Accessing Gmail, Google, or YouTube almost always goes through the browser: open Chrome or Firefox, type the address or search for a favorite in a cluttered list. A shortcut placed directly on the desktop eliminates these intermediate steps. The principle works on Windows and macOS, with some differences in the path depending on the browser used.
Desktop Shortcut and Application Mode: The Difference Chrome Imposes
Most tutorials describe the same sequence: open the site, go through the menu, click on “Create Shortcut.” What they rarely detail is the checkbox that changes the entire behavior of the shortcut.
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When Chrome offers to create a shortcut to Gmail, Google, or YouTube, an option appears: “Open in a window.” If you check it, the shortcut no longer launches a simple tab in your browser. It opens the site in a dedicated window, without an address bar, without tabs, and without visible extensions. Gmail then resembles a traditional email client, while YouTube looks like a standalone video player.
This pseudo-application mode still uses Chrome in the background, but the streamlined interface changes daily usage. For those who want to consult Blog IT for your digital needs, this distinction between a simple shortcut and an application shortcut is worth understanding before choosing your method.
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Without the checkbox checked, the shortcut opens an additional tab in the already active Chrome window. For Gmail, this means your inbox gets mixed with your other tabs. In contrast, with window mode, each shortcut lives in its own space, with its own icon in the taskbar.
Creating a Gmail, Google, and YouTube Shortcut on the Desktop with Chrome
The path has slightly evolved in recent versions of Chrome. The old “More Tools” menu has been replaced in some versions by “Save and Share.”
Step-by-Step Method
- Open Chrome and go to the desired site: mail.google.com for Gmail, google.com for the search engine, youtube.com for YouTube.
- Click on the three vertical dots at the top right of the window, then on “Save and Share” (or “More Tools” depending on your version), then on “Create Shortcut.”
- Rename the shortcut if necessary (for example, “Gmail” or “YouTube”), check or uncheck the “Open in a window” box, then click “Create.”
The shortcut appears immediately on the desktop. On Windows, it takes the form of a .lnk file with the site’s icon. A double-click launches the page directly.
Repeat the operation for each service. Three distinct shortcuts on the desktop allow access to Gmail, Google, and YouTube without going through favorites or the address bar.
Assigning a Keyboard Shortcut in Windows
Once the shortcut is created on the desktop, Windows allows for further action. Right-click on the icon, open “Properties,” then in the “Shortcut Key” field, assign a key combination like Ctrl+Alt+G for Gmail. This combination launches the site directly, without even touching the mouse. The same logic works for YouTube (Ctrl+Alt+Y, for example) or for the Google homepage.
This option remains poorly documented. It exploits a native Windows feature for .lnk files, which does not depend on Chrome.
Desktop Shortcut Without Chrome: What Edge and Firefox Allow
Chrome is not the only browser capable of creating desktop shortcuts, but the alternatives have different limitations.
Microsoft Edge offers a similar path: three-dot menu, then “Apps,” then “Install this site as an app.” Edge then creates a Progressive Web App rather than a simple shortcut. For Gmail, the result is close to Chrome’s window mode: a streamlined interface, a dedicated icon in the taskbar, and standalone operation.
Firefox, on the other hand, does not offer an equivalent native function to turn a site into a desktop application. The fallback method is to drag and drop the padlock icon (or the site icon to the left of the URL) directly onto the desktop. This creates a functional shortcut, but it always opens a standard tab in Firefox. No dedicated window mode.
For macOS users with Safari, the “Add to Dock” feature introduced in recent versions of the system allows creating a shortcut to Gmail or YouTube that behaves like a native application in the Dock.
Pinning Gmail and YouTube to the Windows Taskbar
The desktop shortcut is a first level of access. Pinning to the taskbar offers permanent access, visible even when the desktop is hidden by other windows.
The manipulation is simple: right-click on the Gmail or YouTube shortcut present on the desktop, then click on “Pin to Taskbar.” The icon remains in place, accessible with a single click regardless of the context.
If you created the shortcut with the “Open in a window” option, the pinned icon visually distinguishes itself from Chrome. Gmail and YouTube appear as separate applications in the taskbar, each with its own window. In Alt+Tab, they display independently, simplifying navigation between multiple Google services open simultaneously.
Limitations to Know Before Multiplying Shortcuts
Desktop shortcuts created via Chrome depend on the browser. If you uninstall Chrome, application mode shortcuts stop working. The file remains on the desktop, but the click leads nowhere.
The same problem arises with major browser updates. A change in Chrome profile or a reset of settings can break the link between the shortcut and the site. Session data (Gmail login, for example) remains tied to the active Chrome profile: if you switch profiles, the shortcut may open a login page instead of your inbox.
- Chrome shortcuts in window mode do not manage extensions: an ad blocker active in Chrome does not always apply in the application window.
- On macOS, shortcuts created from Chrome are placed in the “Chrome Applications” folder and not directly on the desktop, requiring a manual moving step.
- Keyboard shortcuts assigned in Windows only work if the shortcut remains on the desktop or in the Start menu; moving it to another folder disables the key combination.
These technical constraints do not undermine the usefulness of desktop shortcuts, but they explain why some shortcuts stop working after an update or configuration change. Keeping the browser up to date and periodically checking the functionality of shortcuts remains the most reliable precaution.