Universal path to chrome.exe

Question

I am making an application and I want to make it installable on the user's desktops using chrome URL shortcut. Therefore, is there a universal path to the chrome.exe that can launch my app on all Windows versions ( XP, Seven and vista )

Solution 1

Chrome installs by default to the User's AppData Local folder:

XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome

Vista:
C:\Users\UserName\AppDataLocal\Google\Chrome

Windows 7:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Application\chrome.exe

Update: As mentioned in a comment, it appears the path to chrome.exe has changed in Win7/8. It's now in: C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe

Best bet is to use some OS detection code, then use an environment variable to detect the User's AppData folder (i.e. %LOCALAPPDATA%) or the ProgramFiles folder, and then append the difference in OS's to the end of the variable.

Solution 2

You can look in the Registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\chrome.exe

Solution 3

The registry option might be the best, but the one suggested in the other answer didn't exist in my computer (Windows 10 64-bit). I think the "Uninstall" key might be more robust. If it didn't exist, users would have a hard time uninstalling Chrome. The following keys give you the install location, you'll need to append "\chrome.exe" to get the full path to the executable:

Chrome:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Google Chrome\InstallLocation
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Google Chrome\InstallLocation

Chrome Canary:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Google Chrome SxS\InstallLocation

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Google Chrome SxS\InstallLocation

Solution 4

Win 7 32 bit:

c:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe

Win 7 64 bit (or W10 64b):

c:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe

(which is different from the preceding answers and comments).

Clay Nichols suggestion to look in the registry is of course recommended.

Please do not edit!

Someone "edited" this answer saying 32 bit paths are always (x86), showing a total misunderstanding of the question and the answer! The path c:\Program Files (x86)\ does not even exist on a 32 bit machine (unless you manually add it youself); both of the above are tested answers.

Solution 5

This is the correct path:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe

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