The web apps you love make your browser feel like home — until you close a window too many or your everyday tabs get in the way. Online convenience is handy — until you’re offline and wish that small helper site still worked. Wouldn’t it be nice if certain websites would behave more like apps? Find out here how to install web apps locally using Safari on Mac, iPhone and iPad ⤓.
On This Page
How to Install Web Apps Locally Using Safari on Mac and iPhone
Safari for macOS
Time needed: 2 minutes
To install a web app from Safari to work as its own application on a Mac independently from the browser:
- Open the page you want to install as a local web app in Safari.
Which pages: You can add any page on the web to your Mac as a separate app; regular websites will work like they do in Safari — they will not be accessible when you’re offline — while web apps often come with full offline support.
Example: Visit Zero-Width Space Detector Pro to install an app that lets you unearth hidden characters in copied text, for example. - Open the File menu.
- Select Add to Dock….
- Click Add.
Their word: Apple include information on web apps in their Mac support pages.
Another app to try:
Instant unlock code • precise illumination • private offline app • or bookmarkable page
Uninstall a Web App from macOS
To remove a website you have added to a Mac:
- Open Finder.
- Go to your home folder.
Here’s how: Select Go | Home from the menu in Finder, for example. - Open the Applications folder.
- Drag and drop the application you want to remove to the Trash.
Finder keyboard shortcut: You can also highlight the app (or multiple apps) and press Command Backspace to remove it.
Using Firefox? How to Install Web Apps Locally using Firefox
Or a Chromium browser? How to Install Web Apps Locally in Chrome, Edge and Kin
Safari for iOS and iPadOS
To add a web app to your Home Screen as a local app on iPhone and iPad:
- Open the page for the web app in Safari.
Example: Visit Typography Fixer PRO to install the app. - Open the sharing menu.
Here’s how: Tap the three dots menu button and select Share or tap Share directly if it is in the toolbar. - Select Add to Home Screen from the menu that has appeared.
- Enable Open as Web App if possible.
Here’s why: This lets iOS and iPadOS know to open the pages as their own apps; with this disabled, the page will open in Safari instead. - Tap Add.
Their word: Apple offer brief information on web apps in the iPhone User Guide.
Remove a Web App from iPhone and iPad
To remove a web app you have installed on iPhone or iPad:
- Tap and hold the app on the Home Screen.
- Select Delete bookmark from the menu that has appeared.
- Choose Delete.
How to Install Web Apps Locally Using Safari on Mac and iPhone: FAQ
Can I use web apps offline?
Yes, if the website supports it.
Web apps working entirely offline depends on their implementing a “service worker” that installs files locally on the device.
Do web apps share any data with each other or Safari?
No.
Each app you install from Safari gets its own data store, cache and history.
Can I hide navigation controls from the top?
Yes.
To get a cleaner experience with a web app installed form Safari:
- Open its settings.
Here’s how: Select the app’s name in the menu bar, then choose Settings…. - Go to the General tab.
- Uncheck Show navigation controls.
Can I add any page as a web app?
Yes.
Safari lets you create a dedicated “app” environment for any website. Progressive web apps will offer additional benefits such as offline operation.
Can I remove a web app from the Home Screen but keep it in the App Library?
No.
Web apps on iPhone and iPad share some characteristics with native apps, but they only appear as icons on the Home Screen. To get web apps out of the way, you can organize them in folders.
(Tested with macOS Tahoe 26 and iOS 26; first published February 2026, last updated July 2026)