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Do PWAs work on macOS?
Short answer
Yes. On macOS, Chrome and Edge let you install a PWA from the address-bar install icon, and Safari (14+) supports "Add to Dock", which installs the site as a standalone app with its own Dock icon and window. Installed PWAs on macOS run in their own window without browser tabs or address bar, similar to a native Mac app.
By InstantPWA engineering·Reviewed July 25, 2026
Chrome/Edge on macOS
Address bar install icon or the app menu’s "Install" option adds the PWA to Launchpad and the Dock.
Safari on macOS
File menu → "Add to Dock" installs the current site as a standalone app, a feature introduced in Safari 17 for macOS Sonoma.
Differences from Windows
macOS PWAs do not currently support the Window Controls Overlay API the way Chromium on Windows does.
Related
Do PWAs work on Windows?
Yes. On Windows, installing a PWA through Chrome or Edge adds it to the Start menu and taskbar, gives it its own window without browser chrome, and lists it in Windows Settings → Apps alongside native applications, where it can be uninstalled the same way. Microsoft also historically indexed some PWAs directly into the Microsoft Store via PWABuilder.
Do PWAs work on iPhone?
Yes. Since iOS 16.4 (March 2023), iPhone and iPad support the full PWA feature set: install to home screen from Safari, standalone launch, offline via service worker, and Web Push notifications. The install step is manual — Safari does not show a browser prompt; users must tap Share → Add to Home Screen.
Do PWAs work on ChromeOS?
Yes, PWAs are first-class citizens on ChromeOS. They can be installed directly from a website’s install prompt or discovered through the Chrome Web Store, after which they appear in the app launcher and shelf just like Android or Linux apps on a Chromebook, with full windowing, notifications and file-system access support.
Does Samsung Internet support PWAs?
Yes. Samsung Internet, the default browser on Samsung Galaxy phones, is built on Chromium and supports installable PWAs — including the manifest, service worker and beforeinstallprompt criteria used by Chrome. Users install via the browser menu’s "Add page to" → "Home screen" option, and Samsung Internet was historically one of the earlier mobile browsers to support Web Push notifications for installed PWAs.
Can a PWA follow the system dark mode setting?
Yes. The CSS media feature prefers-color-scheme lets a PWA detect whether the OS is set to light or dark mode and apply matching styles automatically, with no JavaScript required. Pairing this with multiple <meta name="theme-color" media="(prefers-color-scheme: dark)"> tags also lets the browser toolbar and installed app title bar switch colour to match.