Install as a PWA

Map Your Store can be installed as a Progressive Web App (PWA) on almost any device. A PWA is an app-like experience that runs in your browser — no app store required.

What is a PWA?

A Progressive Web App looks and feels like a native app, but it's powered by your web browser. When you install Map Your Store as a PWA, you get:

• A home screen icon, just like a regular app
• A full-screen experience without browser toolbars
• Offline access to cached store data
• Automatic updates in the background (no manual updating needed)

Installing on Chrome (Desktop)

1. Open Map Your Store in Google Chrome on your computer.
2. Look for the install icon in the address bar (it looks like a monitor with a down arrow), or click the three-dot menu in the top right.
3. Select Install Map Your Store (or "Install app").
4. The app will open in its own window and appear in your system's app launcher.

Installing on Chrome (Android)

1. Open Map Your Store in Chrome on your Android device.
2. Tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner.
3. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
4. Confirm the installation.
5. Map Your Store will appear on your home screen as an app icon.

Installing on Safari (iOS)

Safari on iOS doesn't use an "install" button, but you can still add Map Your Store to your home screen:

1. Open Map Your Store in Safari on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the Share button (the square with an arrow pointing up).
3. Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen.
4. Tap Add in the top right corner.
5. Map Your Store now appears on your home screen and launches in full-screen mode.

TIP

On iOS, the PWA must be added through Safari. Other browsers on iOS (Chrome, Firefox) don't support adding PWAs to the home screen.

Installing on Microsoft Edge

1. Open Map Your Store in Microsoft Edge on your computer.
2. Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner.
3. Select Apps > Install Map Your Store (or "Install this site as an app").
4. The app installs and opens in its own window.

Benefits of the PWA

• No app store needed — Install directly from your browser in seconds.
• Automatic updates — The PWA updates itself in the background. You always have the latest version without doing anything.
• Works offline — Store layouts and shopping lists you've viewed are cached locally, so you can access them even without internet. See Offline Mode for details.
• Lightweight — Takes up very little storage space compared to a native app.
• Cross-platform — Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, Android, and iOS.

PWA vs. Native App

The PWA provides most of the same features as the native iOS and Android apps. The main difference is that native apps support ML Kit barcode scanning for faster, more accurate product lookups. The PWA uses a browser-based camera scanner, which works well but may be slightly slower. For everything else — store mapping, shopping lists, route optimization, and offline caching — the experience is the same.