5 Best Ways to Install and Uninstall PWAs in Chrome

I find Progressive Web Apps (PWA) to be an absolute explosion to work with. They load stuff quickly, feel incredibly responsive, and stay functional even when network connectivity is not the best – some PWAs also work completely offline. But what's best is that with Google Chrome, I can have them "installed" on my PC and Mac.

Although they work on a Chrome wrapper, PWAs seem to work like any other application. They present their icons on the desktop, completely remove the address bar and tabs from Chrome and allow a completely immersive experience.

Chrome offers several ways to install and uninstall PWAs on Windows and macOS. Let me explain all the best ways to do it.

Installation of progressive web applications

The actual process of installing a progressive web application in Google Chrome is not at all complicated. However, not all sites have progressive web apps. So you must first load a site to determine if it has PWA functionality. The first two methods listed below will not work otherwise.

But if your favorite site is not a progressive web application, don't worry. Chrome lets you convert any site to PWA using the Create Shortcut feature. While you might not expect the advanced features that you would normally receive from actual progressive web applications, they work quite similarly. The third method on this list will help you do this.

1. "Install" option on the address bar

The easiest way to install a progressive web app in Chrome is to use the Install icon in the address bar. Provided that the site supports PWA functionality, wait until the page is fully loaded, then click the "+" icon to the right of the URL bar.

In the Install Application confirmation box that appears later, click Install. This should prompt Chrome to install the site as a progressive web application. You can find it immediately on the desktop.

2. "Install" option in the Chrome menu

Another easy method to install progressive web apps is to use the Chrome menu. Once the site is loaded, open the Chrome menu, then click Install "site name".

Once again, you will be greeted by a confirmation window. Click Install to install the site on your computer.

This method is especially useful if you don't see the Install icon in the URL in the first method. Therefore, it is always worth checking the Chrome menu to determine if the site supports PWA functionality.

3. Installation using the Create Shortcut option

Chrome also includes the ability to install any website as a forceful progressive web app. You can do this using the Create Shortcut feature found in the Chrome menu. You can also use this method to install real PWAs, but the two methods above are much more practical in this regard.

Start by opening the Chrome menu. Point to More Tools, then click Create Shortcut.

Check the box next to Open as window, then click Create to add a shortcut to the website.

NOTtakes away: If you don't check the box next to Open as window, the shortcut you create won't open in a dedicated Chrome window.

Uninstalling progressive web applications

Although PWAs are "installed" on your PC or Mac, they are not fully integrated into the operating system. So you can't uninstall them like regular Windows or macOS apps, although that may be a possibility at a later date.

Simply removing icons from the desktop won't cut it either, because Chrome will always assume that you've installed them. Instead, here are the two suitable methods that you can follow to remove PWA from your PC or Mac.

1. "Uninstall" option in the PWA menu

Open the PWA application you want to delete, then click on the three-dot icon in the upper right corner of the screen. In the menu that appears, click Uninstall "application name".

Then you will come across a confirmation prompt. Check the box next to Clear Chrome Data also if you want to delete the navigation data and cookies related to the PWA app. This is great for troubleshooting purposes and can help resolve issues caused by an outdated browser cache.

Otherwise, leave the box unchecked. Click Remove to uninstall the PWA.

2. Uninstall using the application launcher

The Google Chrome app launcher also allows you to uninstall PWAs. If you have already removed the desktop icon for the PWA, this provides the perfect way to uninstall the application completely.

Type chrome: // apps in the address bar, then press Enter to display the application launcher.

Right-click the PWA in the list of applications, and then click Remove from Chrome.

Click Delete to confirm. After that, check the box next to Clear Chrome Data Also if you want to clear the browser cache from the PWA.

Point: The app launcher also provides the means to add deleted PWA icons to the desktop. Right-click the application, and then click Create Shortcuts to do this.

Love them or hate them

Progressive web applications are game-changers. I love the fact that I can focus on a task without being distracted by dozens of Chrome tabs. But PWAs are still rare, so don't forget to “ force '' & #39; & #39; Chrome to create applications for sites that do not yet support the functionality. But of course, not all progressive web apps are the best, so be sure to delete the ones that don't offer anything special.

Then: Are you constantly experiencing boring web page elements? Here are five amazing Chrome extensions to block them.