uninstall it or move it to the Trash.
Where does Chrome save the app on a Mac?
Guides from 2021 say Applications, then Chrome Apps. A 2024 MacRumors report names a Chrome Canary build folder Chrome Canary Apps. Press ⌘Space and search for Chrome Apps if your folder name is different.
Can I add the website to the Dock in Safari instead?
This page covers Chrome only. A 2024 MacRumors article mentions that Safari on macOS Sonoma and later has its own Add to Dock option. This page did not check those steps, so use Safari's own menus.
Will the app work without internet?
Some web apps do not work fully offline, according to Google's help page. Reconnect before you open the app, and check the site's own help if it still fails.
What does App update available mean?
A newer version of the app is ready. Choose Update in the app window to install it, or choose Ignore to dismiss the prompt for now.
Sources
- Use web apps: Computer, Google Chrome Help · Google · checked 2026-11-09
- Google Chrome (download page) · Google · checked 2026-11-09
- How to Pin Websites as Apps on the Mac Dock · How-To Geek · checked 2026-11-09
- How to Add a Website to Your Dock on a Mac (Safari and Chrome) · iGeeksBlog · checked 2026-11-09
- Dock preferences on Mac, Apple Support · Apple · checked 2026-11-09
- How To Make Chrome 'Open As Window' Shortcuts (Now That Google Killed Them) · How-To Geek · checked 2026-11-09
- Google Chrome Will Soon Let You Install Any Website as a Desktop App · MacRumors · checked 2026-11-09
- Problem with creating Chrome shortcut to put in dock · MacRumors Forums · checked 2026-11-09
- Desktop Browser Market Share Worldwide · StatCounter · checked 2026-11-09
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