Add To Home Screen (PWA)
Canonical expansion of the thin Add to Home Screen page. iOS vs Android, standalone, service worker.
What this is / when to use it
Section titled “What this is / when to use it”The published app is a PWA. Users can install it on the home screen. It then opens standalone (no browser chrome) and uses a service worker to cache the app shell.
Use this when clients ask “where is the app store listing?” — there isn’t one. You send a URL.
Before you start
Section titled “Before you start”The app is published. Icon and name are set (Appearance / App Icon). HTTPS is required (NotionApps subdomain or a working custom domain).
Build it (what makers do)
Section titled “Build it (what makers do)”- Set icon + name.
- Publish.
- Send the URL. Include the short OS steps below in your own welcome Content screen if you want.
Makers do not upload a store binary.
Every control
Section titled “Every control”There is no separate “PWA pane.” Icon, name, theme color, and custom domain are the controls. Offline row edits are not a guaranteed product mode — treat the PWA as an installed chrome around a live app.
What users see
Section titled “What users see”Android (Chrome)
Section titled “Android (Chrome)”- Open the app URL in Chrome.
- Menu → Install app / Add to Home screen.
- Confirm. The icon opens standalone.
iOS (Safari)
Section titled “iOS (Safari)”- Open the URL in Safari (not an in-app browser).
- Share → Add to Home Screen.
- Confirm. The icon opens standalone.
iOS is stricter: third-party browsers may not install. After you publish a new version, iOS may keep the old shell until the user opens the PWA once or twice (service worker update). They do not reinstall. See the troubleshooting page on reinstall.
Limits and plans
Section titled “Limits and plans”- No App Store / Play listing from this feature.
- Service worker caches chrome, not a full offline Notion replica.
- Custom domain HTTPS must be valid or install will fail.
- Localization of OS install strings is the browser’s, not yours.
Example
Section titled “Example”Put a Content screen “Install this app” with the two OS checklists and a screenshot of your icon. Link it from Home.
Fix problems
Section titled “Fix problems”| Symptom | What to do |
|---|---|
| iOS has no Add to Home Screen | Use Safari, not Chrome-on-iOS or an embedded WebView. |
| Old layout after publish | Open the PWA twice, or clear the site data. Not a reinstall. |
| Icon generic | Set the app icon and republish. |
Related
Section titled “Related”Publish & share. I have published a new version, will my users have to reinstall?