[8 RTM] Chrome keeps disappearing from start screen.


Recommended Posts

I'm running into an issue, where I try to pin the desktop version of google chrome to the start menu. It stays there for a bit, but after about 20 minutes it disappears.

When I repin the shortcut, it puts a (2) on it, but the first shortcut is never visible again. I have to go to Windows Explorer, Navigate to the Start Menu folder, delete the first shortcut, and then rename the new shortcut to remove the (2).

This doesn't happen when I pin the metro version of chrome, but I don't want to use the metro version of chrome.

Is anyone having this issue, or aware of a fix?

I'm running into an issue, where I try to pin the desktop version of google chrome to the start menu. It stays there for a bit, but after about 20 minutes it disappears.

When I repin the shortcut, it puts a (2) on it, but the first shortcut is never visible again. I have to go to Windows Explorer, Navigate to the Start Menu folder, delete the first shortcut, and then rename the new shortcut to remove the (2).

This doesn't happen when I pin the metro version of chrome, but I don't want to use the metro version of chrome.

Is anyone having this issue, or aware of a fix?

that's gotta be a chrome issue I would think. try submitting this in the chrome bug tracker and see what they say

Having a similar but different issue here. I'm able to pin it to both the taskbar and start screen, but I get this when I try to launch it.

Works fine if I go to the folder and run the executable directly. Tried to unpin/repin and reinstalled chrome but it still does it.

922f9976.png

Having a similar but different issue here. I'm able to pin it to both the taskbar and start screen, but I get this when I try to launch it.

Works fine if I go to the folder and run the executable directly. Tried to unpin/repin and reinstalled chrome but it still does it.

It's an issue with the latest builds of Chrome and not related to Win 8. Even the Canary version suffers from it.

The weird thing is that it doesn't happen with old installations. So if you had your OS for a while with a previous version of Chrome installed, you won't have this issue.

On a new installation of Windows 7, it happens.

The "default programs" settings suck in Windows 8. Because when you select a browser as "default" from the program itself, it doesn't always "stick" the only way to get around this properly is to open the start screen, type default programs, open it and wait for it to load all the programs in the left view pane, and then click on Chrome (or whatever browser you want default) and then set it as the default program in Windows.

You can set various protocols to open in other programs if you want, but if the main http and https are selected as default, the Metro version will show in the Start screen again.

Thanks for the info Sir Ali. What an odd bug, suppose I'll have to stick with a shortcut on the desktop for now.

It's an issue with the latest builds of Chrome and not related to Win 8. Even the Canary version suffers from it.

The weird thing is that it doesn't happen with old installations. So if you had your OS for a while with a previous version of Chrome installed, you won't have this issue.

On a new installation of Windows 7, it happens.

I get this even without domain attachment.

The other super frustration is, if you set Chrome to be your default browser, it's impossible to make it launch the desktop version of the application. If you click the Chrome icon on the Start Screen, It insists on running it as a Metro version of the application. And if that wasn't bad enough it doesn't even bring in your bookmarks and so forth from the desktop version of Chrome. It seriously needs an update to fix some of these problems :|

I get this even without domain attachment.

The other super frustration is, if you set Chrome to be your default browser, it's impossible to make it launch the desktop version of the application. If you click the Chrome icon on the Start Screen, It insists on running it as a Metro version of the application. And if that wasn't bad enough it doesn't even bring in your bookmarks and so forth from the desktop version of Chrome. It seriously needs an update to fix some of these problems :|

You can pin the "desktop" version to the task bar ;)

The "default programs" settings suck in Windows 8. Because when you select a browser as "default" from the program itself, it doesn't always "stick" the only way to get around this properly is to open the start screen, type default programs, open it and wait for it to load all the programs in the left view pane, and then click on Chrome (or whatever browser you want default) and then set it as the default program in Windows.

You can set various protocols to open in other programs if you want, but if the main http and https are selected as default, the Metro version will show in the Start screen again.

