Googlebooks reportedly could not install Slack’s web app as a progressive web app (PWA) at launch: the installation attempt returned “this app cannot be installed.” That did not prevent people from opening Slack altogether. A Chrome shortcut could still open it in a browser tab, though not in a separate app window.
What failed—and what still worked
In a report published October 5, 2026, Ben Schoon of 9to5Google described an attempt to install Slack’s web app on Googlebook. The interface displayed “this app cannot be installed,” so Slack could not be added as a PWA through that route.
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The reported limitation was installation, not access to Slack itself. A shortcut could still open Slack in a Chrome tab, but it did not launch in its own standalone window. That distinction matters if you want an app-like window rather than a browser page.
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Why the cause is still unclear
The report did not establish why the installation failed. It did not determine whether the issue came from Slack’s PWA configuration, Googlebook’s compatibility requirements, or another cause. Schoon said Google had been contacted, but the report included no explanation or confirmed fix.
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As a result, the incident should be treated as a reported Slack installation problem on Googlebook at launch—not proof that Slack is universally incompatible with the platform or that Googlebook PWAs generally cannot be installed.
Ways to use Slack on Googlebook
| Access route | What the report established | Practical limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Slack web app as a PWA | The installation attempt failed with “this app cannot be installed.” | It could not be installed as a standalone PWA in the reported attempt. |
| Chrome shortcut to Slack | A shortcut could open Slack in a Chrome tab. | It did not open in its own window. |
| Slack Android app | The Play Store labeled it “better on the website.” | The report characterized the Android app as poorly suited beyond a standard smartphone; it did not provide a full feature comparison. |
The Play Store’s “better on the website” label points users toward the web experience, but the PWA installation failure makes the browser shortcut the reported fallback. The source does not establish whether the Android app is unusable on Googlebook, only that its support beyond a standard smartphone was characterized as poor.
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Does the failure affect other PWAs?
Not necessarily. The report said other PWAs it tried—including Photopea, Squoosh, and SnapDrop—appeared to work. That is evidence that those specific apps worked in its test, not that every PWA is compatible with Googlebook.
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