How to: Make Gmail Like a Native App

As a Gmail Warrior, I love the Gmail web app for the iPhone.  It allows me to label, star, search all my emails, and more.  But I always found it annoying that even when I added it to my homescreen, it would just open into Safari instead of being treated like an app.  So that’s why I wrote a little bit of code. Now, the iPhone sees Gmail as its own app, separate from Safari.  Sounds like something you’d like?  Follow the steps below!  (You can use the same code on any website as well.)

1. Get out your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch & navigate to this webpage.
2. Bookmark it as “Create Web App.”
3. Select the entire block of code below by tapping the textbox, then tap and hold, select all, and finally copy.
4. Open your bookmarks and touch edit.
5. Select “Create Web App”.
6. Tap X to clear the URL, tap and hold , and finally paste.
7. Visit Gmail.com in Safari & sign in.
8. Open your bookmarks and tap “Create Web App”.
9. Finally, add Gmail to your homescreen by tapping the share button.
10. You’re finished!  Sorry – Apple doesn’t make this very easy…

javascript:function app(){var d=document;var ipad = navigator.userAgent.match(/iPad/i) != null;var url=’http://thinkenzyme.com/img/web’;if(ipad){url +=’-ipad’;}url+=’.png’;var meta=d.createElement(‘meta’);meta.name=’apple-mobile-web-app-capable’;meta.content=’yes’;d.getElementsByTagName(‘head’).item(0).appendChild(meta);var img=d.createElement(‘link’);img.rel=’apple-touch-startup-image’;img.href=url;d.getElementsByTagName(‘head’).item(0).appendChild(img);alert(‘Now Touch “Add to Home Screen”‘);}app();void(0)

Now, you have a fully functional Gmail app that you can switch to, and will never open multiple tabs.  Enjoy!