Want quick access to your favourite websites without digging through your browser tabs? On Android, you can add any website directly to your home screen, and in many cases, it will open like a native app. Here's how it works...
What even is a “web app”?
A web app also known as a Progressive Web App (PWA) is a website that acts like a real app. It gets its own home screen icon, launches full-screen, and can even run offline if properly configured.
Many popular websites like Twitter, Spotify, and Notion already offer full-featured PWAs. But even if a site isn’t a full PWA, you can still add it as a shortcut to your home screen.
How to add a website to your home screen
This method works on most Android devices using Google Chrome, and also with some other browsers like Edge, Brave, or Firefox (though behaviour may vary slightly).
In Google Chrome:
- Open Chrome and visit the website you want to save.
- Tap the three dots menu in the top-right corner.
- Tap “Add to Home screen”.
- Give it a name (what you’ll see on the icon).
- Tap Add, then Add Automatically or drag it where you want on your home screen.
If the site is a PWA, Chrome will automatically prompt you to install it as an app, which gives it full-screen mode, a presence in the app drawer, and sometimes offline capabilities.
Using Firefox or other browsers
If you’re using Firefox or another browser:
- Firefox supports adding to the home screen but doesn’t fully support standalone PWA mode.
- In Samsung Internet, you can also add shortcuts to your home screen via the menu → “Add page to” → “Home screen”.
- Edge and Brave behave similarly to Chrome and support PWA installation prompts.
Why it matters
- Clean, focused experience - no toolbar, URL bar, or tab bar when in app mode
- Better multitasking - web app gets its own window and app-switcher card
- Works with non-PWA sites - even basic informational sites feel like mini-apps
- Still optional - you decide if it should open in the browser or like an app
How to uninstall a web app on Android
PWAs installed from Chrome can be uninstalled like any other app:
- Long-press the app icon → tap Uninstall
- Or go to Settings → Apps, find the PWA, and uninstall it.
Shortcuts that aren’t true PWAs (just website bookmarks) can simply be removed from the home screen.
Android makes it super easy to turn your favourite websites into apps, no coding required. Whether it’s for productivity, social, or just quick access to tools, adding web apps to your home screen is one of the most underrated features on your phone.