How to Set Up Google Workspace Desktop Shortcuts in Windows 11
Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite) includes an assortment of productivity cloud apps. Google Workspace’s Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Gmail web apps are especially good freely available alternatives to MS Office’s applications. Google Drive is also one of the best cloud storage services.
If you frequently utilize Google Workspace apps, it’s a good idea to add shortcuts for them in Windows 11’s desktop area. Then you’ll be able to open the apps straight from the desktop without needing to rummage through your browser’s bookmarks. You can set up Google Workspace app shortcuts in Windows 11 with these alternative methods.
How to Set Up Google Workspace Desktop Shortcuts With Microsoft Edge
As Google Workspace applications are web apps, you could’t set up EXE desktop shortcuts for them like you can with your installed software. Instead, you can create website shortcuts for Google’s cloud apps using browsers such as Microsoft Edge.
Microsoft Edge lets you set up Progressive Web App (PWA) shortcuts for sites, which aren’t the same as standard website shortcuts. This is how you can set up PWA desktop shortcuts for Google Workspace apps:
A Google app shortcut will now be on your Windows 11 desktop. Double-click that PWA shortcut to open its app. It will open in a separate window, much like a UWP app from the Microsoft Store. You won’t see any of Edge’s user interface within the web app’s window.
If you set up a PWA shortcut for Slides, Sheets, Docs, or Forms, you’ll be able to access those apps within the same window. Click theMainmenu button at the top left of the app. Then select one of the three alternative productivity apps to bring it up in the window.
How to Set Up Google App Desktop Shortcuts With Google Chrome
Many Google Workspace app users likely use Google’s own Chrome browser instead of Edge. Chrome users can also create PWA shortcuts for Google apps in much the same way:
Then the web app will automatically open in a separate window. Selecting theOpen aswindowoption sets up a PWA shortcut. If you prefer to add a standard website shortcut to the desktop, don’t select that setting. You can double-click that app’s desktop shortcut to open it at any time.
How to Add Google App Shortcuts to the Taskbar
If you want to access your Google apps from the taskbar, it’s possible to add shortcuts for opening them there. Right-click an app’s desktop shortcut and selectShow moreoptions on Windows 11’s context menu. You can select aPin to taskbar(or Start menu) option on the classic menu.
However, Microsoft Edge users can take a different route. When you set up a desktop shortcut in Edge, the “app installed” dialog box you’ll see afterward includes aPin to taskbaroption, which is selected by default. So, keep that checkbox selected in Edge when creating an app shortcut. Or you can select aPin to taskbaroption for installed apps on theedge://apps/tab.
How to Set up Hotkey Shortcuts for Google Apps
Pressing a hotkey is the quickest way to launch an app in Windows 11. You can apply keyboard shortcuts to Google Workspace apps after adding them to the desktop. To do so, you’ll need to set a hotkey in a shortcut’s properties window like this:
How to Set Up a Batch File Shortcut That Opens Multiple Google Workspace Apps
A batch file is a type of script you can set up to automate tasks in Windows. You can set up a batch file that opens multiple Google Workspace apps when run. Adding such a script file to the desktop will enable you to open two, three, four, or more Google web apps at once in a single double-click. This is how tocreate a batch filethat opens Slides, Sheets, and Docs at once:
it’s possible to extend that batch file to open any number of apps by adding more start lines with different URLs to its script. To change it in Notepad, right-click the file and selectShow more options>Edit. verify you input the full website URLs for the apps by copying and pasting them from your browser’s address bar.
Open Google Web Apps Quicker With Shortcuts
Desktop, taskbar, and keyboard shortcuts for Google web apps are better than browser bookmarks. You can jump straight into your most important Google apps directly from the desktop or taskbar after adding shortcuts for them there. Alternatively, press a key combo whenever you need to access a Google Workspace app. Furthermore, setting up shortcuts with the PWA features of Edge and Chrome turns the websites they open into Windows apps you can utilize outside browsers.
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