Understanding Web Clips
What is a Web Clip?
A web clip is a shortcut or visual bookmark that provides quick access to a specific web page directly from a device's home screen. Unlike traditional bookmarks, Web Clips appear as icons on the home screen of iOS and iPadOS devices resembling apps. This feature allows users to open web links without launching a browser each time, making it particularly useful for accessing frequently visited sites or web applications.
How do Web Clips Work?
Web clips function by linking directly to a specified URL. When tapped, they open the linked page in the default browser or in full-screen mode if configured. This functionality is not limited to standard URLs; Web Clips can also support various URI schemes, such as mailto:, sms:, or even JavaScript commands like javascript:, but their compatibility depends on the apps and configurations you have enabled on your device fleet. This versatility allows web clips to perform actions beyond merely opening web pages, such as initiating emails or text messages
To enhance user experience, web clips can be customized with specific icons and names. They can also be configured to open in full-screen mode, which hides the browser's UI controls, providing an app-like experience. This is especially useful when deploying Web Clips in environments where browser access needs to be restricted.
Add & Configure the Web Clip Library Item
- Navigate to Library in the left-hand navigation bar.
- Click Add New on the top-right, and choose web clip.
- Click Add & Configure.
- Give the new web clip Library Item a Name.
- Assign to your desired Assignment Maps or Classic Blueprints.
- Enter a user-facing Label for your web clip.
- Enter the URL the web clip should point to.
- Upload an Icon. For best results, use a PNG file that is 144x144 to 400x400 pixels and less than 1MB in size.
- Optionally, allow the web clip to be Removable.
- If desired, force the web clip to open in Full screen.
- To allow a full-screen web clip to navigate to an external website without showing Safari UI, check the Always hide UI controls checkbox.
Considerations
- Web clips require Safari to function. If you're using a Home Screen Layout Library Item, you can either add Safari to your Home Screen Layout, allowing users to access the full browser, or enable the 'Fullscreen' option in each web clip's settings.
- To keep the Safari interface out of sight and ensure users stay focused on the content, select the "Fullscreen" option.
- If using a web clip and need to navigate to other web resources while still keeping browser controls hidden, make sure to check "Always hide UI controls."
- Web clips can only be deployed to iPad devices with a single user.