Web Fallbacks

Not everyone has your app installed. Desktop users can't install mobile apps at all. Web fallbacks ensure these users still get a great experience instead of a dead end.

What you'll learn

Designing effective fallback experiences
Platform detection and redirect strategies
Progressive web app alternatives

When fallbacks happen

Users hit your web fallback when:

App not installed — Mobile user without your app
Desktop browser — No mobile app available
Unsupported platform — Rare OS or old browser
User preference — They chose to open in browser

Key Concept

Your fallback isn't a failure state — it's an opportunity. Many users will experience your fallback before ever installing your app. Make it count.

Fallback strategies

1. Mirror the app experience

Show the same content on web that they'd see in the app:

Link: /product/12345
App: Opens product detail screen
Web: Opens product detail webpage

Users get what they clicked for, regardless of platform.

2. Smart app promotion

Show the content plus a tasteful app install prompt:

┌─────────────────────────────┐
│ 📱 Get the app for the      │
│ best experience             │
│ [Download] [Continue on web]│
└─────────────────────────────┘

[Product content below...]

Don't block the content — show it with an optional upgrade path.

3. App Store redirect

For app-only features, send users to download:

Link: /exclusive-offer
App: Shows exclusive offer
Web: Redirect to App Store with deferred deep link

The deferred link ensures they'll land on the offer after installing.

iOS fallback: Redirect to App Store or show a Safari-friendly landing page. Use Smart App Banners for native-feeling install prompts.

Designing fallback pages

Do: Match user intent

If someone clicks a product link, show that product — not your homepage.

✓ Click product link → See product page
✗ Click product link → See homepage with "download our app"

Do: Make it fast

Fallback pages load while users wait. Keep them light:

Minimal JavaScript
Optimized images
No heavy frameworks

Do: Preserve link context

Pass parameters through to your web experience:

App link: /referral?code=SARAH50
Web URL: yoursite.com/referral?code=SARAH50
                                   ↑
                          Code preserved!

Don't: Force app install

Blocking content with "Install app to continue" has high bounce rates. Let users access content while encouraging the app.

Gotcha

Interstitial app install prompts are penalized by Google's mobile search rankings. Full-screen overlays hurt SEO and frustrate users.

Platform detection

ULink automatically detects the user's platform and routes accordingly:

iOS + App installed     → Open app
iOS + No app           → iOS fallback URL
Android + App installed → Open app
Android + No app       → Android fallback URL
Desktop                → Web fallback URL

Custom routing

You can configure different fallbacks per platform:

Platform	Fallback
iOS	App Store page
Android	Play Store page
Web/Desktop	Product webpage

Progressive Web Apps

For a more app-like web experience:

Benefits

Add to home screen
Offline support
Push notifications
App-like UI

When to consider

You have a strong web presence
App development resources are limited
Your use case works well on web

Implementation

Service worker for offline
Web app manifest for install
Responsive, touch-friendly design

Testing fallbacks

Test each scenario

iOS with app — Verify app opens
iOS without app — Check fallback loads
Android with app — Verify app opens
Android without app — Check fallback loads
Desktop — Verify web fallback

Use device emulation

Chrome DevTools → Toggle device toolbar → Select different devices

Real device testing

Emulators don't perfectly replicate app-installed detection. Test on real devices with the app both installed and uninstalled.

Quick recap

Fallbacks ensure every user lands somewhere useful
Mirror app content on web when possible
Promote app installation without blocking content
Preserve link parameters through to web experience
Test all platform combinations