diff --git a/static/boot.js b/static/boot.js
index 2b6d8347..b1c67dd6 100644
--- a/static/boot.js
+++ b/static/boot.js
@@ -1662,6 +1662,17 @@ function applyBotName(){
   if(typeof fetchReasoningChip==='function') fetchReasoningChip();
   if(typeof refreshProviderQuotaIndicator==='function') refreshProviderQuotaIndicator();
   const urlSession=(typeof _sessionIdFromLocation==='function')?_sessionIdFromLocation():null;
+  const pwaLaunchAction=(window.HermesPWA&&typeof window.HermesPWA.launchAction==='function')
+    ? window.HermesPWA.launchAction()
+    : null;
+  if(pwaLaunchAction==='new-chat'){
+    try{
+      await newSession(true);
+      if(S.session) await _startBootModelDropdown();
+      S._bootReady=true;
+      syncTopbar();syncWorkspacePanelState();await renderSessionList();if(typeof startGatewaySSE==='function')startGatewaySSE();return;
+    }catch(e){console.warn('[pwa] new-chat launch action failed', e);}
+  }
   const savedLocal=localStorage.getItem('hermes-webui-session');
   const saved=urlSession||savedLocal;
   if(saved){
diff --git a/static/index.html b/static/index.html
index 8b4009c0..222998e8 100644
--- a/static/index.html
+++ b/static/index.html
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 <html lang="en">
 <head>
 <meta charset="utf-8">
-<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
+<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no">
 <title>Hermes</title>
 <!-- base href enables subpath mount support; all static paths must stay relative (no leading slash).
      MUST appear before manifest/favicon links so browsers resolve relative URLs against the
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
 <script>(function(){try{var t=localStorage.getItem('hermes-theme')||'dark';if(t==='system')t=window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme:dark)').matches?'dark':'light';var c=t==='dark'?'#141425':'#FAF7F0';document.querySelectorAll('meta[name="theme-color"]').forEach(function(m){m.setAttribute('content',c);m.removeAttribute('media');});}catch(e){}})()</script>
 <script>(function(){try{document.documentElement.dataset.workspacePanel=localStorage.getItem('hermes-webui-workspace-panel')==='open'?'open':'closed';}catch(e){document.documentElement.dataset.workspacePanel='closed';}})()</script>
 <script>(function(){try{if(localStorage.getItem('hermes-webui-sidebar-collapsed')==='1')document.documentElement.dataset.sidebarCollapsed='1';}catch(e){}})()</script>
+<link rel="preload" href="static/pwa-startup.js?v=__WEBUI_VERSION__" as="script">
+<script src="static/pwa-startup.js?v=__WEBUI_VERSION__"></script>
 <script>window.__HERMES_CONFIG__={maxUploadBytes:__MAX_UPLOAD_BYTES__,csrfToken:__CSRF_TOKEN_JSON__};</script>
 <script>(function(){
   var cfg=window.__HERMES_CONFIG__||{},token=cfg.csrfToken||'';
diff --git a/static/manifest.json b/static/manifest.json
index caa9570f..df35bf8d 100644
--- a/static/manifest.json
+++ b/static/manifest.json
@@ -1,12 +1,31 @@
 {
+  "id": "./",
   "name": "Hermes",
   "short_name": "Hermes",
   "description": "Hermes AI Agent Web UI",
-  "start_url": "./",
+  "start_url": "./?source=pwa",
+  "scope": "./",
   "display": "standalone",
+  "display_override": ["window-controls-overlay", "standalone", "minimal-ui"],
   "background_color": "#0D0D1A",
   "theme_color": "#0D0D1A",
   "orientation": "portrait-primary",
+  "categories": ["productivity", "utilities"],
+  "shortcuts": [
+    {
+      "name": "New conversation",
+      "short_name": "New chat",
+      "description": "Open Hermes ready for a new chat",
+      "url": "./?source=pwa&action=new-chat",
+      "icons": [
+        {
+          "src": "static/favicon-192.png",
+          "sizes": "192x192",
+          "type": "image/png"
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  ],
   "icons": [
     {
       "src": "static/favicon.svg",
diff --git a/static/pwa-startup.js b/static/pwa-startup.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..07214e39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/static/pwa-startup.js
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+// Early PWA startup helpers.
+// Runs before the main UI bundle so installed launches can paint with the
+// correct native-like classes and capture browser install events early.
