Google delays deprecation of Chrome Apps on all platforms

Abner Li | Aug 10 2020 - 3:24 pm PT

Chrome Apps were Google’s original version for having web technologies offer an “experience comparable to a native application.” The modern web is now more than capable, and a final deprecation timeline was set earlier this year. However, Google is now pushing back some of the dates.

Google cites “feedback from our customers and partners” in making these changes. The Chrome Web Store no longer accepts public Chrome Apps, but Google is still allowing enterprise customers to submit new private and unlisted applications.

Meanwhile, Chrome Apps on Mac, Windows, and Linux were supposed to stop working this year. General support will now continue until June 2021, while organizations have another year on top of that.

Public Chrome OS support was supposed to end on June 2021, but that’s now been extended. The final end date is still June 2022, when:

Chrome Web Store will stop accepting new and updated private and unlisted Chrome apps.
End support for Chrome Apps, NaCl, PNaCl, and PPAPI for all platforms.

More information about this deprecation timeline is available on the Chrome Apps migration site.

As a reminder, Google says Chrome Extensions are not impacted by these announcements:

Google will continue to support and invest in Chrome Extensions on all existing platforms. Fostering a robust ecosystem of extensions is critical to Chrome’s mission and we are committed to providing a useful extension platform for customizing the browsing experience for all users.