We sync "launch as" state already for apps https://cs.chromium.org/chromium/src/components/sync/protocol/app_specifics.proto?rcl=656b9cae0b536ee2f9b8a2777f76ba4a4d775173&l=70), but I think the app launcher might not be respecting this value?

Yuri/Steven, do you know who should own this?

IIRC this option is stored in local preferences: "extensions.settings". It is not synchronized across devices. 

Maybe we don't sync it as part of the app list datatype, but we do as part of the more general app sync (see the link I posted in comment #1).

Shouldn't the behavior be consistent?

I believe that this works correctly for installed Chrome Apps, but not for installed-by-default apps or other launcher items that do not have "Apps" sync entries.

We discussed adding this to the App List sync data, but I don't recall why we didn't add it. I think it was just a question of priorities and resources. There is some non trivial resolution with Apps.launch_type, but other than that I can't think of any reason not to just add this to App List.

Just to clarify, I'm observing this w/ Secure Shell

Odd. In 60.0.3100.0, "Open as window" is not persisting for Secure Shell for me at all, even on the same device after logout/login (which is a Chrome App, but I believe it is pre installed, which means there is some funninness to how it is installed and synced). We do not appear to be setting the launch_type property in the Apps node for Secure Shell either (it is still set to 'REGULAR').

I found  issue 711162 , so this may be related? +warx@

I believe this is bug 537851 - pre-installed or policy-installed apps/extensions don't sync properly.