We now have apps for almost all needs; however, there can be instances where we find the web version better or some services exclusive to its websites. Besides, many websites don’t have a direct application; the only way to access them is through your web browser. But what if you can convert websites into apps on Windows? Yes, with this guide, we will show you how to do it.
The ability to save a website as an app in a few clicks and for free can be useful, especially if you visit some websites frequently. While many browsers support this feature, if you use a browser that doesn’t, you’ll have to switch your browser. With that understanding, let’s begin.
What Is a Windows Web Application
As the name suggests, when you install the website as an app in Chrome or other browsers, you can access it like any regular app. The key difference between a web app and accessing the website in the browser is the absence of browser elements such as bookmarks, address bars, and other toolbar components.
The app will run using the browser engine you used to convert websites into apps on Windows. Now, let’s look at the steps to do so.
How to Install Website as an App in Chrome
To save a website as an app on Google Chrome, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open Google Chrome and visit your preferred website.
Step 2: Now, click the three dots at the top right corner > choose More tools > Create shortcut.
Step 3: Name the shortcut > enable ‘Open as window’ and click Create.
Apart from that, some websites also offer an option to install as a web app (Progressive Web Apps, also known as PWA). For that, follow the steps in the next section.
Save the Website as a Progressive Web App
Step 1: Open the website of your choice and click the install icon on the right side of the search bar.
Step 2: Choose Install.
You can now launch the app from the Taskbar, desktop, or other places.
Uninstall Web App From Chrome
Step 1: Launch the installed web app and click the three dots at the top right corner.
Step 2: Choose Uninstall X. Where the X stands for the website name.
Step 3: Click Remove to confirm.
Turn Websites into Desktop Apps on Windows Using Microsoft Edge
To convert websites into apps on Windows using Microsoft Edge, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Open Microsoft Edge and visit the website you want to convert into an app.
Step 2: Click the three-dots menu at the top right corner > choose Apps > select ‘Install this site as an App.’
Step 3: Name the site and edit the icon. Once you make the necessary changes, click Install.
Step 4: The web app will be installed and launched instantly. From here, choose the necessary options and click Allow.
Along with that, some websites also offer a direct web app (PWA) option. For that:
Step 1: Click the install icon on the right side of the search bar.
Step 2: Select Install.
Uninstall Web App from Edge
Step 1: Launch the web app > click the three dots at the top right corner and select App settings.
Step 2: Scroll down and click Uninstall.
Step 3: Click Remove to confirm. You can also check ‘Also clear data from Microsoft Edge.’
You can also visit Edge’s app page to see all the web apps installed using Edge.
Save Website as an App on Windows Using Firefox
For Firefox, you don’t get the option to install any websites as a web app. Even for PWA websites, you must install an extension and then use the feature. Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Open the extension page from the link below and click ‘Add to Firefox.’
Step 2: Click Add to confirm.
Step 3: Choose Okay.
Tip: You can also enable ‘Allow this extension to run in Private Window.’
Step 3: Run the setup and give the necessary permissions.
Step 4: Now, visit the website that has support for PWA.
Step 5: Click the install button on the right side of the search bar.
Step 6: Give name and other necessary information and click ‘Install web app.’
You can now find the app from the Start menu. From here, you can add the app to where you want.
Remove Web App From Firefox
Step 1: Right-click the app from the Start menu and choose Uninstall.
Step 2: Double-click the app from the list to uninstall.
Convert Websites into Apps on Windows with WebCatalog
WebCatalog is an application that can serve as a hub or App store for desktop web applications. Unlike the need to turn websites into apps on Windows using a browser, you can get them in simple steps. WebCatalog uses the Photon rendering engine from the Chromium framework to run web apps. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Download and install WebCatalog from the link below.
Step 2: Run the Webcatalog application and Sign in or Sign up.
Step 3: Once you log in, click Install below the app.
Once installed, you can easily access the web app like normal apps.
Uninstall the Website App
To uninstall, open the WebCatalog app and follow the below steps:
Step 1: Open WebCatalog and choose Installed from the sidebar.
Step 2: Hit Uninstall under the app to remove it.
Step 3: Click Uninstall to confirm.
Save Website as an App Using AppMaker
With Web2Desk, you can install a website as an app. Here’s how:
Step 1: Open the AppMaker webpage on your browser.
Step 2: Add app name, change icon, add email, choose the platform, and click ‘Create Desktop App.’
Tip: You can also remove the AppMaker branding if you subscribe to its premium plan.
Step 3: Wait until the process is finished, and once done, click Download.
Step 4: Locate and unzip the file > open the folder and click the installer.
That’s it! The website will be downloaded as an app and can be accessed like a regular app from the taskbar or desktop.
Note: You can follow the usual way to uninstall an app on Windows.
FAQs on Save Website as an App
Yes. You can easily install the website as an app in Chrome or other popular browsers for free. However, if you use third-party services such as AppMaker, you may have to pay an amount to access some features.
There are mainly two types of websites – static and interactive. Interactive websites are the ones that let users interact with them through comments or other measures (such as the one you are reading in this guide). On the other hand, static websites can only show information and won’t allow users to interact with it other than view the page.
Access Your Favorite Websites as Apps
The option to convert websites into apps on Windows is a great feature to have. Besides, you can add custom icons to these web apps if needed. We hope this guide helped you access your favorite websites with a click. If you have any queries, let us know in the comments below.
