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Answer

Why is my PWA install prompt not showing?

Short answer

Chrome shows the install prompt only when the site passes strict installability criteria: HTTPS, a valid manifest with name, icons and start_url, a registered service worker with a fetch handler, and the user has not previously dismissed the prompt. Any one of these missing is enough to block the prompt entirely.

By InstantPWA engineering·Reviewed July 7, 2026

The Chrome installability checklist

Open DevTools → Application → Manifest. Chrome lists exactly which criterion is failing. The most common failures: (1) icons not 192px and 512px, (2) manifest not linked from every route, (3) service worker missing a fetch listener, (4) HTTPS with a self-signed certificate.

Silent throttling

If a user dismisses the prompt twice, Chrome silently backs off for months. Test in a fresh incognito profile.

iOS never fires beforeinstallprompt

This is not a bug. On iOS you must render your own share-sheet guide or use a hosted install popup that handles the platform detection for you.

Sources

Related
Can a PWA send push notifications on iOS?
Yes. Since iOS 16.4 (March 2023), a PWA can send Web Push notifications on iPhone and iPad — but only after the user installs it to the home screen. Push in a regular Safari tab is not supported, and the user must explicitly grant notification permission from inside the installed PWA.
What are the requirements for the Chrome install prompt?
Chrome fires beforeinstallprompt when the site is served over HTTPS, links a valid manifest with name, start_url and 192px + 512px icons, registers a service worker with a fetch handler, and passes a user-engagement heuristic (typically one interaction and ~30 seconds of use). Any failing criterion silently blocks the prompt.
What are the storage limits for a PWA?
A PWA typically gets 60% of the device disk space on Chrome and Edge (up to hundreds of GB), 20% of total quota on Firefox, and around 1 GB on Safari. Cache Storage, IndexedDB and OPFS share the same quota. Browsers evict least-recently-used origins under pressure unless the site requests persistent storage.
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.
Does a PWA help or hurt SEO?
A PWA does not directly change your Google ranking. Googlebot indexes your HTML the same whether or not you have a service worker. The indirect effect is Core Web Vitals: repeat visits from installed users have near-zero TTFB and better INP, which improves your CWV score and, over time, ranking.