Use Some Websites as Apps on iPhone and Get Notifications

How to Use an App on iPhone Without Downloading It! Add to Home Screen from Safari

You do not need to install a separate application for each website. You can open some websites as an application by adding them to the home screen of your iPhone.

Moreover, if the site offers the necessary technical support, it is also possible to receive notifications from the web application.

Apple states that web apps added to the home screen in iOS 16.4 and later can support Web Push notifications. However, this does not mean that every website will automatically send notifications. The site must also have the necessary infrastructure. Apple Developer

What is a web application?

A web application is a website that runs through the internet browser and can be opened as a standalone application on the home screen under suitable conditions.

For example:

• You can add a news site you frequently use to the home screen.
• You can open an internet service from its icon instead of searching for it in Safari every time.
• You can receive notifications from appropriately developed web applications.
• You can access some services without installing an additional application on your phone.

However, the web application does not always have all the features of the native application installed from the App Store.

1. Add website to home screen

Follow these steps on your iPhone:

1. Safari application.
2. Go to the website you want to add to the home screen.
3. Share button.
4. In the menu Add to Home Screen.
5. Open as Web Application option appears, enable it.
6. Add button.

There should now be an icon for the relevant site on your home screen. By tapping the icon, you can open the site in an app-like format. Menu options may look different depending on iOS version and your Safari layout. Apple Support

2. Can you receive notifications from the web app?

Yes, but there are some conditions.

For notification support:

• Your iPhone must be running iOS 16.4 or later.
• The website must have implemented Web Push support.
• The site must be added to the home screen as a web application.
• When the notification request is shown, you must allow it.

Apple's developer documentation explains that web applications can use Web Push and related web standards to send notifications. Apple Developer

3. How to grant notification permission?

Open the web application you added to the home screen.

If the site supports the notification feature and appropriate conditions are met, it may request notification permission. When the permission screen appears, you can allow the notification.

There is an important point here: Not every website you add to the home screen immediately asks for notification permission. It is possible that the site does not support the notification feature or the permission request has not yet been triggered.

If you have given notification permission but cannot receive notifications, make the following checks:

1. On your iPhone Settings > Notifications section.
2. If a notification setting appears for your web app, check the permission status.
3. Check whether notifications are turned on in the app's own settings.
4. Check your internet connection.
5. Make sure the site actually supports Web Push.

If a notification option for the web application does not appear in the menu, this alone does not indicate a malfunction in your phone.

4. Why is this method useful?

Let's say there is a news website you follow every day. You do not want to install an additional application for this.

If the site offers a web application that can be added to the home screen, you can place its icon on the home screen and open it directly. If the site also offers Web Push support, you can receive notifications about updates under appropriate conditions.

But not all sites work the same. Some offer an app-like experience on the home screen, while others can only be opened as a website.

5. What should you pay attention to in terms of security?

Adding a website to the home screen does not mean that that site is trustworthy.

• Do not allow unnecessary notifications to sites you do not know.
• Do not add sites opened from suspicious links to the home screen.
• Check the domain name in the address bar for banking and similar sensitive transactions.
• Consider why a site requesting notification permission would want to send notifications.

Result: You can use some internet services more easily on your iPhone without downloading applications. For this, try the Add to Home Screen feature in Safari; If you want notifications, verify that the site also supports Web Push.

Official sources: Apple's guide to turning a website into an app on iPhone · Apple Web Push developer documentation