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Brainhub
brainhub.eu › library › pwa-on-ios
PWA on iOS - Current Status & Limitations for Users [2025]
While iOS requires explicit permission, the approach may differ on other platforms like Android. With the introduction of iPadOS, iPads now offer a desktop-class browser experience. However, PWAs on iOS 13 do not automatically adjust their layout when switching to/from Split Mode on iPads.
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Mobiloud
mobiloud.com › blog › do pwas work on iphone? (progressive web apps for ios)
Do PWAs Work on iPhone? (Progressive Web Apps for iOS)
However, Apple has since posted an update to this message, saying that support for Home Screen apps (PWAs) is being brought back: “Previously, Apple announced plans to remove the Home Screen web apps capability in the EU as part of our efforts to comply with the DMA. The need to remove the capability was informed by the complex security and privacy concerns associated with web apps to support alternative browser engines that would require building a new integration architecture that does not currently exist in iOS.
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web.dev
web.dev › learn › pwa › progressive-web-apps
Progressive Web Apps | web.dev
Note: People tend to think of Progressive Web Apps as an app that the user can install from a browser instead of an app store. However, a PWA can be listed in many app stores today as an optional distribution channel, including Google Play Store (for Android and ChromeOS), Microsoft Store (for Windows 10 and 11), and Apple AppStore (for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS).
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Pwabuilder
blog.pwabuilder.com › posts › publish-your-pwa-to-the-ios-app-store
Publish your PWA to the iOS App Store | PWA Builder Blog
Announcing PWABuilder's new iOS platform. Publish your PWA to the App Store and gain new iPhone and iPad users.
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Scandiweb
scandiweb.com › home › collection › pwa ios strategies for unbeatable mobile performance!
iPhone iOS PWA Strategies for Unbeatable Mobile Performance
June 3, 2025 - Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) on iOS offer app-like experiences with offline access, but encounter specific challenges due to Apple’s native app preference and various limitations on iOS features compared to Android.
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Firt
firt.dev › notes › pwa-ios
iOS PWA Compatibility - firt.dev
This is a compatibility list of supported features on Safari on iOS and iPadOS vs. what's available in the most used PWA browser in current market share for similar mobile devices: Google Chrome on Android.
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Alinpanaitiu
notes.alinpanaitiu.com › Install-any-website-as-PWA-on-iOS
Install any website as PWA on iOS — Alin Panaitiu
I want to have them as PWA (Progressive Web Apps) so I can use them as if they were native apps. This helps by making those sites readily available in the App Switcher, on the home screen and in Spotlight Search.
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Superpwa
superpwa.com › docs › article › how-to-test-pwa-on-ios-devices
How to Test PWA on iOS devices – Super PWA Docs
As Apple started supporting PWA from iOS 11.3, it’s the time to know how to test PWA on iOS devices and what all criteria Apple consider a website to be a Progressive Web Apps.
Find elsewhere
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Monterail
monterail.com › blog › pwa
PWAs Are Now Available for Apple Devices with iOS 12.2 (and 13 beta) | Monterail
Progressive Web Apps are no longer limited to Android users, but can be easily accessed by iPhone and iPad owners with the iOS starting from 11.3 to 12.2, plus the soon-to-come 13 (currently in beta).
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web.dev
web.dev › learn › pwa › installation
Installation | web.dev
The app catalogs and stores that support publishing a PWA are: Google Play Store for Android and ChromeOS, using a Trusted Web Activity. Apple App Store for iOS, macOS, and iPadOS, using WKWebView and App-Bound Domains.
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CDC
cdc.gov › niosh › mining › tools › installpwa.html
How to Install a PWA | Mining | CDC
January 2, 2025 - A PWA can only be installed on iOS using the Safari web browser. First, navigate to the site in Safari. Press the "Share" button and select "Add to Home Screen" from the popup. Lastly, tap "Add" in the top right corner to finish installing the PWA.
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Netguru
netguru.com › home page › blog › 6 tips to make your ios pwa feel like a native app
6 Tips To Make Your iOS PWA Feel Like a Native App
December 31, 2024 - Unfortunately, there's no such thing on iPhone, so our visitor is not even aware of our app's capabilities. Moreover, as much as 3 taps are required on iOS to add an app to the home screen.
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MagicBell
magicbell.com › blog › best-practices-for-ios-pwa-push-notifications
4 Best Practices for iOS PWA Push Notifications
Before we get into the best practices ... significant caveat. In February 2024, Apple announced that it has removed Home Screen web apps (PWAs) for iOS users in the European Union (EU) in the iOS 17.4 release....
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Codewave
codewave.com › home › limitations and status of progressive web apps on ios
Limitations and Status of Progressive Web Apps on iOS
October 16, 2024 - PWAs are web applications that leverage modern web technologies to deliver app-like experiences. They offer features such as offline functionality, push notifications, and home screen shortcuts, making them feel more native to the device.
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SuperPWA
superpwa.com › home › docs › how to test pwa on ios devices
How to Test PWA on iOS devices - SuperPWA
December 9, 2020 - Due to that reason you need to manually add the PWA to your Homescreen. ... From the options tap the Add to Homescreen option, you can notice an icon of the website or screenshot of website added to your devices homescreen instantly. Tap the icon from homescreen, then the Progressive Web App of your website will be loaded. You cannot see the Splash Screen with icon and background color which you set upon Manifest right now, as both are not supported upon iOS.
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Hacker News
news.ycombinator.com › item
PWAs wont replace native iOS apps | Hacker News
November 15, 2023 - But as a web dev community we need to stand firm and build PWAs regardless. If we treat pwas on iOS like we did Internet explorer (i.e. giving it special attention and hack solutions as opposed to just not developing for it) we will lose the fight · I suggest you call out the issues with ios ...
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Tigren
tigren.com › home › general › 11 major progressive web app limitations to ios users
Current Progressive Web App Limitations To iOS Users - Tigren
August 5, 2025 - Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) promise ... apps. However, when it comes to iOS, these apps face a series of frustrating limitations that can dampen the user experience and challenge developers....
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iOS started very late to open to PWAs and it still needs extra attributes (as you used) to provide the full set of PWA features.

In Chrome DevTools if you go to Application tab (for your application), can you see that the web manifest with its properties is correctly displayed and the service worker as well?

As Mathias said, you need an HTTPS connection to be able to register correctly a service worker. Localhost however is considered "safe" for developing purposes.

I wrote a series of articles about PWA, you can have a look and follow along to see if you missed anything.

Here a list of browsers supporting service workers (to compare with the safari version you are using).


UPDATE

I answer here to your comments:

  1. If some web sites that offers PWAs (eg. Uber, FB) work as PWA on other devices, but not on your phone, then I would try to investigate whether there is a setting missing on your side. I made a quick research and it seems that for iOS users some extra steps are needed to use/enable PWAs:

The user has to access the PWA URL with Safari and then manually press the Share icon and then “Add to Home Screen.” There is no indication that the visited website is a PWA.

About the "Add to home screen" in Chrome, I could not indeed find any official information when it has been removed. I can only say that I never seen it again since one of the latest versions (v74+).

  1. Every pages of a PWAs should be linkable in order to benefit from sharing it via social media apps. Therefore if you have a working PWA and you send links to others, these should work as well. There are no special browser restrictions, given that the app is correctly implemented.

I leave you below some links where other people have similar issues with PWAs and iOS 12.2:

  • Link with discussion
  • Test PWA
  • Article with some tips (here there are some suggestions on how to make the PWA work on iOS)