Platforms

Platforms is where the PWA promise meets reality: the same manifest and service worker behave differently on iOS/WebKit, Chrome/Android, and the desktop. Install flows, available capabilities, storage durability, and notification support all vary by engine and surface, so shipping a great PWA means designing for each platform’s feature set, not the spec in the abstract.

These entries cover what works where, and the constraints to design around.

In this section

PWAs on iOS and SafariHow PWAs install and run on iOS and iPadOS: Add to Home Screen, the Open as Web App switch, Web Push and badging for Home Screen apps, and storage limits.

PWAs on Chrome and Android (WebAPK, TWA)How PWAs install on Chrome for Android: the beforeinstallprompt flow, the WebAPK minted on GMS devices, manifest update timing, and Trusted Web Activity.

PWAs on FirefoxWhat installing a web app means on Firefox: taskbar web apps on Windows since Firefox 143, manifest install on Firefox for Android, no beforeinstallprompt.

PWAs on iOS by version (iOS 11.3 to iOS 26)A release-by-release record of what iOS gave Home Screen web apps, from service workers in 11.3 to every added site opening as a web app in iOS 26.

Baseline support overviewWhat Baseline means, its three tiers, the seven tracked browsers, the 30-month window, and Baseline 2026 as the yearly feature set that stays open through 2026.

PWAs on ChromeOS (launcher and shelf)How an installed PWA fits into ChromeOS: launcher and shelf entries, badging, Share Target, and file handling, each with feature detection and a fallback.

PWAs on desktopHow Chrome, Edge, and Safari install a PWA on a desktop OS, what the manifest display fallback chain gives you, and why each browser keeps its own copy.

PWAs on Microsoft Edge (sidebar, store)How Microsoft Edge installs a PWA from the address bar, what the installed window carries, the Microsoft Store route, and the deprecated sidebar member.

PWAs on Safari for macOS (Dock apps)How web apps install on macOS through Safari Add to Dock since macOS Sonoma and Safari 17, what the manifest controls, and how a Dock app differs from iOS.

PWAs on Samsung InternetHow Samsung Internet installs PWAs: the Add shortcut on Home screen menu item, the ambient-badging plus icon for standalone or fullscreen manifests, and DeX.

PWAs on WindowsHow Microsoft Edge installs a PWA on Windows and integrates it into the Taskbar, Start menu, and Alt+Tab switching, plus the FSLogix logout limitation.

Firefox taskbar web apps on WindowsHow Firefox 143 pins a site to the Windows taskbar, which platforms the taskbartabs component covers, and what the pinned window inherits from the profile.

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