iOS 26: Add Web App or Bookmark to iPhone Home Screen

[MacRumors]

iOS 26, currently in beta, gives you two distinct ways to add websites to your iPhone's Home screen – as web apps or traditional bookmarks. They might look similar at first glance, but choosing the right option can dramatically improve how you access your favorite sites.

Understanding the Difference

When you add a website to your Home screen via Safari's "Add to Home Screen" option, iOS 26 automatically detects whether the site supports progressive web app (PWA) functionality. Web apps run almost like native apps, with features like offline access, push notifications, and a streamlined interface without Safari's address bar. In contrast, traditional bookmarks simply open the website in Safari when tapped.

This choice matters more than you might think. Web apps can provide a faster, more app-like experience, whereas bookmarks work better for informational sites you visit only occasionally.

Add a Web App or Bookmark to Home Screen

If a website supports PWA functionality, iOS 26 will automatically offer the web app option when you try to add it to your Home screen.

1. Open Safari and navigate to the website you want to add.
2. Tap the three dots to the right of Safari's address bar, then tap Share in the pop-up menu.
   
   
   
   Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen.
3. If the site supports web apps, you'll see the Open as Web App toggle in the dialog – switch it off if you want a bookmark instead.
   Customize the app name if desired, then tap Add.
   
   

Web apps appear on your Home screen with a dedicated icon, and tapping it will launch the site in its own window without Safari's browser interface. Bookmarks display with a generic website icon or the site's favicon, and tapping them opens the page in Safari.

Remove Bookmark or Web App From Home Screen

Both web apps and bookmarks can be deleted from the Home screen, much like any other app. To remove either kind, long-press the icon on your home screen, then tap Delete Bookmark (for some reason iOS doesn't differentiate the kind in this menu).

iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 are set for a general release in September 2025.

Article Link: iOS 26: Add Web App or Bookmark to iPhone Home Screen

 

[xxFoxtail]

I had a shortcut that used to let me customize the web app icon on iOS 18. Appears to be broken on iOS 26.

I believe this is it if anyone wants to use it.

RoutineHub - Customize Web App Icon

Change the icon of any website before adding it to your home screen

routinehub.co

 

[iZac]

I may be wrong, so please correct me if so - but I always believe the web version to be superior in one way; My assumption is that Safari allows less overt tracking and data collection of the user than an App Store counterpart.

My only evidence is that whenever I'm on the web version of a service, it keeps nagging me to download the App Store version for the 'best experience'

 

[svish]

Good to know about the change in iOS 26. Will be setting some pages as simple bookmarks.

 

[gdmedia]

I wonder, if you choose the web option, will you be able to use Reader.

Right now, sometimes when you add a bookmark to your home screen, it will open as an app-like page, with no Safari address bar. This is something set up by the company that supplies the web page. Problem is, without the address bar, you cannot use Reader on that page. If you want to use Reader, you have to make a shortcut that opens that web page and put the shortcut on your home screen. When you open the page from your shortcut, it still includes the address bar and you can use reader.

 

[alayal]

This is one of the best iOS 26 features, the only problems are that some web apps have horrible version of the icons and that safari on iOS don't support extensions for web apps.

 

[Populus]

I may be wrong, so please correct me if so - but I always believe the web version to be superior in one way; My assumption is that Safari allows less overt tracking and data collection of the user than an App Store counterpart.

My only evidence is that whenever I'm on the web version of a service, it keeps nagging me to download the App Store version for the 'best experience'

Exactly my thoughts. That’s why, for the past few years, more and more I opt for the web version of a service, especially if they offer a webapp.

If some day I install Discord, for instance, I will do so with the webapp instead of the App itself. I’m not sure how much data can the the App gather from my usage, but my guess is: more than just a sandboxed Safari tab.

 

[Populus]

This is one of the best iOS 26 features, the only problems are that some web apps have horrible version of the icons and that safari on iOS don't support extensions for web apps.

My Safari extensions actually work on my webapps. At least the ad-blocker, in iOS 18.

 

[Populus]

Maybe I just dreamt it but, I thought that on iOS 26 Apple was providing the option of making most websites a webapp, even if the owner didn’t enable the option.

By the way, I hope this time we can actually switch from light mode to dark mode the webapp icons, such as the MacRumors Forums one, that persist in light mode. What will happen when we switch to crystal mode? Will remain as a solid white icon?

 

[ID0]

Apple, if for any reason, such as force majeure, there is no new iOS in 2026, what will the one released in 2027 be called?

 

[Kar98]

Good to know about the change in iOS 26. Will be setting some pages as simple bookmarks.

Just like back in 2007. Apps? Are you crazy? Best we can do is a glorified web shortcut!

 

[Innovati0n]

Just like back in 2007. Apps? Are you crazy? Best we can do is a glorified web shortcut!

You should probably actually read the article.

 

[kuito]

This is good, but it would be much nicer to have a quicker/easier way to accomplish a bookmark->Home Screen.

 

[flottenheimer]

Locating this under 'Share' is an excellent example of how bad usability often is these days.

 

[Ender17]

I thought this was already available in iOS 18, I have some web bookmarks on the home screen with dedicated icons that seems to open separate of Safari

 

[macjaffa]

Hurrah. PWA is always a worse experience so having the option to not use it is great. I use a web browser BECAUSE i have a url bar, tabs , full browser features. I don’t know why i would give that up for a gimped pwa app.