Wish a web app you access all the time would not clutter your browser’s tab bar — and behave more like a native app on your device? Wouldn’t it be nice to launch it from the desktop or home screen, even offline? Find out here how to install web apps locally using Chrome, Edge and related Chromium browsers.
First, Mr. Hara Stares at a Go Board
A sudden realization interrupts Masahiro Hara’s quiet lunchtime game of Go: so much information is hidden in its simple grid of black and white pieces.
His employer, a Japanese maker of barcode readers, had asked him to concoct a way to encode more data — and do it reliably. The Go board pattern gave him the idea for QR codes. That story is probably apocryphal, but at least it’s beautifully invented.
What’s real, though, are the frustrations with barcodes: finicky, slow, and demanding just the right light and angle to work.
Opening web apps in a browser can feel the same: slow to render, a bit finicky and surrounded by tabs and chrome, all around. Let’s find out how to install them so they work independently instead:
How to Install Web Apps Locally in Chrome, Edge and Chromium Browsers
Chromium Browsers on the Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Time needed: 2 minutes
To install a web app locally (for offline access, separate windows and browser independence) using Google Chrome on a desktop:
- Open the page for the web app you want to install locally.
Example: Visit Unicode Viewer Pro, for instance, to install a web app for finding and zapping hidden characters in text.
- Click the Install icon in the browser address bar.
Edge: Click the App available icon in the address bar in the Edge browser.
No “Install” icon: If you do not see the icon in the address bar, click the three dots menu icon in the toolbar and select Cast, save, and share | Install <web app>… (Chrome) or More tools | Apps | Install <web app> (Edge) from the menu that has appeared. - Click Install.
Here’s what happens: The page opens as a separate app immediately while the browser tab closes.
Their word: Google have information on web apps in Chrome help.
Looking for an app to try?
Instant unlock code • precise illumination • private offline app • or bookmarkable page
Uninstall a Chrome or Chromium Web App
To remove a web app from your computer:
- Open the app you want to uninstall.
- Select the three dots or hamburger menu in the title bar.
- Choose Uninstall <web app> from the menu that has appeared.
- Click Uninstall.
Remove data: To also remove all local data, check remove the app’s data from Chrome (or your browser).
Uninstall an Edge Web App
To delete a web app installed with Microsoft Edge:
- Launch the MS Edge browser.
- Open the three dots menu.
- Select More tools | Apps | View apps from the menu.
Edge shortcut: You can go toedge://appsdirectly in the Edge address bar. - Now click the three dots menu button for the app you want to remove.
- Select Uninstall from the menu.
Chromium Browsers on iPhone and iPad
To install a web app using Chrome and Chromium browsers on iPhone and iPad:
- Visit the page you want to add as a local web app.
- Tap the sharing button in the address bar.
- Select Add to Home Screen from the menu that has appeared.
- Tap Add.
Here’s what happens: If a web app is available for the page, it will be installed and accessible from the Home Screen; if no web app is available, a link to the page will be added tot he Home Screen instead.
Uninstall a Chrome Web App on iPhone and iPad
To remove a web app from the iPhone or iPad Home Screen:
- Tap and hold the web app’s icon on the Home Screen.
- Select Delete Bookmark from the context menu that has appeared.
Chromium Browsers on Android
To install a web app with a Chromium browser (such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge) on Android:
- Visit the page you want to add as a local web app.
- Open the three dots (More) menu.
- Select Add to Home Screen from the menu that has appeared.
- Tap Install.
Uninstall a Chrome Web App from an Android Device
To remove a web app from Android:
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to Apps.
- Choose See all apps.
- Tap the icon for the web app you want to remove.
- Select Uninstall.
Using Firefox? How to Install Web Apps Locally using Firefox
How to Install Web Apps Locally in Chrome, Edge and Chromium Browsers: FAQ
Do installed web apps work offline?
Whether you open them in a browser or as an installed version, web apps only work offline if the site supports it (via what is called a service worker). You can test whether an app works offline by turning on airplane mode on your device, then opening the app.
The La De Du web apps (such as Zero-Width Space Detector PRO) work offline.
Can I open an installed web app in another browser?
No.
The app is tied to browser you used to install it. If you switch browsers, open the site and install the web app again locally using the new browser.
Do web apps update automatically?
Yes.
It is up to the website to ensure updates work, however. If you see an old version lingering, removing and installing the web app again can give you the update, but may also lose you data associated with the web app.
(Tested with Chrome 144 and Edge 144; first published January 2026)