If you use Google Search all day, pinning it to the Windows 11 taskbar puts it one click away. Windows 11 doesn’t let you drag a website straight onto the taskbar, but Chrome and Edge can turn google.com into an app-style shortcut you can pin. This guide covers both browsers, a desktop-shortcut method that works with any browser, and how to make Google open automatically when you launch your browser.
Quick Answer
In Chrome, open google.com, click the three-dot menu > Cast, save, and share > Install page as app (or Create shortcut), and click Install. Then right-click the new Google icon on the taskbar and choose Pin to taskbar. In Edge, open google.com and choose … > More tools > Pin to taskbar.
Method 1: Google Chrome
- Open Chrome and go to www.google.com.
- Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
- Point to Cast, save, and share and choose Install page as app or Create shortcut. (On older Chrome versions, look under More tools > Create shortcut.)
- Name the shortcut (for example, “Google”). If you want it to open in its own window without tabs, check Open as window when that option appears. Click Install or Create.
- Google opens and its icon appears on the taskbar. Right-click that icon and choose Pin to taskbar. Chrome may also offer to pin it for you.
Method 2: Microsoft Edge
- Open Edge and go to www.google.com.
- Click the three-dot menu (…).
- Choose More tools > Pin to taskbar.
- Edit the name if you like, and click Pin.
The Google icon now sits on your taskbar and opens google.com in Edge. You can also choose Apps > Install this site as an app for a standalone window.
Method 3: Desktop Shortcut (Any Browser)
- Right-click an empty area of the desktop and choose New > Shortcut.
- For the location, type your browser’s path followed by the address. For Chrome:
"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" https://www.google.com - Click Next, name it “Google,” and click Finish.
- Right-click the new shortcut and choose Show more options > Pin to taskbar.
A plain web address shortcut (just https://www.google.com) can be pinned to Start but not directly to the taskbar, which is why the browser path is included.
Make Google Open When You Launch Your Browser
- Chrome: Settings > On startup > Open a specific page or set of pages > Add a new page, and enter https://www.google.com.
- Edge: Settings > Start, home, and new tabs > When Edge starts > Open these pages, and add google.com.
- Also consider making Google your default search engine in the browser’s Search engine settings.
Unpin or Remove the Shortcut
Right-click the Google icon on the taskbar and choose Unpin from taskbar. To remove an installed Chrome app, open it, click the three-dot menu in its window, and choose Uninstall, or go to chrome://apps and remove it.
Related: pinning Gmail to the Windows 11 taskbar.
Troubleshooting
- Install page as app is grayed out: make sure you’re on a normal (not Incognito) window and the page has finished loading. Try Create shortcut instead.
- Pinned icon is blank: unpin, delete the shortcut, and create it again after the page loads fully so the icon downloads.
- No Pin to taskbar option: your organization may restrict taskbar changes on managed PCs.
Related: Pin an Excel file to the taskbar in Windows 11.
Related: Pin a website to the taskbar in Windows 11.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pin Gmail or Google Drive the same way?
Yes. Open the site you want and follow the same steps. See our guide to pinning Gmail to the taskbar in Windows 11.
Does the pinned Google shortcut use my browser profile?
Yes. It uses the browser profile you created it from, so you stay signed in.
Is there a Google Search app for Windows?
Google has tested desktop search apps, but availability varies. Pinning google.com with your browser works on every Windows 11 PC.
Summary
- Open google.com in Chrome or Edge.
- Chrome: Cast, save, and share > Install page as app. Edge: More tools > Pin to taskbar.
- Right-click the icon and choose Pin to taskbar if needed.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.