2

We have a PWA that will not install and instead only adds a shortcut to home screen (with Chrome badge on app icon).

A lighthouse audit gives 3/3 100% (Uses HTTPS, Registers a Service Worker, Manifest meets installability requirements) for Installable stating "Browsers can proactively prompt users to add your app to their homescreen, which can lead to higher engagement."

The "Add XXX to Home screen" banner DOES show and beforeinstallprompt is triggered, but it always creates a shortcut and not an app install.

We have tried on the 3 Android devices we have here (Galaxy S10, Galaxy S4 Mini, Galaxy S7, 9.0, 9.0, 4.4) as well as across many devices on Browserstack and always have the same issue.

Has anyone come across this issue before? What can be done to further test or resolve it?

CodemanDoEl
  • 472
  • 1
  • 4
  • 18
  • Did you manage to resolve this? I am having the exact same issue and can't seem to find the solution – Callum Reid Apr 15 '20 at 10:31
  • I did! It turned out if the user was not signed into Google Play on the aforementioned device then only a shortcut would be added. After signing in apps began installing correctly. I hope this helps, I was pulling my hair out for several months over this! – CodemanDoEl Jun 23 '20 at 10:10

3 Answers3

2

If you are not signed into Google Play on the device apps will only install as shortcuts. Singing into Google Play resolved the problem.

This answer in another thread solved my issue:

https://stackoverflow.com/a/59733298/1483075

CodemanDoEl
  • 472
  • 1
  • 4
  • 18
0

I found a different potential problem. For me, it only added a shortcut to homescreen (with the chrome badge), because it couldn't install due to low storage. It doesn't notify you that that is the problem. But simply freeing up some storage leads to proper PWA install

darnok
  • 1
  • 1
0

Had the same problem but in my case the problem was that favicon.ico was only available when signed in (gave 401-error). Problem solved when it was made publicly available.

Kristofer
  • 675
  • 7
  • 15