Recent updates in Google’s Chrome have resulted in a majority of users having to deal with missing or broken Progressive Web App (PWA) shortcut icons in Google Chrome on Windows. These missing icons, especially ones for apps like Gmail and Google Drive that are so popular among users, are becoming a major issue. This is not a bug, it is a replacement due to Google’s new standard for PWA icons, which involves non-compliant icons being switched with a blank icon.
This article contains a very detailed, simple step-by-step manual that will allow one to retrieve these PWA icons. It also means that users of these apps will be able to use them without any interruptions. Let’s start with the solution.
Understanding the Change in Google Chrome PWA Icon Display
Google has recently rolled out a new standard for the icons of web applications that will result in the removal of icons which do not adhere to the novel requirements. This, in turn, has resulted in the absence of many PWA icons on the Windows platform. Yet, Google, unfortunately, doesn’t automatically replace them with a standard generic app icon, thus users must rely on a workaround to bring the PWA shortcut icons back.
Step-by-Step Guide to Restore Google Chrome PWA Icons
Step 1: Open the Registry Editor
- Use Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Enter regedit, and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
- If prompted by the User Account Control, click Yes to allow access.
There is something to remember: It is always advisable to back up the registry before making any changes that were not intended. You can back up your registry by going to File > Export in Registry Editor and then saving it, thus creating it.
Step 2: Navigate to the ChromeHTML Key
- In the Registry Editor, go to the following path:
Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ChromeHTML\DefaultIcon- Once you reach the DefaultIcon folder, look for a value labelled (Default). This is where the default icon path for Google Chrome PWAs is stored.
Step 3: Update the Default Icon Path
- Right-click on the (Default) value in DefaultIcon and select Modify.
- You will see the current value data, which should look like this:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe,10- Change this value to:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe,0This adjustment forces Windows to use the default Chrome icon for the PWA shortcuts, restoring the missing icons.
Step 4: Restart Windows Explorer to Apply Changes
- Ctrl + Shift + Esc is the shortcut for opening Task Manager.
- Go down to find the Windows Explorer process in the Processes tab.
- In the context menu, just turn right on Windows Explorer and click on the option ‘Restart’. It refreshes your desktop environment and applies the registry changes.
Once you finish the above steps, your Google Chrome PWA icons should be repaired. However, you might have to refresh or re-pin the PWA shortcut if the changes are not immediately visible.
Troubleshooting Common Issues with PWA Icon Restoration
In case you still do not find your icons after following the directions above, here are some of the suggestions that may help:
- Verify the installation path of Chrome: Make sure that you have the correct path in the default icon of your Chrome installation. If the program is located in a different directory, adjust the path.
- Restart Chrome: Launch the Google Chrome web browser by simply closing and reopening it, in case some changes made in the registry have not yet been recognized by Chrome itself.
- Cache and Icon Clearing: If these problems continue to occur, try clearing the cache in Chrome. One can also erase and reinstall PWAs to reset their icons.
Optional: Using a Custom Icon for Google Chrome PWAs
If you’d like to use your icons for your PWAs instead of standard, consider the following:
- Find or create an icon file that you wish to use (in
.icoformat). - Change the DefaultIcon value of your registry to the destination of your custom icon and file. For instance,:
C:\Path\To\Your\Icon.ico,0
- Restart Windows Explorer to implement the use of your custom icon.
Final Thoughts
Even though the recent changes in PWA icons might be the cause of the discontent, the above workaround may help you to easily bring back the missing Google Chrome icons on Windows. To customize PWA icons by changing registry settings, this can also provide a useful feature by letting you choose the icons that are most suitable for your workflow. If you run into any problems or have further questions, feel free to let us know in the below comments.