+1 I thought it was just me!!! Glad I am not alone. Its frustrating!! I still don't really understand how it works

Could it have something to do with the WinRT Chrome being side-loaded with the desktop one? I'm not sure how they're getting it installed and bypassing the Windows Store. Perhaps the RTM is kicking it out because it's not signed?

no, side loading web browsers is allowed in x86/x64

Could it have something to do with the WinRT Chrome being side-loaded with the desktop one? I'm not sure how they're getting it installed and bypassing the Windows Store. Perhaps the RTM is kicking it out because it's not signed?

Chrome Metro will only handle links within Metro apps (such as clicking a link in the Mail app), unless you start a session with it from the Start Screen. I have't tested how links from IRC are handled when only the Metro version is running, but I'm guessing it will launch the desktop version.

I think it sucks, why have two different environments for the same purpose? There's currently no way to disable the Metro version (of any default browser) either.

^ If Metro Chrome is set as default, Metro IE will vanish from the Start screen. This is probably why Chrome keeps vanishing... Metro IE is default...

Totally lame, MS. :rolleyes:

Changing your default browser isn't going to remove one from Start. Based on the comments above yours, it sound like a Chrome bug that also exists on Win7.

I think it sucks, why have two different environments for the same purpose? There's currently no way to disable the Metro version (of any default browser) either.

You can tell IE to always run on the desktop. In desktop IE, click Tools -> Internet Options -> Programs tab.

Changing your default browser isn't going to remove one from Start. Based on the comments above yours, it sound like a Chrome bug that also exists on Win7.

I don't think it works that way for Metro browsers. If Chrome is default, metro IE will disappear.

The other super frustration is, if you set Chrome to be your default browser, it's impossible to make it launch the desktop version of the application. If you click the Chrome icon on the Start Screen, It insists on running it as a Metro version of the application. And if that wasn't bad enough it doesn't even bring in your bookmarks and so forth from the desktop version of Chrome. It seriously needs an update to fix some of these problems :|

