Fix PWA Install Button Missing (Run the HTML5 Test)

Confirm your browser supports the core PWA pieces

Before troubleshooting the website, confirm your browser is capable. Open the HTML5 Test and look specifically for Service Worker support.

Then open the Storage Test and confirm cookies and storage are available. PWAs depend on storage for cached assets and state; if storage is blocked, installs and offline behavior can break.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• Why the install button disappears
• The fastest browser-side fixes (private mode, storage blocks, updates)
• When the problem is on the website (and only the site owner can fix it)

Quick answer (do this first)

1. Use a normal window (not Incognito/Private) and reload the site
2. Run HTML5 Test → confirm Service Worker support
3. Run Storage Test → confirm storage isn’t blocked
4. Update the browser and try again

If the install option appears after steps 1–3, the issue was browser-side.

Fix 1: Exit private browsing (common install blocker)

Many browsers restrict storage APIs in private mode. Some will not show a PWA install prompt at all in Incognito/Private windows.

• Open the site in a normal window.
• Sign in again if needed.
• Re-check if the install option appears.

If the site becomes installable only in a normal window, keep private browsing for quick one-off sessions, not for app installation.

Fix 2: Make sure storage isn’t blocked (cookies + storage must work)

PWAs can’t behave like “apps” if the browser won’t store data.

1. Open the Storage Test.
2. If you see storage blocked, fix storage first:
   • Enable cookies
   • Fix localStorage blocked
   • Fix IndexedDB blocked

After enabling storage, reload the web app and look for the install option again.

Fix 3: Update the browser (PWA install support varies by version)

PWA installation UI changes across browser versions, and older builds may not show prompts reliably.

• Chrome / Edge: Menu > Help > About → update → Relaunch
• Firefox: Firefox supports many PWA features but may not offer the same “install” flow as Chromium. If you need a desktop-style install, test in Chrome or Edge.
• Safari: apply macOS/iOS updates (Safari updates come with OS releases).

Then rerun HTML5 Test to confirm Service Worker support is still present.

Fix 4: Use the correct install path for your platform

Sometimes the site is installable, but the install UI is just in a different place.

• Chrome (desktop): look for an install icon in the address bar, or open the menu and look for an install option.
• Edge (desktop): open the menu and look under Apps for “Install this site as an app.”
• iPhone/iPad (Safari): open the Share menu and choose Add to Home Screen (that’s the iOS install flow).

If none of these exist, continue to the next checks.

Fix 5: When the issue is the website (not your browser)

This is the key limitation: the browser can only offer installation if the website is actually a PWA.

If Service Worker is supported in your browser but the site still won’t install, the site may be missing one of these:

• HTTPS (required for service workers on real domains)
• A valid web app manifest (name, icons, start URL)
• A registered service worker that successfully installs

What you can do as a user:

• Try another browser (Chrome/Edge on desktop, Safari on iOS).
• Test a different network if the site is failing to load critical files.
• Contact the site owner and ask whether the site supports PWA installation.

Fix 6: Managed devices and policy restrictions

Some organizations disable “install as app” features or restrict service workers/storage for compliance reasons.

• If you’re on a managed profile, run the Full Browser Test and note which storage and HTML5 features fail.
• If Service Worker or storage is blocked only on a work profile, ask IT for an exception for the site/app.

Verify the fix (and confirm it’s a real PWA)

After installation:

1. Launch the installed app and check that it opens in its own window.
2. Go offline briefly and confirm the app at least loads its shell (some PWAs cache everything, others cache only the UI).
3. If the installed app is blank offline, the site may not cache content—this is a site design choice, not a browser bug.