Use free apps in Google Chrome

Chrome apps are designed to run within Google's Chrome web browser - so an internet connection is needed to use any apps. If you don't already have it, you can Google Chrome here, click the large blue Download Google Chrome button and follow the prompts to download and install the package. Now launch Chrome and visit the Web Store. This is where Google groups together applications, extensions, themes and other Chrome goodies. Most are free, although some carry a price tag and accept payment through the company's payment service, Google Checkout. Use the search bar at the top right to find an app or click to browse through the categories in the left-hand pane.

Hover the mouse pointer over an app to see some pop-up information about the program, including a brief summary and a user rating. Click the app's icon to visit a page with more details: this contains a full description of the application, information about of its author and a number of screenshots of the app in action. Check to see that the author's website is verified and click the ratings to see more detailed comments. To try the app, click the blue Install button.

Chrome apps usually download pretty quickly, after which a new tab will open - this shows all installed apps. This becomes Chrome's default new tab, replacing the thumbnails of recently visited and popular websites (these are demoted to links below the apps). Click an app's icon to launch it. Remember that, in most cases, internet access is necessary for an application to work.

The app opens inside the current tab. Press F11 to toggle the browser to full screen mode, removing the surrounding Address bar and browser controls. All the application tools are contained within this tab. In this case, it's an interior-design app that can be used to produce a model of a room and populate it with furniture and windows. Other applications have different tools, obviously.

To exit an app, just close the browser tab as normal (by clicking its red cross). However, before doing so remember to save any work completed within the app. Now open a new tab to once more see the installed apps. It's possible to customise the way an application opens so that it will always open in fullscreen mode. Right-click the icon concerned to see a customisation menu. Click to choose Open full screen for a maximised app or Open as pinned tab to keep it available in Chrome at all times.

To remove an app that's no longer needed, open a new tab, right-click its icon and choose Uninstall from the pop-up menu. Some apps include an Options entry in this menu. Then choose it to view more ways to customise the app. Note, though, that these settings will normally be hosted on the author or manufacturer's website and may require you to set up an account.

It's possible to add a Chrome app to the Start menu and place a shortcut on the Windows Desktop - this will allow you launch the program without first opening Chrome. To do this, first launch the app concerned in Chrome within a normal tab. Click the Chrome Settings button (it looks like a little spanner) and choose Tools, followed by Create application shortcuts.

The Create application shortcuts dialogue box appears. This has tick boxes to create shortcuts on the Windows Desktop and the Start menu. If you are using Windows 7, you will also see the option to pin the app to the Taskbar. Tick or clear the boxes as required and click Create. Close the Chrome Window. Double-click the new desktop shortcut or navigate to its Start menu entry. A Chrome window opens to launch the app, but note that this is a stripped-down browser window that lacks web-surfing functions.

Just as Google Chrome can keep bookmarks synchronised across different computers, so can it synchronise installed apps. Launch Chrome, click the Settings button and choose Options from the dropdown menu. Select the Personal stuff tab and click the Set up sync button. Type in your Google account username and password and click Sign in, followed by OK. Everything will now be synchronised with Google's servers. To control how this works, click Customise followed by Choose what to sync.

Consider removing the ticks from Extensions and Auto-fill, especially if other people use one of the synchronised computers. Ensure that Apps is ticked and click OK followed by Close. As long as synchronising is set up in the same way on each computer, Chrome will now show every application installed wherever this account is logged in. It won't synchronise the shortcuts set up in Steps 7 and 8, though.