Microsoft Edge is throwing its weight behind web apps

Microsoft is looking into a method of making it easier to install progressive web apps (PWAs) across multiple devices using its browser.

The company is testing a way of using Microsoft Edge to simplify the process of installing PWAs on seperate devices. The move will mean that once you have installed a PWA on one device, you will then see an option to install it on other devices with a single click.

The addition could be great news for businesses looking to install and allow employees run workplace apps across multiple devices, for example a business laptop used for remote working, or a mobile or tablet device when on the move.

Microsoft Edge PWAs

The new feature, spotted by Leo Varela and shared to Reddit, will live within the Apps menu on Microsoft Edge.

PWAs, which are essentially web pages that behave and offer much of the same functionality as native apps, can not only dynamically shift to fit mobile or desktop screens, but are also a lot lighter, faster, and have a lower impact on battery life.

Once a PWA has been installed on one device, Varela noted, it will now appear in a list of available apps for other devices when you are connected to the internet on Microsoft Edge. These apps can be installed on the new device with just a click, greatly streamlining the setup process.

The feature appears to be available to Edge Canary users for now, meaning a wider rollout could be on the cards for sometime in the next few weeks.

The news follows a similar move by the great rival to Microsoft Edge, as Google Chrome announced it would be working on a new file handling API that will enable Chrome PWAs to work with files in the host operating system's file system like a native app in May 2021.

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Via Windows Central