Our recommendation
For most people, Safari's built-in Add to Home Screen is enough: since iOS 26 it opens sites as full-screen web apps by default, with no extra install, and Guided Access can lock the device to one of them. ByteViewer is for people who want per-site settings, such as kiosk mode, Face ID lock, rotation lock or desktop mode, or a widget and Shortcuts for their sites, and are comfortable sideloading an early build.
We make ByteViewer. iOS behaviour is as documented by Apple and WebKit for iOS 26, checked on the date above.
At a glance
| ByteViewer | Safari web apps | |
|---|---|---|
| Install | Sideload an IPA (for example with ByteLoader) | Built in |
| Status | Early build, not yet tested on a physical device by its author | Part of iOS |
| Full screen | Yes | Yes, as a web app |
| Kiosk | Per-site kiosk mode; pair with Guided Access to block the Home gesture | No kiosk setting of its own; Guided Access can lock the device to the web app |
| Face ID or passcode lock | Yes, per site | No per-site Face ID setting |
| Rotation lock and desktop mode | Yes, per site | Not per site |
| Widget and Shortcuts | Widget with up to eight sites, if the signing tool keeps the App Group; Shortcuts action | Home Screen icon |
| Engine | WebKit (WKWebView) | WebKit |
| Cost | Free | Free |
Choose ByteViewer if…
- You want per-site kiosk settings and will pair them with Guided Access.
- Some sites should open only after Face ID.
- You want per-site rotation lock, desktop mode or keep-awake.
- You want a widget or Shortcuts to launch sites.
Choose Safari web apps if…
- You just want a site on your Home Screen without browser bars.
- You do not want to sideload anything.
- You need a managed business kiosk; an App Store kiosk browser fits better.
- The site is a proper web app with its own icon and offline support.
What changed in iOS 26
In iOS and iPadOS 26, every site added to the Home Screen opens as a web app by default, full screen and separate from Safari, with a setting to keep the old bookmark behaviour. Guided Access, built into iOS, can restrict the device to a single app, web apps included.
What ByteViewer adds
Per-site settings that Safari's option does not include: kiosk mode, Face ID or passcode lock, private mode, rotation lock, desktop site, keep-awake and plain http. Plus a widget for up to eight sites and a Shortcuts action. It is a native SwiftUI app under a megabyte with its source on GitHub, and an early build that its author has not yet tested on a physical device.
Questions
Why is ByteViewer not on the App Store?
Apple's guideline 4.2 can reject apps that are mainly a website wrapper, so it ships as an IPA on GitHub.
Is ByteViewer safe?
Its full source is public, releases are built from tagged commits by GitHub Actions, and it collects no data. It is an early build that has not yet been tested on a physical device by its author.
Can Safari web apps run as a kiosk?
Yes, with Guided Access, which restricts the device to one app and can turn off parts of the screen and the hardware buttons.
Sources
The vendor pages behind the facts on this page, checked on the date above.