To add Google Search to your Windows 11 desktop, open google.com in Google Chrome, select More, then Cast, save, and share, then Create shortcut…, and select Create. You get a Google icon that opens the search page with one double-click, and you do not need to download any extra program.
Applies to: Windows 11 with Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
What you need
- A Windows 11 PC with an internet connection.
- Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Edge is already part of Windows 11.
- About one minute. No Google account is required to create the shortcut.
Create a Google shortcut with Chrome
This is the shortest route, and the shortcut always opens Google in Chrome.
- Open Chrome on your computer.
- Go to https://www.google.com so the Google search page is on screen.
- At the top right of the window, select More (the three dots). A menu opens.
- Select Cast, save, and share, then select Create shortcut…. A small box appears with a name for the shortcut.
- Keep the suggested name or type a new one, such as Google.
- Select Create. Minimize your windows and look for the new Google icon on the desktop.
If you would rather have Google open in its own window, without tabs, choose Install page as app… from the same Cast, save, and share menu and follow the on-screen instructions. Chrome lists installed web apps at chrome://apps. Right-click Google there, select Create shortcut, choose the location you want and select Create. Both options are on Google’s Create shortcuts for websites in Chrome help page.
Create a Google shortcut with Microsoft Edge
Edge does this by installing the website as an app first, then adding a desktop shortcut for that app.
- Open Microsoft Edge and go to https://www.google.com.
- Select Settings and more (the three dots), then More tools, then Apps, then Install this site as an app.
- Confirm the installation. Google now appears on the edge://apps page.
- Type edge://apps in the address bar and press Enter, then select Details on the Google card.
- Select Create Desktop shortcut. The same card also offers Pin to taskbar and Pin to Start if you want Google in those places too.
These steps match Microsoft’s Install, manage, or uninstall apps in Microsoft Edge article.
Create the shortcut from the desktop
Windows can also make the shortcut without opening a browser menu. A shortcut made this way opens Google in whichever browser is set as your default.
- Right-click (or press and hold) an empty area of the desktop.
- Select New, then Shortcut. A window asks for the location of the item.
- Type https://www.google.com as the location.
- Continue through the remaining screens, name the shortcut Google, and finish.
For more on desktop shortcuts and pins, read Pin apps and folders to the desktop or taskbar from Microsoft.
Which method should you pick?
| Method | Opens Google in | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome: Create shortcut | Chrome | Chrome users who want the fewest clicks |
| Edge: Install this site as an app | Its own Edge app window | Edge users, or anyone who also wants Start and taskbar pins |
| Desktop: New > Shortcut | Your default browser | Any browser, including ones without a shortcut command |
Check that it worked, or remove it
Double-click the new icon. The Google search page should open, ready for you to type. If it opens in a browser you did not expect, delete the shortcut and use the method for the browser you prefer.
To remove a desktop shortcut, select it and press Delete. Deleting a shortcut removes only the shortcut, not the browser or anything in your Google account. If you installed Google as an app, also uninstall the app:
- Chrome: open the Google app, select More, then Uninstall, then Remove.
- Edge: go to edge://apps, select Details on the Google card, then select Uninstall and confirm.
Search Google from the address bar instead
A desktop icon is handy, but if you are already in the browser it is faster to type your search in the address bar. In Chrome, select More, then Settings, then Search engine. Under Search engine, select Change and choose Google. Edge users can switch by making Google the default search engine in Windows 11.
The search box on the Windows taskbar is a separate Windows feature. A desktop shortcut does not change how it works.
Troubleshooting
The shortcut is not on the desktop
Your desktop icons may be hidden. Right-click an empty area of the desktop, select View, and make sure Show desktop icons is checked. If the icon is still missing, repeat the steps, or use the New > Shortcut method, which always places the icon on the desktop.
You cannot find Create shortcut in Chrome
The command sits inside Cast, save, and share, not in the main menu. If your menu looks different, update Chrome and check again.
The option is missing or greyed out on a work or school PC
Organizations can manage browser settings on the computers they own. For example, a network administrator may choose the default search engine in Chrome at work or school. Ask your IT help desk, or use the desktop New > Shortcut method.
The icons are too small or too large
Right-click the desktop, select View, and choose Large icons, Medium icons or Small icons. You can also hold Ctrl and scroll the mouse wheel over the desktop.
A website offers a “Google Search for desktop” download
Skip it. A browser shortcut does the job, and a program from an unknown site gets access to your PC that this task does not need.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put a Google search bar on the Windows 11 desktop?
The methods above add an icon that opens Google’s search page. They do not place a typing box directly on the desktop wallpaper.
Can I put Google on the taskbar too?
Yes. In Edge, the Google app card includes Pin to taskbar. For other browsers, follow pinning Google to the taskbar in Windows 11.
Does the shortcut change my default browser or search engine?
No. It only opens a web address. Your default browser and the search engine used in the address bar stay as they were. Changing the search engine itself is a separate job, covered in removing Bing from Windows 11.
Can I make shortcuts for Gmail or YouTube the same way?
Yes. Open that site instead of google.com before you start, or type its address as the location in the desktop method.
Is it free?
Yes. The shortcut commands are built into Chrome, Edge and Windows 11.
Once the icon is on your desktop, drag it to a spot you will remember. If you search many times a day, setting Google as the address-bar search engine saves even more time.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.