New enhancements! How many times did you want to add Microsoft365 online websites to your Start Menu, Taskbar, or shortcut to the Taskbar? The Progressive Web Application has made this possible.
Microsoft has rolled out the Progressive Web Application (PWA) for OneDrive, Outlook, and Office Online products. This article describes what PWA is and provides installation details for Edge and Google Chrome browsers. You can also watch the short video.
What is Progressive Web Application (PWA)?
In simple terms, Progressive Web Application turns online websites like office.com, outlook.com, and onedrive.com to look and feel like installed desktop applications. In addition, when your PC is turned on, these online websites launch in a window just like a desktop app.
Lastly, the PWA technology removes the browser bar from the application, as shown in the picture below.
How to Install Progress Web Application on Edge Browser?
- Open and sign-in into the online application
- From the browser bar, hover over the install Microsoft App icon.
- Click on Install.
- The App installed dialog box appears. Add a checkmark by:
- Pin to Taskbar
- Pin to Start
- Create Desktop Shortcut
- Auto-start on device login.
- Press Allow
How to Install Progress Web Application on Google Chrome Browser?
- Open and sign-in into the online application
- From the browser bar, hover over the Install App icon then press Install.
Tips
Tip #1:
Forgot to launch Microsoft’s online websites from your Start menu, Taskbar, or shortcut icon on your Desktop? You can click on the PWA icon from the browser.
Tip #2
While in the PWA view, toggle between the Browser Menus – what’s left of it by pressing (F11). The red box on the image below shows PWA browser menu.
The 4E Takeaway
Microsoft keeps improving the user’s experience with great features like Progressive Web Application. I no longer have to add hyperlinks to my browser favorites.
The only watch out is the PWA and Windows application icons are exact. I hoped that Microsoft reconsiders and changes the icons. Personally, this behavior is another sign that Windows will be phased out by 2025.
Kudos to Microsoft!