Microsoft Edge browser along with Chrome supports Progressive Web Apps for a long time. You can able to manage installed PWAs and sites installed as Apps by going to the edge://apps page. This page has been updated by Microsoft with a new look behind a flag. The company says they’re bringing an “improved and refreshed experience” for Edge Apps interface to users with the new design.
First look at edge://apps new Interface
Edge://apps new interface for each app, not only provides a launching button to open the app, it offers Details, pinning options for Start, and taskbar by default. It also lets you sort installed Apps by “Recently used”, “Tile”, and “Install Time”. And, in addition to the List view, the page can display installed apps in the Grid view.
To try this, in the dropdown arrow for “View as“, choose Grid.
Details option gives more information for each app such as
- Pin to start
- Pin to taskbar
- create a desktop shortcut
- auto-start on device login
Previously you need to right-click to access these options, now, you need to click on Details.
Along with the above, you’ll be able to manage App’s cookies, tracking information, and see permissions right from this page.
New PWA uninstall Experience in Microsoft Edge
Last but the least, to remove an app, you have to visit
- edge://apps
- Click on Details for which you want to remove, and then click on Uninstall button and click Remove.
This may not be intuitive when compared with the current web app uninstall experience where you have to right-click on App and select Remove.
If you don’t uninstall Web Apps that often in Edge, this may not be an inconvenience to you.
To get the new edge://apps refreshed UI in Microsoft Edge
- Launch Edge Canary 96
- Visit edge://flags
- Find “Refreshed the edge://apps user experience“, in the dropdown, select Enabled, and restart the browser.
We like the Grid View of Apps page. What’s your take on refreshed edge://apps page? Let us know in the comments below.
More on Web Apps in Microsoft Edge:
Microsoft tests Tab Strip for Edge PWAs in Canary
Microsoft Edge to offer an option to disable PWAs Colorful Title bars
Microsoft Edge Chromium adds Jump List Support for PWAs on Windows 10
You can still install and use PWAs in Firefox browser, thanks to this Extension
