Ultimate Guide: How to Install Gmail, Calendar, and Google Workspace Apps on Windows and Mac for Enhanced Productivity.
What's the first thing you check in the morning? It's likely your email, followed by your calendar, right? In this blog post, I will guide you through a quick and efficient process of installing Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Google Chat, and other apps on your computer. With just one click, you can access them on both Windows and Mac, saving time and making your daily routine more efficient.
Some applications have official installation processes (known as PWAs), while others, such as Gmail and Calendar, require a different approach. Don't worry—it's straightforward. Ensure you have Chrome installed and set as your default web browser, then follow the guide below to install these applications. Any extensions you have installed will continue to work once you have installed the applications.
Google Workspace Apps you can officially install.
Here are the Google Workspace apps that can be installed with just one click:
To install these apps, open the app's homepage in your web browser. Look at the far right of the address bar for a small icon (usually a down arrow in Chrome). Click this icon to see the option to install the app. After clicking the install button, the webpage you were viewing will pop out into its own window.
Once installed, you will find the app's logo in your taskbar (for Windows) or dock (for Mac). Right-click the app's icon on Windows to pin it to your taskbar. On a Mac, drag the icon to your desired location in the dock.
Next time you want to access the service, click its icon, and the service will open in its window, as demonstrated in the video at the top of this blog post.
Google Workspace apps that don't have an official installation.
As mentioned earlier, Gmail and Google Calendar don't have an official installation method, so you'll need to follow a different approach. Here's how to do it:
Open Gmail or Google Calendar in Google Chrome, depending on which service you want to install.
Once the page has loaded, click the three-dot icon in the top right corner of Chrome to access the settings menu.
From this menu, select "Cast, save, and share."
In the submenu that appears, choose "Install page as app."
A pop-up will then appear with the option to install. Click "Install" to proceed.
Once you click install, your service will open in a new window. If you look at your taskbar or dock, you'll notice that the icon for that service has appeared.
For Windows users, right-click the icon in your taskbar and select "Pin to taskbar." If you are on a Mac, drag the icon to your preferred location. The next time you want to access these services, click on their icons in your taskbar, and they will open in their own window.
Set your apps to open when you start your computer.
Now that you have installed these apps, you can set them to open automatically when you start your computer. To do this in Google Chrome, follow these steps:
Open Chrome and navigate to the page chrome://apps.
Right-click on any app you want to set to start automatically.
Select the option to enable automatic startup.
The next time you restart your computer, this app will automatically open when you start your system. It's convenient, especially for Google Chat and Gmail!
It doesn't stop with Google Workspace apps.
Many websites, not just Google Workspace, allow you to install them as applications. For example, websites like BBC News or Reddit have an installation button that appears in your address bar while you're browsing. Keep an eye out for this button on your favourite sites. Alternatively, you can always install them manually. This capability isn't limited to desktops; you can also install them through your mobile browser on your phone.
