A lot of our work happens inside a browser, whether it's sending emails, attending meetings, or using services like Google Drive. However, many people, myself included, prefer a native desktop app over visiting a web page. For one, I have found apps to be faster and more responsive than websites. A good example is the Asana app, which is much faster than the website. However, not all web services are available as standalone desktop apps.

If you use a web service frequently, you can turn websites into desktop apps on Windows. By default, most browsers feature a built-in option to install websites as apps on Windows. Plus, there are third-party tools to convert a website into a desktop app.

4 Install the apps you can

Many web apps already have desktop apps

This may seem obvious, but we often don’t realize that many web apps we use actually have dedicated desktop apps. I frequently use project management tools like Trello, Asana, Airtable, and Monday, and I recently discovered that all of them have desktop apps that are much faster than their websites. Similarly, Google Drive and even Apple iCloud have Windows apps, as do social media platforms like TikTok, LinkedIn, and Threads.

There’s also a Netflix app on Windows, which you won’t find on Macs. I remember there used to be a YouTube app on the Microsoft Store, but it’s now delisted. It wasn’t very useful, though. It was essentially just a web page disguised as an app.

3 Integrate web apps using your browser

Whether you use Chrome, Edge, or any other browser

Most Chromium-based browsers feature an Install page as app option, which turns any website into an app with its own dedicated window, taskbar icon, desktop shortcut, and Start menu shortcut. While it’s technically still a web app, it’s much more convenient for frequently used web apps like Gmail.

I’ll explain how to do this using Google Chrome, but the process is largely the same for most Chromium-based browsers.

1. Launch Google Chrome.
2. Click the three-dots menu in the top-right corner.
3. Go to Cast, Save, and Share, then select Install page as app.
4. On the Install this page as an app pop-up, type a name for the app.
5. Click Install to turn the website into an app.

Your new app will automatically open in a new window. You can launch it from the Start menu, taskbar, or Windows search. This feature is also available on macOS.

You can install some websites as Progressive Web Apps (PWAs). PWAs often come with extra features, like offline support, and they give websites their own window with a more native app-like feel.

2 Try the WebCatalog app

The best third-party solution to turn websites into apps

WebCatalog is a third-party app that features a library of popular websites you can install as desktop apps. The library includes almost every popular website, such as Gmail, YouTube, Instagram, and Google Calendar. You can simply pick one and install it on your PC. If the website you want isn’t available in the library, you can create an app yourself.

To install a website as an app using WebCatalog:

1. Download and open WebCatalog.
2. Click the Create button and select the Create Custom App option.
3. Enter a name for the app and add the website's URL.
4. Click Select Local Image to choose an icon for the app.
5. Click Create. WebCatalog will download the necessary files and create a web app. This process may take a minute or two.

Unlike the browser method, WebCatalog apps are self-contained and run on their own browser engine called Photon. Photon is built on the Chromium-based Electron framework, so it keeps the apps separate from each other and your main browser while still working well with most websites.

This setup makes WebCatalog more secure. If something goes wrong with your default browser, it won’t affect your WebCatalog apps since each app has its own cookies, cache, and sessions. Plus, WebCatalog lets you create multiple sessions for the same website without needing to mess with browser profiles.

1 Use Web2Desk

A solid option if you don't mind the Web2Desk splash screen

Web2Desk is another platform that lets you convert websites to desktop apps. You can use it to create native app packages for desktop platforms, including MacOS, Windows, and Linux. However, apps created using the service feature will have a Web2Desk splash screen. You can remove it for a premium of $49.

To create a desktop app using Web2Desk:

1. Go to the Web2Desk website. Enter the website URL and app name in the fields provided.
2. Web2Desk will automatically fetch the website logo for the app icon, but you can click Change to upload a custom icon from your computer.
3. Enter your email address.
4. Select Windows as the platform.
5. Click Create Desktop App to start building your app. This might take a little time.
6. Once the app is ready, click Download to get the app package. Extract the downloaded zip file and double-click the app.exe file to launch your app.

Do more with web apps

Web apps are great, but desktop apps are often better. They're more convenient and can sometimes be faster. You can try any of the four methods above to turn your favorite websites into apps on your Windows PC.

That said, web apps are becoming the go-to option over standalone apps, and they’re surprisingly capable. For example, there are tools that let you turn spreadsheets into interactive web apps. We even managed to replace Windows 11 with a web app and had a pretty decent experience.