Device and installation manual · adults 18+
Add an AI companion to your home screen safely
A home-screen web app can provide a convenient icon without a traditional store installation. It may launch in a standalone window, reuse browser data or support web notifications, depending on the site, browser and operating system. This guide shows how to identify that behavior and remove the shortcut without confusing local removal with account deletion.
Reviewed and updated
| Home-screen question | iPhone/iPad check | Android check | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| How was it added? | Safari Share > Add to Home Screen | Browser menu or install prompt | Identifies source browser |
| Does it launch standalone? | Observe address controls | Observe app/window and App info | Presentation, not privacy proof |
| Where are permissions? | Safari/site and system settings | App info or browser site settings | Depends on implementation |
| Can it notify? | Test current web-push support | Review site/app notification entry | Support varies |
| What does removal do? | Removes icon/local web app state | Uninstall/remove shortcut behavior varies | Not account closure |
Run this device check in order
- 01
Verify the exact official page before saving it.
- 02
Use the supported browser’s Add or Install command.
- 03
Name the icon without revealing content on a shared screen.
- 04
Launch it and confirm the destination and signed-in account.
- 05
Review notification and media permissions from both OS and browser.
- 06
Test offline or background behavior only if you need it.
- 07
Remove the icon, then separately inspect site data and account controls.
A PWA is still a website relationship
Progressive web app describes web capabilities, not a universal privacy or feature standard. The saved experience can use a service worker, local storage, a web manifest and standalone display, but each site implements a different subset. An icon that fills the screen is not proof of native code, offline support or independent storage.
Record the source URL and browser used to add it. If a random page asks you to install a profile or external package, that is not the normal Add to Home Screen flow. Stop and return to verified official instructions.
iPhone and iPad installation path
On supported iOS versions, Safari can expose Add to Home Screen through the Share menu. The exact menu arrangement can change. Save only after checking the domain. Choose an icon label that will not reveal adult context to someone viewing the home screen, if that is a concern.
After launch, test sign-in, text interaction and one harmless notification if the current site and iOS release support it. Permissions may be represented under Safari, website settings or the saved web app. Search Settings when the expected entry is absent.
Android installation and shortcuts
Chrome and other Android browsers may offer Install app or Add to Home screen. One path can create an installed PWA entry; another can create a shortcut. Open App info and browser site settings to see what the device created. Manufacturer launchers can present both as similar icons.
Do not infer that Play Protect, store review or native-app permissions apply identically to a web install. The verified domain remains the primary identity. Review storage, notifications and battery from the surfaces actually shown by the device.
Updates, offline behavior and stale sessions
A web app can update when it reconnects, but cached assets or service workers can temporarily present an older interface. If controls look stale, close all instances, verify connectivity and revisit the official URL in the source browser. Avoid clearing all data until you note the account and understand the sign-in path.
Offline launch does not mean private offline processing. A shell can open while chat or media actions still require a network. Test airplane-mode behavior only with non-sensitive content and describe exactly what remained available.
Notification and icon privacy
A discrete icon can still appear in search suggestions, recent apps, screen-time reports and notification settings. Web notifications can reveal site names or message content. Configure lock-screen previews before opting in, then test the saved experience while locked.
On shared devices, consider whether convenience is worth a persistent launcher. Browser bookmarks or manually entered addresses can reduce home-screen visibility, though browser history and synchronization remain separate concerns.
Removal is not deletion
Removing a shortcut or uninstalling a PWA removes the launcher and some local state according to the platform. Cookies or website data may remain in the source browser, and the provider account remains unless its own controls say otherwise. Check browser site data, saved passwords, downloads and notifications separately.
If you intend to close an account, use the current provider interface or documented request route and preserve confirmation. Do not promise a particular deletion outcome from device cleanup alone.
Field note: test the launcher as its own device surface
After adding the verified page, compare three launches: the source browser tab, the new home-screen icon and a launch after the device restarts. Record whether each route opens the same domain, account and current interface. Then inspect recent-app cards, system search suggestions, screen-time or digital-wellbeing listings and notification settings. These surfaces can display the icon or site name even when the launcher itself uses a discreet label. The result helps you decide whether home-screen convenience fits a shared-device threat model.
If you later remove the icon, check the source browser separately. Visit its site-data panel, saved-password entry, download list and notification permissions. On Android, inspect whether an installed web-app entry remains in App info; on iOS, inspect the relevant website or Safari data controls available on that release. Reopen the official URL only if you need to verify the local state. Do not repeatedly add and remove the launcher as a substitute for account troubleshooting, because that can hide the real difference between a stale web cache, an expired session and a provider-side interface change.
Evidence boundary
What product documentation and the current interface can confirm
Use the provider’s official pages and the version open on your device. Record only what is stated or visible now. A screen can confirm that a control is presented to this account; it cannot prove behavior for every region, plan, operating system or future release.
- The verified URL saved to the home screen
- Whether the device created a shortcut or installed web app
- Current notification and permission entries
- Online versus offline behavior observed on this version
- What local state remains after removing the icon
Version caveat: PWA installation, web push, offline caching and removal behavior change across browser and OS versions. The current service may not implement every PWA capability.
Device questions
Frequently asked questions
Is a PWA the same as an App Store or Play Store app?
No. It is delivered through the web, even when it has an icon and standalone window.
Will a home-screen app work offline?
Only to the extent the site implements and caches offline behavior. Test the exact action; chat and media commonly require a connection.
Does removing the icon cancel my account?
No. Treat launcher removal, browser data and provider account controls as separate tasks.
Optional next step
Apply the device checks to a current product surface
Only continue after you know which access method, permissions and notification settings you will accept. These links are sponsored; verify the current official interface and terms yourself.
Candy AIOpen the current product surface after completing the device preflight.Check current access →
OurDream AICompare the current app or web route on the device you intend to use.Check current access →
Joi AIInspect the available interface without assuming store and web parity.Check current access →
Darlink AIUse the guide first, then verify the exact media and permission flow shown.Check current access →Open the full product access directory
These are access links, not feature endorsements. Complete the compatibility checklist and verify the current product screen before granting permissions.
