v132 · capabilities (fugu)

User Navigation Capturing on Desktop

Web links now direct users to installed web apps. This aligns with users' installed app expectations. Chrome makes it easier to move between the browser and installed web apps. Clicking a link that could be handled by an installed web app with the launch_handler field specified, the link will open in that installed web app, following the launch handling beha

concepts

  1. Nav Capture on Desktop

    Installed web apps capture cross-origin nav into the app window.

  2. link playground

    Decision table across six link types × four capture_links modes — tab vs app, with rationale.

  3. PWA Link Capture Demo

    Configure capture_links and launch_handler.client_mode interactively. See the generated manifest JSON, a full behaviour matrix across all modes, and the step-by-step decision flow Chrome uses.

  4. launch-handler tester

    Pick client_mode, app state, and link source — live verdict tells you exactly what Chrome 132 does. Decision matrix included.

  5. Capture Links Configurator

    Select a capture_links value from the four options (none, new-client, existing-client-navigate, existing-client-retain-notfocus) and see the generated manifest JSON alongside a live simulation of how each link type would be handled.

why it shipped

Users expect that links to installed experiences will open in that installed experience. This is the case for native apps on all platforms and installed web apps on Android. There is a slightly broken disabled-by-default version of this on ChromeOS. This functionality has not yet been implemented on Windows, Mac, or Linux for installed web applications.

references