Prevent PWA install prompt chrome 76 on desktop?

Question

Chrome 76 has introduced a button in the omnibox to "Install App" if the PWA criteria is met.

Is there a way to prevent this button from appearing in the omnibox for chrome desktop?

Answer 1

Supposing you want to prevent the default so as to show a customized install banner, read here.

However, this script would totally prevent the install banner!

window.addEventListener('beforeinstallprompt', (e) => {
    // Prevent Chrome 67 and earlier from automatically showing the prompt
    e.preventDefault();
});

Answer 2

For making your PWA installable only on mobile and not on desktop you can choose one of the following methods:

1. Redirect to a subdomain or another domain that does not have a manifest file

2. If you are using Server-Side-Rendering, remove the manifest link tag before sending to the client

   <!-- do not include this if the client userAgent is a desktop device (wide screen) -->
   <link rel="manifest" href="./manifest.json"/> 
   

3. Remove manifest on the client once the page is loaded on desktop

   window.addEventListener("load", function() {
     if (navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Mobile') === -1) {
       document.querySelector('link[rel="manifest"]').remove();
     }
   });
   

That way it will make your PWA not installable and thus not showing the Add to Home screen in the omnibox.