+(function(){
+  'use strict';
+  var root=document.documentElement;
+
+  function mql(query){
+    try{return window.matchMedia&&window.matchMedia(query).matches;}catch(_){return false;}
+  }
+  function isStandalone(){
+    return window.navigator.standalone===true ||
+      mql('(display-mode: standalone)') ||
+      mql('(display-mode: fullscreen)') ||
+      mql('(display-mode: window-controls-overlay)');
+  }
+  function isIOS(){
+    return /iPad|iPhone|iPod/.test(window.navigator.userAgent||'') ||
+      (window.navigator.platform==='MacIntel' && window.navigator.maxTouchPoints>1);
+  }
+  function syncMode(){
+    var standalone=isStandalone();
+    root.classList.toggle('pwa-standalone',standalone);
+    root.classList.toggle('pwa-browser',!standalone);
+    root.classList.toggle('pwa-ios',isIOS());
+    root.classList.toggle('pwa-offline',window.navigator.onLine===false);
+    root.dataset.pwaDisplayMode=standalone?'standalone':'browser';
+    return standalone;
+  }
+  function dispatch(name,detail){
+    try{window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(name,{detail:detail||{}}));}catch(_){}
+  }
+
+  syncMode();
+  window.addEventListener('online',function(){syncMode();dispatch('hermes:pwa-connection-change',{online:true});});
+  window.addEventListener('offline',function(){syncMode();dispatch('hermes:pwa-connection-change',{online:false});});
+  if(window.matchMedia){
+    ['(display-mode: standalone)','(display-mode: fullscreen)','(display-mode: window-controls-overlay)'].forEach(function(query){
+      try{
+        var media=window.matchMedia(query);
+        var handler=function(){syncMode();};
+        if(media.addEventListener)media.addEventListener('change',handler);
+        else if(media.addListener)media.addListener(handler);
+      }catch(_){}
+    });
+  }
+
+  window.addEventListener('beforeinstallprompt',function(event){
+    event.preventDefault();
+    window.hermesDeferredInstallPrompt=event;
+    root.classList.add('pwa-installable');
+    dispatch('hermes:pwa-installable');
+  });
+  window.addEventListener('appinstalled',function(){
+    window.hermesDeferredInstallPrompt=null;
+    root.classList.remove('pwa-installable');
+    root.classList.add('pwa-installed');
+    dispatch('hermes:pwa-installed');
+  });
+  document.addEventListener('visibilitychange',function(){
+    if(document.visibilityState==='visible'){
+      syncMode();
+      root.classList.add('pwa-resumed');
+      window.setTimeout(function(){root.classList.remove('pwa-resumed');},1200);
+    }
+  });
+
+  window.HermesPWA={
+    isStandalone:isStandalone,
+    syncMode:syncMode,
+    launchAction:function(){
+      try{return new URLSearchParams(window.location.search||'').get('action')||null;}catch(_){return null;}
+    },
+    promptInstall:function(){
+      var prompt=window.hermesDeferredInstallPrompt;
+      if(!prompt||typeof prompt['prompt']!=='function')return Promise.resolve({outcome:'unavailable'});
+      window.hermesDeferredInstallPrompt=null;
+      root.classList.remove('pwa-installable');
+      prompt['prompt']();
+      return Promise.resolve(prompt.userChoice).catch(function(){return {outcome:'dismissed'};});
+    }
+  };
+})();
diff --git a/static/style.css b/static/style.css
index 5566545a..5280cb4d 100644
--- a/static/style.css
+++ b/static/style.css
@@ -641,6 +641,13 @@
   /* ── Smooth dark mode transitions ── */
   body,header,footer,aside,nav,main,div,button,input,textarea,select{transition-property:background-color,border-color,color;transition-duration:.15s;transition-timing-function:ease;}
   :root{--app-titlebar-safe-top:0px;}
+  .pwa-standalone{overscroll-behavior:none;}
+  .pwa-standalone body{-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;}
+  .pwa-standalone .app-titlebar-reload{display:inline-flex;}
+  .pwa-offline .app-titlebar::after{content:'';position:absolute;left:50%;bottom:5px;width:5px;height:5px;border-radius:999px;background:var(--warning);box-shadow:0 0 0 3px color-mix(in srgb,var(--warning) 22%,transparent);transform:translateX(-50%);}
+  .pwa-resumed .app-titlebar-title{animation:pwa-title-resume .6s ease-out;}
+  @keyframes pwa-title-resume{0%{opacity:.65;}100%{opacity:1;}}
+  @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.pwa-resumed .app-titlebar-title{animation:none;}}
   @supports (padding-top: env(safe-area-inset-top)){
     @media (display-mode: standalone), (display-mode: fullscreen){
       :root{--app-titlebar-safe-top:env(safe-area-inset-top,0px);}
diff --git a/static/sw.js b/static/sw.js
index 9ea770b1..9f8d1111 100644
--- a/static/sw.js
+++ b/static/sw.js
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ const CACHE_NAME = 'hermes-shell-__WEBUI_VERSION__';
 const VQ = '?v=__WEBUI_VERSION__';
 const SHELL_ASSETS = [
   './static/style.css' + VQ,
+  './static/pwa-startup.js' + VQ,
   './static/boot.js' + VQ,
   './static/ui.js' + VQ,
   './static/messages.js' + VQ,
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ self.addEventListener('fetch', (event) => {
   // freshly set login cookie until the user manually refreshes.
