CRM as a PWA on Mac: Add to Dock and Never Switch Apps

There's a small but meaningful UX detail about DenchClaw that changes how it feels to use: the interface at localhost:3100 can be installed as a Progressive Web App (PWA) on your Mac, which means it gets its own Dock icon, its own window, and its own app switcher entry — just like a native app.

No Electron. No .dmg to download. No App Store approval process. Just your CRM, in your Dock, always one click away.

How to Install the PWA#

Chrome / Chromium#

1. Open http://localhost:3100 in Chrome
2. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right (⋮)
3. Click "Save and share" → "Install page as app..."
   • Or look for an install icon (⊕) in the address bar — Chrome shows it when a PWA is available
4. A dialog appears: "Install DenchClaw?"
5. Click "Install"

DenchClaw is now installed. You'll find it in:

• Your Mac Dock
• /Applications (Chrome Apps folder)
• Spotlight search: Cmd+Space → "DenchClaw"
• App Switcher: Cmd+Tab

Arc Browser#

1. Open http://localhost:3100 in Arc
2. Click the Arc menu → "Install as App"
3. Arc installs it with its own window

Safari#

Safari's PWA support on macOS is more limited. For the best experience, use Chrome or Arc.

What the PWA Experience Looks Like#

When you launch DenchClaw as a PWA, it opens in a dedicated window without browser chrome:

• No address bar
• No browser tabs
• No bookmark bar
• No "back" button

Just the DenchClaw interface. It looks and behaves like a native Mac app — including:

Window management: Resize, minimize, snap to half-screen with Cmd+Ctrl+F. It shows up in Mission Control. You can drag it between desktops.

Stage Manager: If you use Stage Manager on macOS, DenchClaw gets its own app group.

App switcher: Cmd+Tab cycles through DenchClaw as a separate app from Chrome. You can switch to it without switching to your browser.

Notifications: Browser notifications from DenchClaw appear as system notifications (with your permission). Useful for agent alerts.

Offline indicator: The PWA shows a visual indicator when the gateway is unreachable (e.g., if you've stopped the DenchClaw process). You won't get confused about why data isn't loading.

Setting Up the Dock Icon#

After installation, right-click the DenchClaw icon in the Dock:

• Options → Keep in Dock (if it's not already pinned)
• Options → Open at Login (optional — though DenchClaw works better when launched after the gateway is running)

For best results, configure DenchClaw's gateway to start at login, then the PWA is ready to open immediately:

# Auto-start the DenchClaw gateway at login
openclaw gateway autostart --enable --profile dench

Now your workflow is:

1. Mac boots up
2. Gateway starts automatically
3. Click DenchClaw icon in Dock
4. CRM is ready

Keyboard Shortcut to Open#

The fastest way to open DenchClaw:

Cmd+Space → type "DenchClaw" → Enter

Spotlight finds the PWA installation and opens it in under a second.

Even faster: assign DenchClaw a global keyboard shortcut via System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → App Shortcuts.

Or use Raycast — add DenchClaw as an application shortcut in Raycast settings.

The Multi-Window Setup#

If you work with large monitors or a multi-monitor setup, DenchClaw's PWA excels:

Monitor 1 (primary): DenchClaw open on the left half, your email or code editor on the right Monitor 2 (secondary): DenchClaw in full-screen as a dedicated CRM monitor

Since the PWA is a real window, you can:

• Move it to any display
• Assign it to a specific macOS Space
• Use `Cmd+``(backtick) to cycle between DenchClaw windows if you have multiple open

PWA vs. Browser Tab#

The practical benefit: DenchClaw doesn't get lost in a sea of browser tabs. It's always findable, always a single Cmd+Tab away.

Running Alongside Other Apps#

DenchClaw as a PWA plays well with the rest of your stack:

With Cursor: Cursor on the left, DenchClaw on the right. Write code, check CRM context. No Cmd+Tab to a browser.

With email: Email on the left, DenchClaw on the right. Look up contact history before you reply.

With a terminal: Terminal at the bottom, DenchClaw at the top. Run DuckDB queries in the terminal, see results in the CRM interface.

Updating the PWA#

The PWA serves content from localhost:3100, which is your local DenchClaw installation. When DenchClaw updates (via npx denchclaw update or the auto-update process), the PWA gets the new UI automatically — no need to reinstall.

Force-refresh the PWA if it's caching old content:

Cmd+Shift+R  (hard refresh)

What Happens When Gateway Is Down#

If you launch the DenchClaw PWA when the gateway isn't running, you'll see a "DenchClaw is offline" page with instructions to start the gateway:

openclaw gateway start --profile dench

Once the gateway is running, refresh the PWA and everything is back.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Does the PWA work without an internet connection?#

Yes, for all local CRM operations. The AI agent features require internet for model API calls, but browsing your contacts, viewing your pipeline, and editing entries all work offline.

Can I install DenchClaw as a PWA on other devices?#

On iOS (iPhone/iPad), you can add localhost:3100 to your home screen via Safari's share menu, but it only works on your local network. For mobile access away from home, use the Telegram/WhatsApp integration or set up Dench Cloud.

Does the PWA update automatically?#

Yes. Each time you open the PWA, it loads fresh content from localhost:3100. If a new version of DenchClaw is running, you automatically get the updated UI.

Can I use multiple DenchClaw windows simultaneously?#

Yes. Open multiple windows from the Dock icon or via Cmd+N when DenchClaw is the active app. Each window can display a different object view.

Is there a native Mac app planned?#

DenchClaw is unlikely to release a native Electron app — the PWA approach achieves near-native experience without the overhead of packaging a Chromium runtime separately. The focus is on making the PWA experience excellent.

Ready to try DenchClaw? Install in one command: npx denchclaw. Full setup guide →