Chrome Browser - Toggle Between Desktop and Windows 8 Mode

How to Toggle Google Chrome Browser Between Desktop and Modern Windows 8 Mode​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to quickly toggle Google Chrome browser back and forth between using desktop or modern Windows 8 mode.

When you switch back and forth between using desktop or Windows 8 (Metro) mode, all of your currently opened tabs in Google Chrome will remain intact.

   Note

When using Google Chrome Windows 8 (Metro) mode, Google Chrome is set as the default program. To have modern IE10/IE11 available on the Start screen again, you would have to set Internet Explorer back as the default program.

Chrome (32.0.1700.76) on Windows 8 “Metro” mode gets a new look: Manage multiple Chrome windows and quickly get to your favorite Chrome Apps with an integrated app launcher. On the desktop, Google updated the default styling of UI elements like form controls and scrollbars to match the sleek design of the new Chrome Metro interface.

Google Chrome Blog: Everyone can now track down noisy tabs

Here's How:

1. Do step 2 or 3 below depending on what Chrome mode you currently are in.

2. If Currently in Google Chrome Desktop Mode

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A) Click/tap on the Chrome menu button, and click/tap on Relaunch Chrome in Windows 8 mode. (see screenshot below)​

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B) If Google Chrome is not already set as your default program, then you will have an Open with dialog open. Click/tap on Google Chrome.​

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C) When you switch to Chrome in modern Windows 8 mode, the desktop Chrome browser will be closed.​

3. If Currently in Google Chrome Modern Windows 8 Mode

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A) Click/tap on the Chrome menu button, and click/tap on Relaunch Chrome on the desktop. (see screenshot below)​

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B) After you close the desktop Chrome browser, you may also wish to close the still open modern Chrome browser if you like.​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to View Webpage from Modern Internet Explorer in Desktop IE in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Set URL Links to Open in Modern or Desktop IE10 or IE11 View in Windows 8 and 8.1

 

[bagavan]

Brink, but this does not allow to use both the modes at the same instinct of time like IE rite?

 

[Brink]

Hello Bagavan,

Unfortunately yes. It's either or, but not both modes at the same time. Even if you have separate Chrome windows opened.

 

[bagavan]

I also found out that When chrome windows 8 mode is enabled you wont be able to use IE 10 metro version

 

[Brink]

Nope. When using Chrome Windows 8 (Metro) mode, Chrome is set as the default program. To use IE 10 Metro, you would have to set Internet Explorer back as the default program.

 

[xraiderv1]

how do you do that?

 

[Brink]

how do you do that?

If you mean how to set IE10 as the default program, then you can click on the tutorial link in my post above. It'll help show you how to step by step.

 

[xraiderv1]

that works, thank you.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome mate.

 

[Reine]

Thank you very much for useful article! I would never guess myself.

 

[Brink]

Welcome to Eight Forums Reine. Glad it could help.

 

[Ashember]

didn't work, keeps going metro even after all the steps, if I don't open it first I can right click the icon and open "New Window" and it will open on desk top but I can't get it to stop doing metro on a regular double click. "Re-launch on Desk top" does not work on my computer. I even tried the Reg Edit, Changing the value to a 1 trick.

This Metro crap is driving me nuts. Please help.

 

[Brink]

Hello Ashember, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Are you opening Chrome from your desktop or Start screen?

If you have Chrome set as your default browser and open it from your Start screen location, then Chrome will always open in "Windows 8 mode" by default.

If you open Chrome from your desktop, then it should open in desktop mode.

Are you having any issues with any other modern app or screen?

 

[LizBizz]

I'm not entirely sure I know the difference in appearance of the two versions of Chrome, but I assume that if I go to the options window and the relaunch option is available then I must be using the metro version. So... so I've done that and the background of Chrome changes but nothing else happens. Chrome does not show up. I am running Start8 to make a Win 7 start menu if that makes a difference.

Thanks in advance for your help. I got here by looking for info on default programs and your reg change worked perfectly.

 

[Brink]

Hello Liz, and welcome to Eight Forums.

The "Windows 8 mode" is for Chrome to run in the modern UI (Metro) mode. This would be the same as the other modern apps on your Start screen. Think smartphone apps, and optimized for touch.

The "desktop" mode is for Chrome to run the desktop "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" file on your desktop instead of modern UI. This is the same as it was in previous versions of Windows.

As far as Chrome, there's not to much difference in it's "Windows 8 mode" and "desktop" modes as far as usage.

You will see a "Relaunch Chrome....." option in both modes. The key is at the end of that to let you know what mode you are currently in since it says to relaunch in the other mode.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[xraiderv1]

hey brink..does the adblock plus addon work in windows 8 UI mode?

 

[Brink]

hey brink..does the adblock plus addon work in windows 8 UI mode?

Sorry mate, but I don't use it to know.

Please review forum rule #14 though.

 

[LizBizz]

Hello Liz, and welcome to Eight Forums.

The "Windows 8 mode" is for Chrome to run in the modern UI (Metro) mode. This would be the same as the other modern apps on your Start screen. Think smartphone apps, and optimized for touch.

The "desktop" mode is for Chrome to run the desktop "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" file on your desktop instead of modern UI. This is the same as it was in previous versions of Windows.

As far as Chrome, there's not to much difference in it's "Windows 8 mode" and "desktop" modes as far as usage.

You will see a "Relaunch Chrome....." option in both modes. The key is at the end of that to let you know what mode you are currently in since it says to relaunch in the other mode.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thanks, Shawn. Part of the reason I asked was this quote, "In Windows 8, Google Chrome works differently if you run it as a Windows 8 app by making it the default browser." which was from Chrome support https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2762879?hl=en.

The other reason was that I looked for some help in Windows support (and unfortunately I don't have the url) and it said that their "fix" would only work if Chrome was in desktop mode.

~L

 

[Brink]

UPDATE:

Chrome (32.0.1700.76) on Windows 8 “Metro” mode gets a new look: Manage multiple Chrome windows and quickly get to your favorite Chrome Apps with an integrated app launcher. On the desktop, Google updated the default styling of UI elements like form controls and scrollbars to match the sleek design of the new Chrome Metro interface.

Google Chrome Blog: Everyone can now track down noisy tabs