Chrome for Windows 8 Metro Now Available for Download

As Google promised earlier in Chromium blog, they’ve now made Chrome for Windows 8 Metro available with the latest dev. channel release. You can go ahead download and install Chrome Dev. channel or update it if you’re already using on Windows 8 RP. If you’re anxious to check what is the UI of metro version of Chrome looks like and how its different from Chrome on desktop FYI there is one more step you need complete, you need to set Chrome as default browser in Windows 8 after that you can enter into metro mode, it’s not that difficult, here it is how can be done.

First here is Chrome Releases blog says about dev., channel update “Improved support for on-screen keyboard on Windows 8 in Metro mode. Resolved several Windows 8 crashes and performance regressions. “

Setting Chrome as Default browser

After installing Chrome dev. version, run chrome. Now from Wrench icon select “Settings”, scroll down and under “Default browser” section click on “Make Google Chrome my default browser “.

Now a dialog pops up asking which one to open link ( http), here you’ve to options to choose from “Keep using Internet Explorer” and “Google Chrome”, select Chrome ( FYI IE10 is the default browser in Windows 8 ) .

Now on completing this, Chrome now supports http protocol only, to make it default for all open Control Panel >Programs>Default programs,

Select Chrome on left side and on right pane below click on “Set this program as default”. Now Chrome is default browser.

Entering into metro mode for Chrome

Now click on Chrome Metro tile on Start Screen to enter into Metro mode.

There’re not much changes between desktop UI and Metro UI for Chrome, except that wrench icon has been ditched and all features including PDF viewer remains same and working properly.

Metro version of Chrome tile has dark background when compared to desktop one, comparison can be some what similar between tile of Metro IE and desktop IE though Windows 8 shows only one tile on the start screen.