Web app manifest: the minimal one that works

The web app manifest is a JSON file that tells the browser how your site should behave when it is installed as an app. It declares the app’s identity (name, icons, id), its installation boundary (scope), how it renders once launched (display), and OS integration points such as shortcuts and share_target.

A minimal manifest

{
  "name": "Weather Reports",
  "short_name": "Weather",
  "start_url": "/",
  "display": "standalone",
  "icons": [
    { "src": "/icon-192.png", "sizes": "192x192", "type": "image/png" },
    { "src": "/icon-512.png", "sizes": "512x512", "type": "image/png" }
  ]
}

Link it from every page you want installable:

<link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.webmanifest" />

The specification defines the manifest as an application manifest linked with rel="manifest"; every member below is optional in the format itself. What a given browser requires before it will offer installation is a separate, browser-specific question — see Install prompt rather than assuming the spec settles it.

Which members to reach for first

• Identity — name and short_name label the install prompt and the home-screen icon; id pins the app’s identity so a changed URL does not create a second install.
• Entry and boundary — start_url is what launches; scope fences which URLs stay inside the app window.
• Appearance — display (with display_override) chooses the window shape; icons and theme_color/background_color supply the home screen and splash.

Where it commonly goes wrong

• A start_url outside scope — the app launches, then immediately leaves its own window.
• Serving the manifest with the wrong content type, or from a path the page cannot reach.
• Changing start_url without setting id, which some browsers treat as a different app.
• Assuming a member is honoured everywhere; support varies per member and per platform.

Each linked page below carries its own browser-support table and cited sources.

Every member in this section

Manifest scopeThe fenced boundary of your installed app — in-scope vs out-of-scope, share_target, shortcuts, and start_url.

start_urlThe entry-point URL your PWA loads on launch — scope constraints, UTM tracking, and deep-link handling.

idThe stable identity of an installed PWA, independent of start_url.

name and short_nameThe full and abbreviated label for install prompts, home-screen icons, app switchers, and OS launchers.

Display modesstandalone, fullscreen, minimal-ui, browser — the fallback chain and display_override.

display_overrideAn explicit ordered fallback list that takes precedence over display.

Icons and maskable iconsThe icon array for home screens, splash screens, and taskbars — including maskable icons for Android shaped icons.

theme_color and background_colorTint the browser chrome and splash screen to match your brand — dark mode, meta tag interaction, and platform notes.

ScreenshotsPromotional images for richer install dialogs — scrollable carousel and form_factor guidance.

ShortcutsQuick-action jump-list entries in the OS long-press and right-click context menu.

share_targetRegister your PWA in the OS native share sheet to receive shared URLs, text, and files from other apps.

file_handlersRegister the PWA as a handler for file types the OS can open with it.

handle_linksWhether in-scope links open in the installed app or the browser.

launch_handlerWhether a launch reuses an existing window or opens a new one.

Localizationlang, dir, and translations for a manifest that adapts to the user's locale.

related_applicationsPoint at native counterparts, and prefer_related_applications to favour them.

edge_side_panelOpt a PWA into Edge's side panel surface.

widgetsThe experimental widgets member for OS widget surfaces.

scope_extensionsExtend a PWA's scope across origins with the experimental scope_extensions member and its web-app-origin-association handshake.

Tabbed application modeThe experimental tabbed display_override value and the tab_strip member's home_tab and new_tab_button.

categoriesStore-style category hints; metadata for catalogues, never rendered by the browser.

descriptionOptional app-store text shown by richer install UI and store listings.

orientationRequest a default screen orientation for the installed app window.

protocol_handlersRegister the installed app as a handler for custom URL schemes.

Manifest updatesHow installed PWAs pick up changes to the manifest, and which members never update in place.

Where to go next

• Install prompt — what browsers require before offering installation.
• Service Worker — the other half of an installable, offline-capable app.

← Back to the Reference overview.