How to install a PWA on iPhone, Android, Windows or Mac

A Progressive Web App installs from the browser you already have — no app store, no download. Pick your device below; each takes under a minute.

What is a PWA?

A Progressive Web App is a regular website that meets three technical criteria: it is served over HTTPS, it ships a web manifest (icon, name, theme color), and it registers a service workerthat caches assets for offline use. Browsers that detect these signals offer an "Install" option, which adds the app to your home screen, dock, or app launcher. The longer answer, with what browsers actually check.

Installed PWAs run in a standalone window (no browser address bar), can work offline, and consume far less disk space than native apps — typically a few hundred kilobytes instead of hundreds of megabytes.

Install a PWA on iPhone or iPad

On iOS every browser uses Safari's engine, so the steps are the same whether you started in Safari, Chrome or Firefox.

Open the app's address in Safari.
Tap the Share button — the square with an arrow pointing up, at the bottom of the screen.
Scroll down the share sheet and tap Add to Home Screen.
Rename it if you want, then tap Add. The icon lands on your home screen and opens without the Safari bars.

If you don't see Add to Home Screen, you are almost certainly in a private tab or an in-app browser (the one that opens inside Instagram or Gmail). Open the address in Safari itself.

Install a PWA on Android

Open the app's address in Chrome.
Chrome usually offers Install app on its own. If not, open the three-dot menu and choose Install app or Add to Home screen.
Confirm. The icon appears in your app drawer like any other app.
Firefox on Android works too: three-dot menu, then Install. Samsung Internet: menu, then Add page to → Home screen.

Install a PWA on Windows

Open the app's address in Edge or Chrome.
Look for the install icon(⊕) at the right end of the address bar. If it isn't there, use the three-dot menu: Apps → Install this site as an app on Edge, Cast, save and share → Install page as app on Chrome.
Confirm. The app gets its own window, its own taskbar icon, and shows up in the Start menu — you can pin it like any program.
Firefox on Windows does not install PWAs. Use Edge or Chrome.

Install a PWA on Mac

Safari 17 and later: open the address, then File → Add to Dock. The app opens in its own window, without the Safari interface.
Chrome or Edge: the install icon (⊕) in the address bar, or the three-dot menu → Install. The app is added to your Applications folder.
Either way, the app appears in Launchpad and in ⌘-Tab like a native one.

If the install option never appears

The option only shows up for sites that ship a valid web app manifest. It is not a setting you can turn on — it is something the site has to provide.

The site must be served over HTTPS. On plain http:// no browser will ever offer the install.
It needs a manifest declaring a name, a start URL, a standalonedisplay mode and icons of at least 192 and 512 px.
Some browsers wait until you have spent a few seconds on the page before offering it. Reload and wait.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need the Google Play Store or App Store to install a PWA?

No. Progressive Web Apps install directly from the browser. You just open the app's URL, then trigger 'Install' or 'Add to Home Screen'. No app store account, no review process, no download size — the app runs from your browser's cache.

Will a PWA work offline?

Yes, if the PWA implements a service worker (most do). Once you've opened the app at least once, its core assets are cached locally and the app launches even without an internet connection. Some features that require live data (e.g. sync) will resume when you reconnect.

How do I install a PWA on iPhone or iPad?

Open the app's address in Safari, tap the Share button (the square with an arrow pointing up), scroll down and tap 'Add to Home Screen'. On iOS every browser uses Safari's engine, so the steps are identical from Chrome or Firefox. If 'Add to Home Screen' is missing, you are in a private tab or an in-app browser — open the address in Safari itself.

How do I install a PWA on Android?

Open the app's address in Chrome. Chrome usually offers 'Install app' on its own; if not, open the three-dot menu and choose 'Install app' or 'Add to Home screen'. The icon then appears in your app drawer like any other app. Firefox and Samsung Internet offer the same thing from their own menus.

How do I install a PWA on Windows?

Open the app's address in Edge or Chrome and look for the install icon (⊕) at the right end of the address bar. If it isn't there, use the three-dot menu: 'Apps → Install this site as an app' on Edge, 'Cast, save and share → Install page as app' on Chrome. The app gets its own window and its own taskbar icon. Firefox on Windows does not install PWAs.

How do I install a PWA on Mac?

In Safari 17 or later: File → Add to Dock. In Chrome or Edge: the install icon (⊕) in the address bar, or the three-dot menu → Install. Either way the app is added to Applications and appears in Launchpad and ⌘-Tab like a native one.

Why is there no install option on this site?

The option only appears for sites that ship a valid web app manifest — it is not a setting you can turn on. The site must be served over HTTPS, and its manifest must declare a name, a start URL, a standalone display mode and icons of at least 192 and 512 px. Some browsers also wait a few seconds on the page before offering it.

How do I uninstall a PWA?

On Chrome/Edge: open the PWA, click the three-dot menu, choose 'Uninstall'. On iOS: long-press the home screen icon and tap 'Remove App'. On Android: long-press the icon and drag to 'Uninstall'.

Are PWAs safe?

PWAs run inside the browser sandbox, so they have the same security guarantees as any HTTPS website. They cannot access your filesystem, contacts, or system APIs unless you explicitly grant permission. PWAs are required to be served over HTTPS.