How to launch desktop apps from your browser (2026 guide)

Modern work is split across two worlds. Half your tools live in the browser - email, docs, project boards, dashboards. The other half live on your desktop - your editor, your terminal, your design app, a folder full of project files. Every time you cross that line, you reach for the dock, the taskbar, or Spotlight, and lose a few seconds and a bit of focus.

It would be much nicer to open your desktop apps from the one screen you already see dozens of times a day: your new tab. The catch is that browsers deliberately make this hard. Let us look at why, then at the three real ways to do it.

Why can't the browser just open my apps?

Browsers are sandboxed on purpose. A random web page should never be able to run programs on your computer - that would be a security nightmare. So by default, a page in Chrome, Firefox, or Edge has no way to reach into your operating system and launch software.

There are two sanctioned escape hatches: URL protocol handlers, where an app registers a scheme like vscode:// that the browser is allowed to hand off, and the native messaging API, where an extension is allowed to talk to a small program you installed yourself. Everything below is built on one of those two mechanisms.

Three ways to launch desktop apps from your browser

Method 1 - Custom URL protocol handlers

Many desktop apps register a custom URL scheme when you install them. Opening a link with that scheme asks your OS to launch the app. You have probably seen this with Zoom or Slack links. A few common ones:

vscode://        opens Visual Studio Code
slack://open     opens Slack
obsidian://      opens Obsidian
spotify:         opens Spotify
zoommtg://       opens the Zoom client

You can save these as bookmarks or drop them on a new tab page and click to launch. The limits: it only works for apps that register a scheme, the browser usually shows an "Open this app?" prompt, and you cannot open an arbitrary file, a folder, or run a shell command this way. It is handy for a handful of apps, not a general solution.

Method 2 - Chrome's native messaging API

The native messaging API is the official, powerful path. A browser extension is allowed to launch and exchange messages with a small native host - a program running on your machine with normal OS permissions. That host can open any app, any file or folder, and run commands.

The downside is that you have to build and register that host yourself: write the binary, add a manifest that whitelists your extension, and install it per platform. That is developer territory, not something most people want to set up. The good news is that this is exactly the plumbing a consumer tool can package for you - which is where method 3 comes in.

Method 3 - ReadyTab's desktop launcher (the easy way)

ReadyTab is a new tab extension whose whole point is to be a launch pad. It builds on the native messaging approach, but ships the host for you as a small companion app, so you get full desktop launching without writing any code. Here is the entire setup:

1. Install the ReadyTab extension. Add it from the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Add-ons. Your new tab becomes a dashboard.
2. Install the free companion app. Download and run it for Windows, macOS, or Linux by following the companion setup guide. This is the piece that lets tiles reach your files, folders, and commands.
3. Add a launcher tile. In ReadyTab, add a launcher and choose what it opens - an app, a specific file, a folder, or a shell command.
4. Click it from your new tab. Open a tab, click the tile, and the app, file, or folder opens on your desktop.

What you can launch with ReadyTab

Once the companion is set up, a launcher tile can open more or less anything on your machine:

• Applications - VS Code, Slack, Figma, a terminal, Spotify, or any installed app.
• Folders - a project directory, your Downloads, a shared drive location.
• Files - a specific document, config file, or spreadsheet.
• Commands - a shell command or script, like pulling the latest code or starting a dev server.

Turn a launch into a whole routine

The real payoff comes when you stop launching one thing at a time. ReadyTab's one-click routines bundle a sequence together, so a single button can open your editor, a project folder, a couple of web apps, and switch to your Work workspace - all at once.

A "Morning standup" routine might open your calendar and Slack, launch your notes app, and drop you into the right space. A "Start coding" routine might open the repo folder, launch VS Code, and run git pull. What was a two-minute ritual becomes a two-second click.

Is it safe?

The companion app runs entirely on your own machine. It only does what your launcher tiles tell it to, and nothing about what you launch is sent to a server - ReadyTab is local-first with no tracking. You decide exactly which apps, files, folders, and commands each tile can open, and you can remove the companion at any time to go back to a purely browser-based dashboard.

The bottom line

If you only need to open one or two apps, protocol links (method 1) are enough. If you are a developer building your own tooling, native messaging (method 2) gives you full control. For everyone who just wants their new tab to open apps, files, folders, and whole routines without writing code, ReadyTab's desktop launcher (method 3) is the fastest way there. It is also the feature that sets ReadyTab apart - no other new tab extension bridges the browser and the desktop like this, as our ReadyTab vs Momentum comparison spells out.

Frequently asked questions

Can you really open desktop apps from Chrome?

Yes. For apps that register a URL scheme, a link like vscode:// opens them directly. For files, folders, and shell commands, you need a small companion app that bridges the browser and your operating system. ReadyTab uses the companion approach so no coding is required.

Do I need to write code?

No. Protocol links need no code but are limited. Chrome's native messaging API is powerful but requires building a native host. ReadyTab's companion app is a ready-made install, so you get full launching of apps, files, folders, and commands without writing any code.

Does this work on Mac and Linux?

Yes. The ReadyTab companion runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, so you can launch native apps, files, and folders from your browser on any of the three.

Is it safe, and will it slow down my browser?

The companion runs locally and only does what your tiles specify; nothing about what you launch leaves your computer. The performance impact on the browser is negligible - launching happens on demand when you click a tile.