How can I launch a browser with no window frame or tabs/address bar

I am looking for a way to launch Chrome, Firefox, or IE9+ (any one will do) from a script or command line without any window frame, address bar, or tabs section.

Illustration:

OrangeBox

For instance, I'd like to only be able to see the section that is comprized of the orange box, and the area inside of it.

The horizontal scroll bar won't be an issue (I control the html that will be displayed and I can ensure it won't need to scroll). Ideally I'd like to cut out the vertical scrollbar, but I could live with it if it were shown.

Does anyone know of any tool or script that would allow me to do this on Windows 7?

FoamyGuy

Posted 2012-08-09T23:41:39.117

Reputation: 851

1If you're writing the HTML, there are ways to make the browser hide the scrollbar through standard CSS. No need to depend on browser flags for it. – ADTC – 2015-07-07T07:10:18.817

Answers

Internet Explorer

For Internet Explorer you can use -k (kiosk mode):

Starts Internet Explorer in kiosk mode. The browser opens in a maximized window that does not display the address bar, the navigation buttons, or the status bar.

Example:

iexplore.exe -k http://www.google.com/

Firefox

Firefox command line option -fullscreen didn't work for me:

"firefox.exe" -url http://superuser.com -fullscreen

But the use of R-kiosk 0.9.0 extension by Kimmo Heinaaro works like a charm.

Real Kiosk is a Firefox extension that defaults to full screen, disables all menus, toolbars, key commands and right button menus. Alt+Home still takes you home.

Zuul

Posted 2012-08-09T23:41:39.117

Reputation: 3 659

5That is nifty and might work for me, is there anyway that I can specify a Height/Width and x/y position for IE to occupy while in this kiosk mode? Ideally I don't want it to occupy the full screen. – FoamyGuy – 2012-08-09T23:52:20.810

@Tim Updated my answer with the requested solution. – Zuul – 2012-08-10T00:13:38.840

For chrome/chromium it is the --app=http://address.com flag.

You would use it by calling chromium-browser --app=http://some.website.org or google-chrome --app=http://www.google.com or chrome.exe --app=http://you.get.it etc.

All available switches: http://peter.sh/experiments/chromium-command-line-switches/

EDIT: You might also want to take a look at the --kiosk flag.

Alex

Posted 2012-08-09T23:41:39.117

Reputation: 866

Any idea how I can do this on macos/osx? – Luke Davis – 2018-02-21T19:14:41.170

5MOG so many options :D +1 – Zuul – 2012-08-10T00:18:47.740

1This hides the address bar and tabs but leaves the window frame (with min/max, and exit buttons) +1 anyhow though got me a lot closer than I got myself. – FoamyGuy – 2012-08-10T00:44:40.203

1@Tim You could try using the --kiosk flag on some versions of chrome/chromium. – Alex – 2012-08-10T00:49:40.167

for firefox use

firefox.exe -chrome http://example.com

Works like a charm but it is not a documented command line option.

Note: the size of the window is calculated based on the size of the body, make sure you specify the necessary window size in html.

ggpp23

Posted 2012-08-09T23:41:39.117

Reputation: 81

It is documented here: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Command_Line_Options#-chrome_chrome_URL though I'm note sure if it works as OP asks

– Bruno Finger – 2016-11-12T22:54:19.963

It doesn't work as the OP asked. You cannot load a website as the chrome. I have no idea what you meant by "works like a charm" or how you came to that conclusion. – Synetech – 2017-07-12T00:08:56.490

This is totally unrelated.chrome urls are this http://kb.mozillazine.org/Dev_:_Firefox_Chrome_URLs

– albfan – 2017-12-20T21:20:15.930

This is trivial to do, via the Chrome extension "Open As Popup".

Opens the current Tab as a Popup-Window

This Extension is really simple: Click on the Icon and the current Tab will be moved to a new Poup-Window. (A Popup-Window is a Window without Navigation- and Tabbar, so it takes much less vertical-space)

You don't know how this could be useful? I use it as example for API-References or Manuals which I use beside or overlapping my Editor so they take less space without the Navigation- and Tabbar.

Israel Gale

Posted 2012-08-09T23:41:39.117

Reputation: 76

2That doesn’t launch the browser, it opens the current tab (read: browser already running). – Synetech – 2016-12-28T03:12:00.570

2This suited my needs perfectly; thanks for sharing! – Luke Davis – 2018-02-21T19:08:13.510

To Expand on @Zuul answer with another way to specify Width/Height and x/y position for the window

This autohotkey script will do the trick too:

Run, C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe -k http://www.google.com/
WinWait, Windows Internet Explorer
WinMove,,,100,100,400,300

this example will position the window at x=100, y=100, with width=400 and height=300.

EDIT:Also

<body scroll="no">

in my html will disable(hide) the verticle scrollbar for IE. that + Zuul answer + this AHK script gets me to exactly where I was hoping.

EDIT2: Turns out I didn't even need the scroll-"no" in my html the vert scrollbar was never shown anyway. I imagine this is going to be dependent on what page you are showing though.

FoamyGuy

Posted 2012-08-09T23:41:39.117

Reputation: 851

Are you sure this works? Nothing happens when I reload my AHK script. The path is correct. – geotheory – 2014-10-14T11:15:45.340

it definitely worked for me back when I needed it. Haven't touched it over a year though. Can't vouch for it with current IE versions. that being said, I can't think of a reason off the top of my head that would prevent it from working. – FoamyGuy – 2014-10-14T14:43:17.717

This is what I assumed I’d have to resort to (which is okay since it is an AHK script that is launching the website anyway), but then I found this and this. I’ll add the AHK method to my script as a comment in case Google decides to ruin the native options.

– Synetech – 2016-12-28T05:02:26.880

I've managed to get Firefox to run in an (almost) borderless mode. There's just a thin bar at the top with the red/yellow/green blobs and page title (I use a Mac).

If I point the cursor to the top of the page, a drop-down strip appears with basic tools and address slot. Cursor down and it vanishes again.

BUT! It only works with Firefox 56. Updates after that refuse to work with my add-ons. In case you want to experiment they are: 'Hide Tab Bar With One Tab' and 'Toolbar Autohide'. I also use 'Menu Wizard' to change the first menu item to 'Open in New Window' instead of tab.

Happy experimenting,

Ol.

Ian Oliver

Posted 2012-08-09T23:41:39.117

Reputation: 1