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What is the Screen Wake Lock API?
Short answer
The Screen Wake Lock API lets a page request navigator.wakeLock.request("screen") to prevent the device screen from dimming or auto-locking while the page is active — useful for recipe apps being followed hands-free, presentation tools, or video calls. The lock automatically releases when the tab is hidden or closed.
By InstantPWA engineering·Reviewed July 25, 2026
How it is requested
A user gesture is typically required; the call returns a WakeLockSentinel you can release() manually when no longer needed.
Support
Supported in Chrome, Edge and Safari (16.4+); Firefox added support later and behaviour can vary by version.
Battery consideration
Because it keeps the screen on, developers should release the lock as soon as it is no longer needed to avoid unnecessary battery drain.
Sources
Related
Can a PWA access the camera?
Yes. A PWA can access the camera, microphone, geolocation and file system through the same Web APIs a regular website uses (getUserMedia, showOpenFilePicker, Geolocation). Every capability requires explicit user permission and works cross-platform, though a few APIs (Bluetooth, USB, NFC) are still Chromium-only.
What is a PWA?
A PWA (Progressive Web App) is a regular website that meets three technical criteria — HTTPS, a Web App Manifest and a service worker — so browsers let visitors install it on their home screen. Once installed, it launches like a native app, works offline and can send push notifications.
What is a Trusted Web Activity?
A Trusted Web Activity (TWA) is Google’s official way to package a PWA as a full-screen Chrome Custom Tab inside a thin native Android shell, so it can be distributed through the Google Play Store while still rendering as your existing web app with no separate native codebase.
PWA vs Electron: what is the difference?
A PWA installs through the browser and reuses the browser’s already-installed engine, so it downloads in kilobytes and stays a few MB on disk. Electron bundles an entire Chromium and Node.js runtime into every app, typically 100-200MB, but in exchange gives full Node.js filesystem and OS access that the web sandbox does not allow.
PWA vs React Native: which should I build?
A PWA is a single website that runs in the browser and can be installed without an app store; React Native compiles JavaScript into genuinely native iOS and Android UI components and ships through the App Store and Play Store. Choose a PWA for the widest reach and lowest cost, and React Native when you need deep native APIs, top App Store placement, or native performance for animation-heavy UI.