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Answer

Do PWAs work on Windows?

Short answer

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.

By InstantPWA engineering·Reviewed July 25, 2026

Installing

From Edge or Chrome, click the install icon in the address bar (or the three-dot menu → Apps → Install this site as an app).

OS integration

Installed PWAs get their own taskbar icon, appear in Alt-Tab separately from the browser, and can register file associations and protocol handlers.

Store distribution

PWABuilder can package a PWA as an MSIX for submission to the Microsoft Store, giving it discoverability alongside native Windows apps.

Sources

Related
Do PWAs work on macOS?
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.
What is the Window Controls Overlay API?
The Window Controls Overlay API lets an installed desktop PWA reclaim the title-bar area next to the window’s minimize, maximize and close buttons, so the app can render its own tabs, search bar or menu there instead of leaving it blank — similar to how VS Code’s desktop app uses its title bar. It is enabled via "display_override": ["window-controls-overlay"] in the manifest.
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.