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How to Create a Gmail Desktop App for PC or Mac

How to Create a Gmail Desktop App for PC or Mac
How to Create a Gmail Desktop App for PC or Mac

Are you looking for a Gmail desktop app for your PC or Mac? Well sadly, Google made Gmail web-only which means an official Gmail app for desktop doesn't exist. That's not a problem though because creating your own is easy, I promise!

Let's do it together.

How to Create a Gmail App for Windows

To create your own Gmail desktop app for a PC using Windows, simply follow these steps.

Step 1: Open Gmail on your Chrome browser. Click on the three vertical dots in the right-hand corner. This allows you to customize and control Google Chrome.

how to create a gmail desktop app step 1
how to create a gmail desktop app step 1

Step 2: Go to More tools and then click on Create shortcut.

step 2
step 2

Step 3: Name your Gmail desktop app shortcut and make sure the Open as window option is checked. Click Create.

step 3
step 3

Step 4: You'll now see a new Gmail icon on your taskbar. Right-click it and select Pin to taskbar.

step 4
step 4

That's it! You have your own Gmail desktop app for PC.

This trick can be used with most browsers and recent versions of Windows. Chrome, Edge, or Firefox, doesn't matter. Just follow the steps and you too will have your own desktop email client version of Gmail!

How to Create a Gmail Desktop App on a Mac

Creating a Gmail desktop app for a Mac is a little trickier than it is on PC. Thankfully, not by much.

Step 1: Open the Mail app and select Add Account.

How to create a gmail desktop app on a Mac step 1
How to create a gmail desktop app on a Mac step 1

Step 2: Find Choose a mail account provider and select Google in the drop-down menu.

step 2
step 2

Step 3: Click Continue. A new box will now open. From here select Open Safari.

How to create a gmail desktop app on a Mac step 3
How to create a gmail desktop app on a Mac step 3

Step 4: You'll be asked for your Gmail address. Enter it and hit Next.

How to create a gmail desktop app on a Mac step 4
How to create a gmail desktop app on a Mac step 4

Step 5: Enter your info again and click Next and then Allow to enable permissions.

How to create a gmail desktop app on a Mac step 5
How to create a gmail desktop app on a Mac step 5

And you're done! Not too bad right?

To find your Gmail account, just look for it in the left-hand sidebar of the Mail app under Mailboxes.

How to Use Gmail Offline

Step 1: Go to Gmail settings and click See all settings.

How to use Gmail offline step 1
How to use Gmail offline step 1

Step 2: Go to Offline and tick the Enable offline mail option (you need to be the administrator of your Gmail account to enable this option).

how to use gmail offline step 2
how to use gmail offline step 2

Once you click Save changes, you're all set!

How a Desktop Email Client can Enhance Your Gmail Experience

Creating your own Gmail desktop app is a neat shortcut if you have a single Gmail account. However, it doesn't help much if you want to manage multiple email accounts.

Instead of a simple shortcut, a better solution is a dedicated desktop email client.

The right email client provides easy inbox management for all your email accounts. It also enhances your Gmail experience in other ways, like with added integrations, email tracking, and a unified inbox.

If you're curious to learn more, then check out our article on the Best Gmail Apps for Windows to see how you can boost your overall productivity.

FAQ

Is there a Gmail app for desktop?

Google hasn't released an official Gmail app for desktop. Thankfully, creating one yourself is easy.How do I install a Gmail app on my laptop?Simply follow steps 1 - 4 of the How to Create a Gmail App for PC section of this guide. The steps are identical regardless if you have a home PC or laptop.How do I pin Gmail to my taskbar?Once you see the Gmail icon on your taskbar, just right-click it and select Pin to taskbar.