windows 7 - Google Chrome is opened in a wrong profile if launched from shell

06
2013-12
  • Stan

    I have a Google portable edition installed into the C:\ProgramData\GoogleChromePortable\ directory. It has a single - Default - user profile, customized to my needs. All works fine as far as I open Chrome myself and browse Internet as expected.

    When I open an html-page from a shell or any other program which incorporates a web-link (for example, from about dialog of antiviral software), my Chrome opens a new window using a strange profile. This looks like an initial profile, without installed extensions and regular browsing history. Nevertheless, this is always the same profile, because it stores in its history all the pages I opened from such external programs.

    After a short investigation I have found that this profile - another Default profile - is created automaticaly at the following location: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\. If I remove it, it gets recreated each time I try to open a web-link from an external program.

    The question is: how can I configure Chrome in such a way, that it will open links from external programs using my real default profile? If the Chrome is already running when I click a link in an external program, this should ideally open a tab in the existing Chrome window, instead of a new separate window.

    • Answers
  • Darth Android

    Don't use a portable version of Chrome, and install it properly.

    C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\ is the standard location for a Chrome profile.

    Portable applications are great if you want to move quickly from system to system, but they don't integrate well. If you want to integrate (shell open, etc.), then do a proper install which can integrate.

  • tapkin

    Such links are processed by default browser of OS (I'm not sure if a portable browser can be set as default browser). Path C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome belongs to standalone Google Chrome. So it seems that you have standalone version of Google Chrome installed as well.


    • Related Question

    What is meant by "User Profile" in Google Chrome?
  • Niyaz

    Is there some way to create a new profile?

    Can I backup my profile?


    • Related Answers
  • splattne

    If you're not the only Google Chrome user on your computer - even for the same Windows user (common on PCs at home, shared among family members for example) - you can keep your private data, like the surfing history, separate from each other using Chrome user profiles.

    There is a command line switch for the Chrome application that allows specifying the user data folder:

    chrome.exe --user-data-dir="..\User Data\Your_Name" -first-run

    Here is a good tutorial how to create these different user folders in Google Chrome.

    You can backup these profiles by simply copying the content of your folder(s). The default folder for Windows are:

    • Windows Vista:
      C:\Users\<WINDOWS-USER-NAME>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome

    • Windows XP:
      C:\Documents and Settings\<WINDOWS-USER-NAME>\Local Settings\Applications\Google\Chrome

  • Dan Dascalescu

    Since the other answer was written (2009), Chrome has implemented an easy-to-use interface for creating user profiles:

    1. Click the Chrome menu on the browser toolbar and select Settings.
    2. In the “Users” section, click Add new user.
    3. A confirmation dialog appears, choose a picture and enter a name for the new Chrome user. Note: When you add a new Chrome user a desktop shortcut is created by default. If you don’t want a desktop shortcut uncheck the “Add desktop shortcut” checkbox. Creating a desktop shortcut for new users allows each Chrome user on your computer to quickly access their profile. Different profiles are easily differentiated on the desktop by the different names and pictures associated with each profile.
    4. Click Create.
    5. A new window for the user appears, with a picture you've chosen for the user in the top corner. Here, you can sign in to Chrome with a Google Account to associate the account with the user. Once signed in, all the bookmarks, apps, extensions, theme, and browser settings for the user will be synced to the account. Learn more about signing in to Chrome If you prefer, you can also choose to skip this step and not sign in. Settings for the user will be saved only on your computer instead.

    Creating a new profile, in effect, creates a new directory in Chrome's data directory (%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\ in Windows 7/8).