Progressive Web Apps aim to eventually close the divide between traditional websites and mobile apps by enhancing website access to your phone's features, though they remain relatively scarce. In the interim, you can take control with an app that uses your system WebView to display websites in a full-screen, borderless window, complete with additional features — closely mimicking a native Android app.

There are several advantages to this approach. Firstly, it provides a home screen icon that opens the website with a single tap. Secondly, it eliminates the clunky address bar and browser menu, presenting only the website in full-screen mode. You'll also benefit from navigation gestures, optional ad blocking, and a system-chosen dark mode for Android elements during browsing.

• Don't Miss: Here's Why You Should Be Using Private DNS on Your Phone

Sideload Native Alpha

The app enabling this functionality is fully open-source, developed by cylonid. Currently in its pre-release phase, it's not available on the Play Store, but the developer intends to host it on F-Droid soon. You'll need to sideload the app to use it.

To begin, click the link below from your phone. Once on the page, scroll to the bottom of the first listing, which is the latest release, and expand the "Assets" header. Here, tap the Native Alpha APK link to download the installer file.

• GitHub Link: Native Alpha - Latest Release

Then, swipe down from the top of any screen to access your status bar, and tap the Download complete notification for the APK file. If you encounter an "Install blocked" message, tap the "Settings" button, enable the "Install other apps" permission for your browser, and return. The popup will now display an "Install" button — tap it to complete the installation.

• More Info: How to Sideload Apps on Your Android Phone

Add a Web App

Upon launching Native Alpha for the first time, you'll be prompted to "Add your first Web App." You can also access this feature later by tapping the prominent red button at the bottom of the app's main screen.

Open the website you want to convert into an app using your regular browser. Copy the entire URL from the address bar. Return to Native Alpha and paste the URL into the provided field. The app will automatically download the site's favicon for use as a desktop icon, though you can choose "Select Custom Icon" to use any image you prefer.

Once satisfied, tap "OK," then select "Add automatically" from the popup to place an icon for the website on your home screen. Unfortunately, this icon will only appear on the home screen and not in your app drawer, though you can add it to the dock on most launchers.

Adjust Features for the Web App

After creating the shortcut, reopen Native Alpha to view a list of all your web apps. Tap the gear icon next to an app to customize its behavior.

You can choose to enable or disable Javascript, HTTP, location access, or first- and third-party cookies. You can also activate data-saving features or set the page to refresh automatically. Depending on the website, you might want to enable "Open external links in browser app" or "Request website in desktop version." There's also a built-in ad blocker you can turn on. Once you've made your adjustments, tap "Save."

Use Your Favorite Websites as if They Were Apps

Now, simply tap the icon on your home screen to open the website in a full-frame, borderless window. Navigate back by swiping from right to left with two fingers, or forward by swiping from left to right. Swipe down with two fingers to reload the page.

You'll also notice that any popups or system menus will adapt to your phone's dark mode setting (though the websites themselves may not). If the website supports it, you might be prompted to allow notifications, making it behave almost like a native app in terms of alerts.

Don't Miss: 3 Ways to Delete Facebook Without Root — Even If It Was Preinstalled on Your Phone

Cover image and screenshots by Dallas Thomas/Gadget Hacks

The above is the detailed content of How to Turn Any Website into a Full-Screen Android App with Ad Blocking, Dark Mode & More . For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!