Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) Browser Support

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) have reshaped how we build and use web applications—offering native app-like experiences, offline support, push notifications, and the ability to install web apps directly to your home screen. But how well are they supported across different browsers? Let’s break it down.

What Browsers Support PWA Apps Exactly?

For a browser to fully support PWAs, it must include:

Service Workers – Enables offline use and caching.
Web App Manifest – Allows the app to be installable.
HTTPS – Required for security and background functionality.
Install Prompt Support – For native installation without relying on user workarounds.

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What Comes with Your Liteit.app PWA?

When you create a Progressive Web App (PWA) using Liteit.app, you're not just wrapping your website — you're getting a full, installable app experience powered by modern web standards. Here's what's included:

✔️ Service Worker (SW) – for caching, offline access, and performance boosts
✔️ Web App Manifest – complete with your app name, icon, colors, and start URL
✔️ Offline Fallback Page – keeps users engaged even when their connection drops
✔️ Install Prompt UI – lets users install your app on desktop and mobile
✔️ HTTPS-Ready Setup – ensures your app is secure and installable

Beyond the essentials, Liteit.app also gives you access to a huge range of powerful features:

📲 Push Notifications (with full control)
🎨 App customization (icon, layout, color theme, fonts)
📈 Real-time install tracking and usage analytics
🔧 Easy integration into any website with no coding needed
🧩 Add-ons like rating widgets, subscription forms, and app banners

Everything is managed through a simple dashboard — no complex setup, no dev team required.

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Browser-by-Browser Support Overview

✅ Fully Supported Browsers

Google Chrome (Desktop & Android)
Full support for all PWA features, including install prompts, push notifications, background sync, and offline access.
Microsoft Edge (Chromium)
Identical to Chrome in PWA support; allows installation and integrates well with Windows.
Opera
Based on Chromium, offers complete support for PWAs.
Samsung Internet
Full support on Android with installation and offline features.
Brave
Full PWA compatibility thanks to its Chromium base.
Vivaldi
Supports all core PWA features; apps can be installed and run like native apps.

⚠️ Partially Supported Browsers

Apple Safari (iOS & macOS)
Limited installation support; users can "Add to Home Screen" manually.
Lacks push notifications on iOS (though recently added on macOS).
Background sync and install prompts are restricted.
Mozilla Firefox
Supports service workers and caching, but lacks native PWA installation on desktop.
No support for install prompts or push notifications on desktop.
Floorp (Firefox-Based)
Inherits Firefox's limitations: PWA functionality exists but no native install UI.

❌ Not Supported

DuckDuckGo Browser
Currently does not support PWAs at all.
No service worker execution, manifest handling, or install prompts.
As a privacy-first browser, many modern web APIs—including PWA-related features—are blocked or disabled.

PWA Support Across Browsers & Devices & Os Compared

Browser~ Chrome~ Edge~ Brave~ Vivaldi~ Yandex~ Safari~ Opera~ Aloha~ DuckDuckGo~ Firefox~ Zen~ Mullvad~ Arc~ Floorp PWA Support~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes[From macOS 14 Sonoma, and from iOS 11.3]~ No~ Yes~ No~ No~ No~ No~ No~ No Desktop Support~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes[From macOS 14 Sonoma]~ No~ Yes~ No~ No~ No~ No~ No~ No Mobile Support~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes [From iOS 11.3]~ Yes[Add To Screen UI]~ No~ No~ No~ No~ No~ No~ No macOS Support~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes [From macOS 14 Sonoma]~ No~ -~ No~ No~ No~ No~ No~ No iOS Support~ No~ No~ No~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes [From iOS 11.3]~ Yes~ -~ No~ No~ Yes~ No~ No~ No Install UI & API~ Native~ Custom[Native on mobile, but custom on desktop.]~ Native~ Native~ Custom~ Yes [Add To Screen UI]~ No~ Native~ No~ No~ No~ No~ No~ No Push Notifications~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes[Requires PWA App be installed]~ No~ Yes~ No~ No~ No~ Yes~ No~ Yes Linux Support~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ Yes~ -~ No~ -~ No~ No~ No~ No~ No~ No Software Base~ Chromium~ Chromium~ Chromium~ Chromium~ Chromium~ Own engine~ Chromium~ Chromium~ Chromium~ Own engine~ Firefox-based~ Firefox-based~ Chromium~ Firefox-based

Note: The information in this comparison table is based on our hands-on testing using the latest official versions of each browser at the time of publication. Browser support and features may change at any time with future updates, so we recommend checking with each browser's documentation for the most current details.

Disagree with any of the information in this article? Spot something that needs an update?
We'd love to hear from you — email us at blogliteit.app.

Conclusion

If you're building or using PWAs, Chromium-based browsers like Chrome, Edge, Opera, Brave, and Samsung Internet offer the most complete experience. Firefox and Safari can run PWAs to an extent, but lack important features like push notifications and installation UI—especially on desktop.

Meanwhile, DuckDuckGo is not currently a viable option for PWAs, as it disables many of the underlying technologies. If your audience includes users of privacy browsers, make sure to offer fallback experiences or recommend alternate browsers for full functionality.

PWA and Push Notification Support: Browser Comparison

Here’s a breakdown of how major browsers support Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), including platform compatibility, push notifications, installation UI, and more.

Chrome

Chrome offers full support for PWAs across all platforms including desktop, mobile, macOS, Linux, and iOS. It features native install UI and supports push notifications. Chrome is based on the Chromium engine.

Edge

Microsoft Edge provides complete PWA support similar to Chrome. It supports all major platforms, offers native install UI, and supports push notifications. Edge is also Chromium-based.

Brave

Brave supports PWAs across desktop, mobile, macOS, and Linux. It includes a native install UI and supports push notifications. Like Chrome, it runs on Chromium.

Vivaldi

Vivaldi supports PWAs on all major platforms except iOS. It includes native installation UI and supports push notifications. It's Chromium-based.

Yandex

Yandex browser supports PWAs and push notifications across platforms except iOS. It uses a custom install UI and is built on Chromium.

Safari

Safari supports PWAs and push notifications, but only from certain versions:

macOS support begins from version 14 (Sonoma).
iOS support starts from version 11.3.

Safari includes “Add to Home Screen” UI instead of a full native install prompt. It uses Apple’s own engine.

Opera

Opera provides partial support for PWAs on mobile but lacks desktop PWA functionality. Push notifications are supported. Opera is based on Chromium.

DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo browser does not support PWA installation or push notifications. It is Chromium-based.

Firefox

Firefox offers partial support for PWAs with some limitations: it lacks a native install UI, but service workers and offline caching work. Push notifications are not supported. Firefox uses its own Gecko engine.

Zen Browser

Zen browser does not currently support PWA installation or push notifications. It is based on Firefox.

Mullvad

Mullvad browser does not support PWAs or push notifications. It is Firefox-based and focuses heavily on privacy and anonymity.

Arc

Arc browser offers partial PWA support but lacks push notification functionality. It runs on Chromium.

Floorp

Floorp is Firefox-based and currently does not support PWA installation or push notifications.

What Browsers Support PWA Apps Exactly In 2025 ?