YouTube PWA for Windows 10, Everything we know

YouTube Progressive Web App for Windows 10

We watch YouTube in a web browser on desktop machines, but now YouTube progressive web app (PWA) is launched for Windows 10.

Things you need to know:

  • YouTube app can be activated/installed directly from the browser address bar.
  • In Chrome, this app is a hybrid of browser app/extension and Windows app.
  • Once installed/activated, YouTube app icon appears on the desktop and taskbar.
  • Video download support is not available so far.
  • YouTube PWA is slower than in-browser experience.
  • Removing YouTube app is not seamless yet.

Watching YouTube videos on desktop brings more fun on bigger screen as compared to mobile phones. But about 90% users use the traditional in-browser way to access YouTube because Windows 10 has not got as sophisticated YouTube app as on mobile (Android and iOS) devices.

YouTube has released a feature that enables us to access YouTube as a progressive web app (PWA). We have tested it on Chrome browser, but it is available for Microsoft Edge browser as well (of course)!

Here is a tour to YouTube PWA for Windows 10. Let’s have a look!

How to install?

Open YouTube.com in Chrome browser and you will see a plus icon in address bar. Alternatively, installation option is also available in more button menu.

YouTube PWA for Windows Edge and Chrome
How to install YouTube on Windows 10

Click the icon and app installation confirmation popup will appear. Press the Install button to continue.

Press the install button in browser popup

YouTube app interface

The app interface is similar to the web version. However, it is a bit optimized and isolated from the web browser for maximum focus.

Here is how it looks.

Preview of YouTube Progressive Web App PWA interface
YouTube PWA interface

Video playback interface is almost same. But unlike mobile version of YouTube app the download button is still not available in desktop version.

NO Download option in YouTube PWA for Windows 10
Video playback without download button

The YouTube app icon appears on desktop as well as on taskbar and start menu.

YouTube PWA icon on taskbar and desktop
app icon on taskbar and desktop

Once the app is installed, next time when you open YouTube in a browser the arrow icon appears in the address bar (instead of plus icon). You can press that arrow icon to open the same YouTube video in the app.

Open YouTube in app option in Chrome
arrow icon in place of plus icon
Open YouTube with YouTube app
Open same YouTube page in the app

How to uninstall YouTube app?

Installation was easier, however, at the time of testing, the uninstall options do not work seamlessly.

Uninstall YouTube PWA from Windows 10
Uninstall option does not work

Maybe YouTube will fix the uninstallation issue in the future but here is a simple way to remove YouTube app from Chrome and Windows 10.

Open Chrome browser and type the following command in the address bar:

chrome://apps

and press Enter key.

Now right-click on the YouTube app icon and select Remove from Chrome option from the menu.

Remove YouTube PWA from Chrome
Remove YouTube app from Chrome

Select Remove button in the popup to confirm.

Remove YouTube app confirmation
Removal confirmation popup in Chrome

The app has successfully removed.

Final thoughts

YouTube app for desktop could be really helpful if it has download video option as well as other useful features just like mobile app version. It will considerably replace the video downloader programs for Windows, which YouTube does not favor. But this app is just in startup phase. Let’s see what features it brings in future.

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