This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Add a deep link shortcut to my Android home screen when "Add to home screen" menu item is missing

  • 1 reply
  • 2 have this problem
  • 35 views
  • Last reply by Paul

Jonathan
Jonathan
more options

I want to add a shortcut to my Android home screen which deep links to a page within a site I use. However, the "Add to home screen" menu item I'm accustomed to using for this is missing.

It turns out that if the website in question is configured to be used as a "progressive web app", then "Add to home screen" is replaced by an "Install" menu item. For my situation, this is unhelpful, because the resulting home screen icon only links to the website's home page, not to the carefully selected URL that I want to deep link to.

SOLUTION

This can be worked around by turning on airplane mode first, then visiting the desired URL. The page, obviously, will not be found, but this causes the "Add to home screen" item to be reinstated. Use it, then turn off airplane mode again. Voilà!

I want to add a shortcut to my Android home screen which deep links to a page within a site I use. However, the "Add to home screen" menu item I'm accustomed to using for this is missing. It turns out that if the website in question is configured to be used as a "progressive web app", then "Add to home screen" is replaced by an "Install" menu item. For my situation, this is unhelpful, because the resulting home screen icon only links to the website's home page, not to the carefully selected URL that I want to deep link to. SOLUTION This can be worked around by turning on airplane mode first, then visiting the desired URL. The page, obviously, will not be found, but this causes the "Add to home screen" item to be reinstated. Use it, then turn off airplane mode again. Voilà!

Modified by Jonathan

All Replies (1)

Paul
Paul
  • Top 25 Contributor
  • Moderator
more options

Hi

Yes, the page will be added as a Progressive Web App if you are online and that page is designed to be displayed in that way. If you try to do the same while offline, the site will be added as a shortcut.