   if (event.request.mode === 'navigate') {
     event.respondWith(
-      fetch(event.request).then((response) => {
+      fetch(new Request(event.request, { cache: 'no-store' })).then((response) => {
         if (
           event.request.method === 'GET' &&
           response.status === 200 &&
@@ -152,7 +153,7 @@ self.addEventListener('fetch', (event) => {
   // but avoids executing stale JS/CSS after a local hotfix when WEBUI_VERSION
   // has not changed yet (e.g. before a guarded restart updates the ?v token).
   event.respondWith(
-    fetch(event.request).then((response) => {
+    fetch(new Request(event.request, { cache: 'no-store' })).then((response) => {
       if (
         event.request.method === 'GET' &&
         response.status === 200
diff --git a/tests/test_mobile_layout.py b/tests/test_mobile_layout.py
index 46cdc0a7..21a0656e 100644
--- a/tests/test_mobile_layout.py
+++ b/tests/test_mobile_layout.py
@@ -665,6 +665,11 @@ def test_100dvh_viewport_height():
         "style.css must use 100dvh for correct mobile viewport height (100vh hides content under address bar)"
 
 
+def test_viewport_disables_page_zoom_for_native_pwa_shell():
+    """Installed PWA launches should not rubber-band into browser-style page zoom."""
+    assert 'name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no"' in HTML
+
+
 def test_pwa_safe_area_top_stays_scoped_to_installed_modes():
     """The PWA shell should not opt into cover-mode geometry for every browser surface."""
     assert 'viewport-fit=cover' not in HTML
@@ -701,6 +706,20 @@ def test_safe_area_variables_available_for_pwa_shell():
     )
 
 
+def test_pwa_startup_classes_have_native_shell_affordances():
+    """The JS-startup fallback classes should mirror browser display-mode CSS.
+
+    iOS and embedded webviews do not always evaluate display-mode media queries
+    the same way as Chromium. pwa-startup.js adds classes early, so CSS should
+    provide the same native-feel affordances through those classes.
+    """
+    assert ".pwa-standalone" in CSS
+    assert ".pwa-standalone .app-titlebar-reload" in CSS
+    assert "overscroll-behavior:none" in CSS
+    assert ".pwa-offline .app-titlebar::after" in CSS
+    assert "pwa-title-resume" in CSS
+
+
 def test_composer_touch_target_size():
     """Send button and composer inputs must have minimum 44px touch targets on mobile.
 
diff --git a/tests/test_pwa_manifest_sw.py b/tests/test_pwa_manifest_sw.py
index ea08a003..0e10001f 100644
--- a/tests/test_pwa_manifest_sw.py
+++ b/tests/test_pwa_manifest_sw.py
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ from pathlib import Path
 ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
 MANIFEST = ROOT / "static" / "manifest.json"
 SW = ROOT / "static" / "sw.js"
+PWA_STARTUP = ROOT / "static" / "pwa-startup.js"
+BOOT = ROOT / "static" / "boot.js"
 INDEX = ROOT / "static" / "index.html"
 ROUTES = ROOT / "api" / "routes.py"
 AUTH = ROOT / "api" / "auth.py"
@@ -117,7 +119,7 @@ class TestServiceWorker:
         """
         src = SW.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
         assert "Shell assets: network-first with cache fallback" in src
-        assert "fetch(event.request).then((response)" in src
+        assert "fetch(new Request(event.request, { cache: 'no-store' })).then((response)" in src
         assert "caches.open(CACHE_NAME).then((cache) => cache.put(event.request, clone))" in src
         assert ".catch(() => caches.match(event.request)" in src
         assert "if (cached) return cached;" not in src, (
@@ -281,10 +283,65 @@ class TestIndexHtmlIntegration:
         marker = "// Shell assets: network-first with cache fallback"
         assert marker in src
         block = src[src.find(marker):src.find(marker) + 900]
-        assert "fetch(event.request).then" in block
+        assert "fetch(new Request(event.request, { cache: 'no-store' })).then" in block
         assert "caches.match(event.request)" in block
         assert "caches.match(event.request).then((cached)" not in block[:250]
 
+    def test_index_loads_pwa_startup_helper_early(self):
+        """The installed-app shell should classify standalone/offline mode before
+        the main UI bundle hydrates, so native chrome and safe-area affordances
+        are present on first paint.
