With apps for Google Chrome, you can do things like create documents, edit photos, and listen to music. They’re like desktop software programs you install on your computer. The main difference is that you use apps directly within your browser. If you use Gmail, Google Maps, or sites like Pandora, you're already using apps. Some apps, like Gmail or Google Calendar, are regular websites. Opening them is the same as going to their websites. Other apps are websites designed specifically for Chrome, like The New York Times app. When you open this app, you'll see that it looks different from the New York Times website and offers features you won’t find on the regular site. Another kind of app works just like software programs on your desktop, relying on certain features of Chrome. These apps, like Google Keep, run outside of the Chrome browser window, similar to any other program on your computer.  You can use apps that are hosted online in any up-to-date modern web browser. But by installing them in Chrome, you have the following advantages:

• Get app icons. When you install an app from the store in Google Chrome, its icon shows up in the app launcher so you can easily find and open the app.
• Choose how an app should open. You can set an app to always open in a regular tab, in a pinned tab, or in full-screen mode. To choose a setting, right-click the app icon on the New Tab page.
• Access your apps on any computer. Use Google Chrome's sync feature to save your apps to your Google Account. That way, you can see your list of apps no matter which computer you're using.