Making the Chrome App go away

remaker

Sometimes, on my Mac, a Glean link will open the Glean Chrome App, which helpfully reports that "Glean for macOS has a new native app. This version is no longer maintained."

Despite installing the native app, the Chrome app keeps running.

I have deleted the Chrome app, and it spontaneously re-installs, and complains it is no longer maintained.

Please advise how to make the Chrome App go away and use the native app instead.

My peers do not also havethis problem, even though they have identical settings. I'm a few hours into debugging it and looking for expert advice.

karenwen

Hey @remaker ! It sounds like Chrome is “capturing” app.glean.com links to still open in the Chrome app. Chrome Sync can also silently re-install apps across devices, so even after deletion it can reappear if Sync restores it or link-capture is still allowed.

Can you try the following:
1. In Chrome, open the Glean app window (if it opens), click the 3‑dot menu → App info → set “Open supported links” to “Don’t allow”, then “Uninstall”.
OR go to chrome://settings/apps → App management → Glean → set “Open supported links” to “Don’t allow”, then “Uninstall”.

2. chrome://settings/syncSetup → Manage what you sync → turn off “Apps” (temporarily). Remove the app again if it reappears.

3. Delete the macOS shim app: quit Chrome, then in Finder delete:
- ~/Applications/Chrome Apps.localized/Glean.app
- If present, /Applications/Chrome Apps.localized/Glean.app
Empty Trash.

If it still persists:
Navigate tochrome://web-app-internals → find the Glean entry → Uninstall → verify link‑capture shows “False”.

Sign out of Chrome (temporarily), remove the Chrome app, confirm it doesn’t return; then sign back in with “Apps” sync disabled or after removing the app from other synced devices.