+        """
+        src = INDEX.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        preload_pos = src.find('href="static/pwa-startup.js?v=__WEBUI_VERSION__"')
+        script_pos = src.find('src="static/pwa-startup.js?v=__WEBUI_VERSION__"')
+        ui_pos = src.find('static/ui.js?v=__WEBUI_VERSION__')
+        assert preload_pos != -1, "index.html must preload the PWA startup helper"
+        assert script_pos != -1, "index.html must load the PWA startup helper"
+        assert ui_pos != -1, "index.html must load the main UI bundle"
+        assert preload_pos < ui_pos and script_pos < ui_pos, (
+            "pwa-startup.js must run before ui.js so standalone/offline classes "
+            "are available before the app shell paints"
+        )
+
+    def test_sw_precaches_pwa_startup_helper(self):
+        src = SW.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        assert "pwa-startup.js' + VQ" in src or 'pwa-startup.js" + VQ' in src, (
+            "sw.js SHELL_ASSETS must pre-cache pwa-startup.js with the same "
+            "version query used by index.html"
+        )
+
+    def test_manifest_has_native_launch_fields(self):
+        data = json.loads(MANIFEST.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        assert data.get("id") == "./"
+        assert data.get("scope") == "./"
+        assert data.get("start_url") == "./?source=pwa"
+        assert "standalone" in data.get("display_override", []), (
+            "manifest.display_override should preserve standalone as a native "
+            "launch fallback"
+        )
+        shortcuts = data.get("shortcuts") or []
+        assert any(shortcut.get("url") == "./?source=pwa&action=new-chat" for shortcut in shortcuts), (
+            "manifest should expose a native shortcut for starting a new chat"
+        )
+
+    def test_pwa_startup_detects_standalone_and_install_events(self):
+        src = PWA_STARTUP.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        assert "pwa-standalone" in src
+        assert "pwa-browser" in src
+        assert "beforeinstallprompt" in src
+        assert "appinstalled" in src
+        assert "HermesPWA" in src
+        assert "launchAction" in src
+        assert "promptInstall" in src
+
+    def test_pwa_new_chat_shortcut_is_handled_at_boot(self):
+        src = BOOT.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        assert "pwaLaunchAction" in src
+        assert "launchAction()" in src
+        assert "pwaLaunchAction==='new-chat'" in src
+        assert "await newSession(true)" in src
+
     def test_index_route_url_encodes_asset_version(self):
         src = ROUTES.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
         idx = src.find('parsed.path in ("/", "/index.html")')
diff --git a/tests/test_service_worker_api_cache.py b/tests/test_service_worker_api_cache.py
index 4238efde..0238e141 100644
--- a/tests/test_service_worker_api_cache.py
+++ b/tests/test_service_worker_api_cache.py
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ def test_service_worker_uses_network_first_for_page_navigation():
     """Page navigations must hit the server before cache so expired auth redirects work."""
     navigate_idx = SW_SRC.find("event.request.mode === 'navigate'")
     assert navigate_idx != -1, "service worker must special-case page navigations"
-    fetch_idx = SW_SRC.find("fetch(event.request)", navigate_idx)
+    fetch_idx = SW_SRC.find("fetch(new Request(event.request, { cache: 'no-store' }))", navigate_idx)
     cache_idx = SW_SRC.find("caches.match", navigate_idx)
-    assert fetch_idx != -1, "navigation branch must try the live server first"
+    assert fetch_idx != -1, "navigation branch must try the live server first while bypassing HTTP cache"
     assert cache_idx != -1, "navigation branch may use cached shell only as offline fallback"
     assert fetch_idx < cache_idx, (
         "navigation requests must be network-first, not cache-first, so auth redirects "
