chromeFollow these steps at your own pace.
Each step includes exactly what to click, what you should see and what to do next.
Download the project ZIP
Click the purple download button. Your browser downloads a file named something like chrome-ui-gallery-main.zip. Look in your Downloads folder.
Extract the ZIP (do not run it inside the ZIP)
Open File Explorer → Downloads. Right-click chrome-ui-gallery-main.zip, select Extract All…, choose a location such as your Desktop, and click Extract. Open the extracted chrome-ui-gallery-main folder.
📦 chrome-ui-gallery-main.zip
📁 apps 📁 Tools 📁 docs
If Windows hides file extensions, identify the ZIP using its compressed-folder icon.
Install Node.js
The ZIP contains source code. To run this Electron desktop application, install Node.js 22 or newer first. On the official Node.js website choose the LTS Windows installer, open the downloaded installer, click Next through the steps and finish. Keep npm enabled.
Open official Node.js download ↗After installation, open a new PowerShell window. Run the command below; it should print a version starting with v22 or higher.
node --versionPS> node --version
v22.x.x (example)Open PowerShell in the project
Open your extracted chrome-ui-gallery-main folder in File Explorer. Click the address bar at the top (where the folder path appears), type powershell and press Enter. A PowerShell window opens inside this exact folder.
powershell ↵ EnterInstall dependencies and launch
In the PowerShell window, paste and run these commands one at a time. Press Enter after each command. The first install can show many lines and might take time.
cd apps\desktopnpm installnpm run devCtrl + C.If you close PowerShell, open it again in chrome-ui-gallery-main, run cd apps\desktop and then npm run dev. You normally do not need to repeat npm install unless dependencies change.
Install Gallery Companion
You can browse the Desktop app without this step. If you want to manage installed Chrome extensions through the app, install its Companion extension:
- In Chrome, enter
chrome://extensionsin the address bar and press Enter. - Switch on Developer mode (usually at the top right).
- Click Load unpacked.
- Browse to your extracted
chrome-ui-gallery-main → browser-bridge → manager-extensionfolder. Select the folder containingmanifest.json. - Open Chrome UI Gallery Desktop → Settings, and find the pairing code.
- Click the Gallery Companion extension icon in Chrome (use the puzzle-piece Extensions menu if hidden). Paste the code with
Ctrl + Vand click Connect to Desktop. - Once paired, the companion should show Desktop connected. Keep the Desktop application open for synchronization.
Developer mode: ON
manifest.json inside
Chrome does not allow third-party desktop apps to silently install unpacked extensions. You must select the extension folder yourself.
Companion source and README ↗Common problems, simple fixes
“node” or “npm” is not recognized
Finish installing Node.js LTS, close PowerShell completely and reopen it. Check with node --version and npm --version.
Cannot find module “adm-zip”
In apps\desktop, run npm install again. Check you downloaded the latest source ZIP.
I cannot find “Load unpacked”
Open chrome://extensions in Chrome and enable Developer mode. Then look near the top of the page.
Chrome will not load the extension
Choose the manager-extension folder itself, not the repository ZIP or the parent browser-bridge folder. You must see manifest.json inside.
I downloaded a ZIP, where is the .exe?
That ZIP is source code; there is no executable inside. Check the official Releases page for future installer assets or use the steps above to run from source.
Windows PowerShell blocks npm.ps1
Rather than modifying system security policies, open Command Prompt (cmd) in the project folder and run the same commands there, or use npm.cmd install and npm.cmd run dev in PowerShell.