Quick Start Guide

Getting started with chrlauncher takes only a minute. This guide covers your first execution, how to switch to a different Chromium flavor, and how to apply custom startup arguments to your browser.

Your First Run

If you have followed the Installation steps and have a fresh, empty directory containing only the chrlauncher executables and .ini file, you are ready to begin.

  1. Double-click chrlauncher.exe.
  2. Because no browser currently exists in the \bin folder, chrlauncher intercepts the launch. A small system tray icon will appear, and a minimalistic dialog box will pop up showing a download progress bar.
    • Note: By default, chrlauncher is configured to download the latest official development build of Chromium.
  3. Depending on your internet speed, the download may take a few moments. Chromium archives are typically between 80MB and 150MB.
  4. Once the download hits 100%, chrlauncher's embedded unpacker will natively extract the package into a newly created bin subdirectory.
  5. Finally, the browser will automatically launch. It is now using a portable profile stored securely in the profile directory next to chrlauncher.exe.

Changing the Browser Build

The true power of chrlauncher lies in its ability to fetch different customized distributions of Chromium. If you do not want the default official development build, you can change it before running the launcher.

  1. Open the chrlauncher.ini file in any text editor (like Notepad).
  2. Locate the line starting with ChromiumType=.
  3. Change the value to your preferred build.

Commonly Used Builds:

  • dev-official: Standard Google Chromium builds. Extremely fast updates, but lacks proprietary media codecs (like H.264/MP4 support).
  • stable-codecs-sync: Highly recommended for most users. This is an unofficial compile of the stable branch that includes proprietary media codecs (allowing Netflix/Twitter video playback) and Google Sync capabilities.
  • ungoogled-chromium: Recommended for extreme privacy. A build that strips out all Google telemetry, background requests, and Google Sync features.

Example INI change: 

; Change from default to a stable build with media codecs
ChromiumType=stable-codecs-sync

  1. Save the chrlauncher.ini file. The next time you run chrlauncher.exe, it will fetch the specified build.

Custom Command Line Arguments

Chromium-based browsers support hundreds of command-line flags that alter their behavior, security, and rendering pipeline. chrlauncher allows you to persistently apply these flags without needing to create complicated Windows shortcuts.

To pass specific arguments to your browser on startup, edit the ChromiumCommandLine setting in chrlauncher.ini.

Structure of the Command Line

By default, chrlauncher enforces portability by using the --user-data-dir flag: 

ChromiumCommandLine=--flag-switches-begin --user-data-dir=..\profile --no-default-browser-check --disable-logging --no-report-upload --flag-switches-end
Warning: Do not remove the --user-data-dir=..\profile argument, or the browser will fall back to storing your data in the host PC's AppData folder, breaking portability!

Example: Forcing Dark Mode and Performance Flags

If you want to force the browser to use a dark theme, disable background rendering throttling, and start maximized, you can append your flags before --flag-switches-end:

ChromiumCommandLine=--flag-switches-begin --user-data-dir=..\profile --force-dark-mode --start-maximized --disable-background-timer-throttling --flag-switches-end

Common Pitfalls

  • Editing INI while running: Make sure the browser and chrlauncher are completely closed before saving changes to chrlauncher.ini. If the browser is running in the background (e.g., "Continue running background apps when Chromium is closed"), updates or config changes may not apply cleanly.
  • Typos in Arguments: A single typo in ChromiumCommandLine can cause the browser to immediately crash upon launch. Always test flags one by one if you are unsure.