Install web apps with the new HTML install element

The article announces a new `<install>` HTML element, developed by Microsoft Edge and Chrome teams, that allows developers to add a trusted, browser-rendered install button to web pages without requiring JavaScript. This element simplifies web app installation by replacing the previous `beforeinstallprompt` event method, supports installing apps from different origins via the `installurl` attribute, and is available for testing behind a flag or origin trial in Chrome and Edge versions 148-153.

Published: May 12, 2026 Installing web apps has always required JavaScript. When you use the beforeinstallprompt event, the installation flow lives entirely in script. The new <install element changes that: drop a single HTML element into your page and the browser renders a trusted install button for you, with no JavaScript required. The Microsoft Edge team, in collaboration with the Chrome team, implemented the <install element in Chromium. It's now available for you to test behind a flag in Chrome or Edge from version 148, and as an origin trial which you can use in both browsers starting with 148 and ending with 153. Try it, and learn how it compares to the imperative Web Install API navigator.install , which has its own origin trial. The problem Web app installation is fragmented. Every browser has its own set of entry points, for example address-bar icons, menu items, and prompts. Developers have limited control over when and how the install flow is surfaced. Building an app-store-like experience that lets users install other apps from your site is harder, because installation has historically been restricted to the current page. The <install element The new <install HTML element's content and presentation is controlled by the browser. Similar to other permission elements like <geolocation , the browser's control over the button's label text, language, and appearance means it can trust the user's click as a genuine signal of intent. A user who clicks a button labeled "Install Wonderful Application" is unlikely to be surprised when an install prompt appears. Because the browser renders the button, you get a trusted install affordance with minimal code and no need to orchestrate the beforeinstallprompt ceremony in JavaScript. Install the current app If the current page links to a manifest that has an id field, a single element is all you need: <install </install The browser renders the button with standardized text and iconography, and when the user clicks it, the browser's normal installation flow kicks in. Install a different app To install a web app that's on a different origin than the current page, use the installurl attribute to point to the other web app: <install installurl="https://awesome-app.com/" </install If the page at https://awesome-app.com links to a manifest which defines an id field, then that's all you need to do. If no id field exists, use the manifestid attribute to provide a computed manifest id : <install installurl="https://awesome-app.com/" manifestid="https://awesome-app.com/?source=pwa" </install To get the computed manifest id : - Open DevTools. - Go to the Application tab. - Under the Identity section, copy the Computed App ID value. Using the <install button to install other origin apps means you can build a catalog page that lets users install multiple apps, each with its own <install button. Provide fallback content If the browser doesn't support the <install element, whatever HTML you put inside the element is displayed: <install installurl="https://awesome-app.com/" <a href="https://awesome-app.com/" Launch Awesome App</a </install Detect support If the fallback content isn't enough for your use case and you prefer to implement a different user experience on browsers that don't support the <install element, use JavaScript to detect support: if 'HTMLInstallElement' in window { // The <install element is supported. } Handle events The <install element fires events you can listen to for success, dismissal, and validation errors: const button = document.querySelector 'install' ; button.addEventListener 'promptaction', = { console.log 'Installation succeeded' ; } ; button.addEventListener 'promptdismiss', = { console.log 'User dismissed the install prompt' ; } ; button.addEventListener 'validationstatuschanged', e = { if e.target.invalidReason === 'install data invalid' { console.error 'Invalid install data:', e.target.invalidReason ; } } ; Try it today To try the <install element today, you have two options: - Test the element locally on your device only. - Test the element in real conditions, with your users, by registering for the origin trial. Test locally To test the element on your own device today: - Use Chrome or Edge version 148 or later. - Go to about://flags/ web-app-install-element in a new tab. - Set Web App Install Element to Enabled. - Restart the browser. Test on your live site using the origin trial The origin trial lets real users on your production site use the feature without having to enable the flag first. - Open the <install element origin trial registration page. - Sign in. - Click Register. - Enter your site's origin, and fill the rest of the form. - Once the form is submitted, you get a token string. - Add the token to your site's pages by using a <meta tag: <meta http-equiv="origin-trial" content="YOUR TOKEN HERE" Alternatively, you can send the token as an HTTP response header instead: Origin-Trial: YOUR TOKEN HERE The origin trial is available for both Chrome and Edge in versions 148 through 153, and the same token will work in both browsers. To learn more about origin trials, see: - Get started with origin trials, for Chrome. - Test experimental APIs and features by using origin trials, for Edge. See it in action Check out the <install Element Store demo, a PWA catalog that uses the <install element to let you install several sample apps. Comparison to the Web Install API The <install element isn't the only way we're experimenting with how to improve app installations on the web. Previously, we experimented with the Web Install API navigator.install , which is an imperative JavaScript API that also lets your site trigger installation of same-origin or cross-origin web apps. To learn more, see The Web Install API is ready for testing. The Web Install API also has its own origin trial. Here's how the two approaches compare: Let us know what you think We're actively seeking feedback on both approaches. Depending on your needs, we could add support for the <install element, or the navigator.install API, or both. To share feedback about the <install element, open an issue on the WICG repo dedicated to this proposal. To share feedback about the navigator.install API, add a comment to the Developer Feedback: navigator.install versus <install element issue.