Many useful tools today are web apps: they run in your browser, so there is nothing to download from an app store. But opening a browser, finding the site and typing the address every time is a pain. The fix is simple: put the site on your home screen, so it opens from an icon like any other app, full screen and without the browser bars.
It takes about twenty seconds. Here is how to do it on iPhone and on Android, and what to do when it does not work.
Why bother?
- One tap to open. For something you use many times a day, like noting a spend, this matters.
- It feels like an app. It opens full screen, without the address bar.
- It uses almost no storage. You are saving a shortcut, not installing a large app.
- No app store. No account, no update prompts, and nothing extra to trust.
On iPhone or iPad (Safari)
On Apple devices this only works from Safari, not from Chrome or an in-app browser.
- Open the website in Safari.
- Tap the Share button: the square with an arrow pointing up, in Safari's bottom bar. If you do not see it, tap the three dots first, then Share.
- Scroll down the menu and tap Add to Home Screen. It has a plus sign in a square. If you cannot see it, scroll a little further.
- Leave Open as Web App switched on, then tap Add at the top right.
- Find the new icon on your home screen and open it.
On Android (Chrome)
- Open the website in Chrome.
- Tap the three dots at the top right. Some sites also show an “Install app” button right on the page, which is the fastest route.
- Tap Install app. On some phones this is called Add to Home screen. It is the same thing.
- Tap Install, then open the icon from your home screen or app drawer.
If you opened the link from WhatsApp
This is the most common reason it does not work. When you tap a link in WhatsApp, Instagram, Gmail or Telegram, it often opens in a small built-in browser that cannot install anything. You will not see the right menu options.
- iPhone: tap the compass icon (Open in Safari), or the Share button and then Open in Safari.
- Android: tap the three dots at the top right, then Open in Chrome.
Then follow the steps above from the real browser.
Common problems
I can't find “Add to Home Screen”
On iPhone, scroll further down the share menu. It is often below the first screen of options. Also check you are in Safari and not another browser.
The icon opens a normal browser tab
On iPhone, make sure “Open as Web App” was switched on when you added it. If not, remove the icon and add it again.
I don't see the Install option on Android
Make sure you are using Chrome and that you have opened the site itself, not a link inside another app. Refresh the page once and check the menu again.
Good to know
- A web app on your home screen still needs an internet connection to load fresh data.
- Some shortcuts, like long-pressing an icon for quick actions, work on Android but are not offered by Apple for web apps.
- If you ever want to remove it, delete the icon like any other app.
Doing this with HisaabRakho
HisaabRakho is built to be installed this way, so you can log a spend in seconds from your home screen. The steps above are the same ones we use. If you would like them with the exact screens for your phone, we have a short install guide, and you can read about why we avoid asking for extra permissions in does an expense tracker need your bank login.