Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to what store owners ask most about Progressive Web App for WordPress. Longer walkthroughs live in Tutorials, and the per-field detail is in Configuration.
Do I need HTTPS?
Yes, and there is no way round it. Service workers and web push only run in a secure context, so on plain HTTP nobody can install the app and nobody can subscribe. The Status tab checks this first and the plugin warns on every one of its own screens. Localhost counts as secure for development only.
Do I have to pay for Firebase?
No. Firebase Cloud Messaging is free at the volume a WordPress site sends, and you only need a project, a web app registered inside it, and the four values the Push Setup tab asks for. There is no card to add.
Does this work on iPhone and iPad?
Yes, with one extra step. The visitor has to add the app to the home screen from the Safari share sheet first, and push then works from the installed app. Push does not work in a Safari tab. The install banner shows those steps automatically on iOS instead of an install button.
Why does my install button never appear?
It stays hidden until the browser is ready to install, so it never renders as a control that does nothing. The browser needs the manifest, an icon and the service worker, and it will not offer to install an app that is already installed. Firefox on desktop and Safari on a Mac never install at all.
What happens when a visitor is offline?
A page they have already opened is served from the cache and looks exactly as it did online. The service worker takes control on the second page view, not the first, so a brand new visitor is not covered yet. Cart, checkout and account pages are never cached, because those are different for every visitor.
Can I put my app in the Play Store?
Yes, on the Pro version. The App Package tab checks what a store rejects, hands you a packaging file for PWABuilder or Bubblewrap, and serves the asset links file Android checks so the published app opens with no browser bar. The signing key stays yours throughout.
What does the plugin store about my visitors?
A device identifier generated in the browser, the platform and browser, whether the device subscribed, whether it installed the app, and the WordPress account signed in on it if there is one. No name, no email and no IP address. Analytics tracking stores counts only and has its own switch.
Why did my notification not arrive?
Check the Delivery Log row for that send. An audience of zero means nobody has subscribed yet, which is a success rather than a failure. A Failed row carries the reason on hover, and the usual one is a service account JSON from a different Firebase project, which the Status tab catches before you ever send.
Will this conflict with my caching plugin?
Not usually. The service worker caches whole pages in the visitor's browser, which is a layer above anything a server-side cache does, and the WordPress admin, the login screen and the REST API are excluded outright. If you suspect a conflict, the offline switch unregisters the worker from visitors who already have it.
What does the free version include?
A complete progressive web app. Install on Android, desktop and iOS, the manifest and icons, offline browsing with a fallback page, push notifications you send by hand, the install banner and the permission prompt with all their colours, the new-post automation, the welcome notification, two shortcodes, the setup wizard, the dashboard and the status checks. Segments, scheduling, store automations, app shortcuts, the app experience layer, Play Store packaging and click reporting are Pro.