Skip to content

How to Add to Home Screen Shortcut with Chrome Android

Learn how to add a home screen shortcut links from Google Chrome on Android. These shortcut link work exactly the same as we have on the desktop shortcuts.

Chrome for Android offers the option to save the site link as a shortcut to the Android home screen. The option is available under the Menu list, allowing you to manually add the shortcut on the home screen and select the location. It also installs the app as Progressive Web Page that looks like a native app but in lite mode.

Create Shortcut Link on Chrome browser

If you frequently visit a website or a blog on your Chrome browser, then it’s a good idea to make a shortcut link of the same on the home screen. This will eliminate a few steps and also make life easier.

These shortcuts will be visible on the Android phone’s home screen.

A few shortcuts are added to the phone app drawer as a native lightweight app. It works as a standalone app with Chrome in the backend. This technology is called Progressive Web App (PWA).

I sometimes use the PWA app for Twitter and Instagram. I do not like heavy mobile apps that eat up my storage space and consume processing memory.

The PWA apps are the best way to keep the phone efficient and eliminate background data usage. Hence, it stops your phone from lagging at any cost.

Add to Home Screen

The shortcut links can be added to the home screen using a Chrome browser from an Android. These shortcuts help relaunch a website or a PWA app on the browser. Here are the steps to do so:

  1. Launch the Chrome app for Android.
  2. Open the Website that you need to create the shortcut link.
  3. Tap on the Morevertical 3dots icon menu options.
  4. Select the Add to Home Screen option from the list.
    Add to Home screen Chrome Android
  5. Tap on the Add command.
  6. Here you can touch and hold to place manually OR
  7. Select Add Automatically command.
    Add to Home screen automatically Chrome Android
  8. The Shortcut link will be created on the Home screen of your Android phone.
    Touch and hold to place manually Chrome shortcut

If you completely exit or close the Chrome browser and then tap on the shortcut link, it will automatically launch the website on your browser.

Video Demo

Video demo of how to create and add a home page shortcut to Google Chrome for Android.

How to Add to Home Screen Shortcut Links with Chrome Android?

Bottom Line

If a particular website offers PWA for mobile, then a native lightweight app is installed. Else, a shortcut link will be created automatically or manually on the selected location on the Android phone home screen.

After knowing how to add shortcuts on the home screen, I could quickly delete most apps that took much of my storage space and create a shortcut for them instead.

Similarly, you can also create a desktop shortcut link on the Chrome computer. The PWA apps on the desktop are installed as Chrome web apps.

Do you feel this feature to add the site shortcut is useful? What is one of the most used shortcut links on your Android home screen?

Lastly, if you've any thoughts or feedback on How to Add to Home Screen Shortcut with Chrome Android, then feel free to drop in below comment box. You can also report the outdated information.

Please share the article if you find it helpful:

Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive compensation for your purchases using our links; of course at no extra cost to you (indeed, you may get special discounts).
nv-author-image

Kushal Azza

Kushal is a Bachelor of Engineering, a Certified Google IT Support Professional, and a Digital-Tech Geek. He has over a decade of experience solving tech problems, troubleshooting, and creating digital solutions. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

4 thoughts on “How to Add to Home Screen Shortcut with Chrome Android”

    1. Hello Alex, I can see the option is available. You need to first open any webpage or site that you need to add to Home Screen. The option will be hidden when you try to access on Chrome browser’s Start Page or New Tab page.

      1. I don’t get it. Instructions in article; “Launch Chrome…3 dots… click add to…”
        Then ” The action will…hidden…from Chrone’s browzer’s….”

        I used this function often, then it disappeared. I’ve since had MANY phones and looked high and low on each one for the option- zero luck. I’ve also tried any settings solutions that seemed feasible, to no avail. If I read “Restart your phone” or clear your cache one more time for a fix I think my head’ll explode. At least no one has recommended removing your battery for 15 minutes…. SSHEEESH!
        At this point, I’d be content just to know why Chrome or Google, or whomever (God?!?) removed my beloved “Add to homepage” option.
        Rant over.

Share us your thoughts and feedback

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *