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Use PWAs in Microsoft Edge

Any device that's running Microsoft Edge gets full access to the technologies and characteristics of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs). On Windows, PWAs are just like other apps.

This article covers preliminary, end-user information about how to use PWAs.

See also:

Installing a PWA

When Microsoft Edge determines that a website is an installable Progressive Web App (PWA), the App available (The "App available" icon) icon appears in the Address bar.

  1. Click the App available (The "App available" icon) icon to install the PWA.

    The installation prompt in Microsoft Edge

  2. Click Install to complete the installation and run the PWA in Windows.

Many PWAs are also present on the Microsoft Store, and can be installed directly from there, without needing to open Microsoft Edge.

To install a PWA from the Microsoft Store, select Get on the app page:

Installing an app from the Microsoft Store

Managing PWAs

There are several ways to view the list of installed PWAs, view information about the PWAs, or uninstall them.

From "Settings and more" (...) in Microsoft Edge

To find the list of installed Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) in Microsoft Edge:

  1. Select Settings and more > More tools > Apps > View apps.

  2. Right-click an app, and then select Manage app:

    The Manage app command

  3. View information about the app, or uninstall the app.

From the edge://apps special page

  1. In Microsoft Edge, go to edge://apps.

  2. On an app, click Open, and then click Details:

    The list of installed apps in edge://apps

  3. View information about the app, or uninstall the app.

From Settings on Windows

You can manage PWAs in the Apps & features system setting, like other Windows apps:

  1. In Windows, select Start, type Settings, and then click Open.

    The Settings window opens.

  2. In the Find a setting text box, start typing Add or remove programs, and then select Add or remove programs.

    The list of installed apps is displayed:

    The list of installed apps on Windows also display PWAs

  3. Select a PWA, and then view its information or uninstall it.

Windows integration

A Progressive Web App (PWA) is displayed like a native app on Windows. When running, the PWA appears:

  • In the Taskbar (where it can be pinned).
  • In the Start menu.
  • When switching between apps with Alt+Tab.

The following sections cover details.

Windows Taskbar

PWAs and native apps can reside side-by-side in the Taskbar:

PWAs and native apps side-by-side in the Taskbar

PWAs are indicated in this screenshot by red boxes.

Start menu

When installing a PWA, there's a Pin to Start checkbox:

The "Pin to start" checkbox when installing a PWA

An installed PWA has a Settings and more (...) menu that includes a Pin to start command:

The "Pin to start" command in an installed PWA's "Settings and more" menu

Alt+Tab

PWAs and native apps are displayed when switching between windows with Alt+Tab:

PWAs and native apps are displayed when switching between windows with Alt+Tab

PWAs are indicated in this screenshot by red boxes.

Shortcut on a right-click menu

A PWA can expose a common task as a shortcut that appears in the app's right-click menu (context menu):

Common tasks are listed in the Taskbar's right-click menu

The above screenshot shows Start Live Session, a custom menuitem.

See:

Notifications

A PWA can display notifications in the operating system's own notification service. This helps users re-engage with your app.

See:

Starting a PWA automatically during startup

A PWA on Windows can launch automatically when the user signs in, so they can immediately engage with the app.

To set an already installed PWA to automatically start when you sign in to Windows:

  1. Open Microsoft Edge.

  2. Go to edge://apps. The Apps page lists the installed apps.

  3. On the app you want to configure, click the More options (The More options button) button and then select Auto-start on device login.

Use the More Options menu to turn on the 'Auto-start on device login' feature in Microsoft Edge

During installing a PWA

During installing a PWA, users are given a chance to set a PWA to automatically start.

To set a PWA to automatically start when you sign in to Windows, while installing the PWA:

  1. During installing an app, in the post-installation dialog, select the Auto-start on device login checkbox:

The post-installation dialog automatically opens after an app is installed

App info menu (Settings and more)

When a user selects the Settings and more (...) button in the title bar of a Progressive Web App (PWA), the App info menu/dialog is displayed:

The 'App info' menu

The App info menu contains the following:

  • Basic information about the app:

    • The app icon.
    • The app name.
    • The app publisher, such as the app server's domain.

  • Commands:

    • Pin to taskbar
    • Pin to Start
    • App settings

  • Submenus:

    • Privacy - Privacy information, such as the number of cookies used:

      The Privacy submenu of the 'App info' menu

    • Extensions - List of extensions that Microsoft Edge has installed.

    • More tools

Limitations

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) have the following limitations.

FSLogix environments

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) aren't supported in FSLogix environments. In an FSLogix environment, you can install a PWA, but when you log off and then log back in, the installed PWA is gone. This is a known restriction.

FSLogix enhances and enables a consistent experience for Windows user profiles in virtual desktop computing environments. For more information, see FSLogix documentation.

See also

External:

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