It is possible to always launch desktop version of Chrome but it's not easy - you have to uninstall it and then run installer in Windows 7, Vista or XP compatibility mode, and then do the same for Chrome itself so it won't register as a Metro app. I did it and now Chrome always launch in classic environment and its icon stopped disappearing.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Waymo recalls self-driving software after cars enter closed freeway work zones by Paul Hill Waymo, the self-driving car maker owned by Alphabet – the parent company of Google –, has recalled some of its fifth-generation Automated Driving Systems (ADS). It did so after some of its cars drove through closed construction zones. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the affected vehicles were capable of driving through a closed freeway construction zone and continuing to drive at speed. The listing on the NHTSA website says that Waymo is currently developing a solution to fix this issue, but in the meantime, freeway driving is being restricted. Waymo will update its ADS software so that vehicles can detect when they can avoid entering construction zones. According to the Safety Recall Report, on April 20, 2026, Waymo’s Field Safety Committee began meetings reviewing an event from April 11, 2026, and five events from April 19, 2026, where Waymo’s autonomous vehicles didn’t recognize and drove past ramp closure signs into the pre-planned freeway construction zones. This took place in Phoenix, Arizona. Separately, on May 18, 2026, seven Waymo vehicles entered freeway lanes with active construction in the San Francisco Bay Area by driving between cones that were placed to show the lane was closed. On the back of both of these events, Waymo restricted freeway driving until it could address the issue. In June, Waymo’s Safety Board reviewed the issue and additional information related to ADS performances around construction zones; then, as a result, it decided to conduct a recall. This development is not good for Waymo as it adds to a growing list of technical hiccups its cars have experienced. Ultimately, it will lead to more scrutiny from lawmakers around the world who will be more cautious about letting autonomous vehicles on their roads without tighter regulation. For readers in areas where Waymo operates, does this news make you more wary about stepping into one of these vehicles?
    • I'm still on Windows 10 22H2 because I didn't want to deal with all the issues in Windows 11, so I waited almost a week before installing the latest Patch Tuesday update (KB5094127), I went ahead and did it, and it was a huge mistake—ever since then, my File Explorer has seen a performance drop of about 30% when transferring large files... Once again, Microsoft has outdone itself! This update cannot be uninstalled, either through the Control Panel (via Settings) or by accessing Advanced Startup Options. The only possible alternative would be to use system restore points, but I’d have to reinstall all app and driver updates (and there’s no guarantee it would work). Or there’s the “nuclear option” of a in-place repair without losing files or apps, but even then, all my customizations would be lost! Microsoft just can’t help but mess everything up! Way to go, Microsoft! But I still don’t want your c****y Windows 11!
    • Microsoft: Windows 11 could finally solve a major issue across AMD, Nvidia, and Intel GPUs by Sayan Sen While Microsoft has been trying to improve it, Windows 11 is definitely not flawless, as even today some issues are taking a year to publicly acknowledge. However, one area of trouble that may finally see much better results soon is graphics driver crashes. Work on graphics driver timeouts, also called Timeout and Detection Recovery (TDR), is not new as the latest WDDM 3.2 also has specific improvements regarding it. Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) version 3.2 is supported on Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. However, with the upcoming version 26H2, TDR crash diagnosis could go to the next level as Microsoft is introducing a new DirectX 12 API feature called "DirectX Dump Files". Similar to how system memory dump files work when a system crashes or freezes or encounters any such major issue, DirectX Dump Files (DDF) will essentially record a snapshot of the GPU execution right at the moment a graphics-related crash or hang or freeze occurs, so that developers can better understand and diagnoze these TDR and timeout detection errors. The dump will be available as a .dxdmp file for analysis and it will be a comprehensive dump file generated with detailed insights about the hardware, drivers, Windows, as well as the affected application. This should be another welcome change in this department. Earlier at GDC 2026, when the technology was first debuted, Microsoft had shared more details regarding it. The company had explained how DDF is designed to gather data from every layer of the graphics stack into a single file, eliminating the need for developers to manually correlate logs from multiple tools. As mentioned above, the dump can contain a lot of useful details like GPU hardware state information such as register values, shader program counters, page fault virtual addresses, shader memory data, and command buffers. Alongside that, it also captures DirectX runtime and kernel information, including D3D objects, pipeline state objects, device error data, adapter details, and CPU call stacks. Microsoft says the feature has been built around two primary use cases: retail device removals and local device removals. The former allows developers to collect crash information from end users' systems in the field, while the latter helps QA teams and developers investigate issues on test machines. Developers will also be able to include up to 2 MB of custom application data through new D3D12 APIs, providing additional context for troubleshooting. In addition, Microsoft is introducing three dump collection modes ranging from zero-overhead capture, which has no runtime performance impact on supported hardware, to higher-detail modes that collect more vendor-specific debugging data. On compatible Tier 2 hardware, zero-overhead dumps will be enabled by default, meaning developers may begin receiving useful crash diagnostics without making any code changes. The table below explains the three tiers: Tier Description NO_OVERHEAD Enables crash capture with no runtime cost and is suitable for broad deployment MEDIUM_OVERHEAD Provides a balance, capturing additional diagnostic data with moderate impact HIGH_OVERHEAD Collects the most detailed GPU and driver state available, enabling deeper investigation at the cost of higher runtime overhead In terms of availability, the company expects broader release to be around the fall of 2026, which should be right around the time when Windows 11 version 26H2 lands. Right now, DirectX Dump Files are available as a preview and currently, only AMD has the compatible AgilitySDK Developer Preview driver version 26.10.07.02. You can find the official announcement post here on Microsoft's website.
    • And with SO much better perf than the laggy mess that is Files.
  • Recent Achievements

    • First Post
      BizSAR earned a badge
      First Post
    • Week One Done
      Jordan Smith earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Reacting Well
      BizSAR earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • First Post
      AndreaB earned a badge
      First Post
    • Week One Done
      Huge Trailer earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      598
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      190
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      80
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      76
    5. 5
      Steven P.
      69
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!