How to create individual Safari web apps that open to a specific base using Safari 17 (or higher)

Irene_Pak1 · ‎Dec 04, 2024

*Original post has been updated to include a few more notes and screenshots*

If you prefer working in the Airtable desktop app and wish you could create shortcuts that opened a base or interface in the desktop app instead of a browser window... I have somewhat of a workaround.

The desktop app is essentially a web app. You'll be creating your own web app(s) using Safari 17 or higher. This method will require a Mac running Sonoma or Sequoia.

Log into Airtable on Safari and navigate to the desired base or interface page that you want your web app to open to. (You'll be creating as many of these as you need, each opening to a specific base & table view or interface page)
Copy the full URL in the address bar
In the menu bar, navigate to File>Add to Dock...
In the dialog box that appears, enter the name of your web app in the upper space and paste the full URL into the lower space.
Click "Add" to add a shortcut to the web app to your dock. (It will also be added to Launchpad.)
Opening the web app will take you to the exact URL that you pasted, but without the browser clutter. It will look and behave just like the official desktop web app, except it opens where you want it to. Create as many of these as you need shortcuts for.
The actual web app(s) live in your ~/Applications folder (not the system Applications folder). If you don't know where that is, just right click the dock icon and choose "Show in Finder."

If you'll be creating a bunch of these (as I have), you can remove the web app shortcuts from your dock and create desktop shortcuts instead. (Right-click on the web app file to "Make Alias" - then move the alias to your desktop or wherever you want them to live)

Do not move the actual web app file from ~/Applications.

NOTE FOR USERS THAT SYNC DESKTOP & DOCUMENTS TO MULTIPLE MACS VIA ICLOUD:
The web apps are installed locally so any desktop shortcuts you create on one Mac will not work on the other. I tested this a few different ways on my MacBook and Mac mini, including moving the web app file to the Desktop. So you'll have to name any desktop shortcuts you create to make clear which Mac it works on.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:
If you want to adjust the start page to a different base or view, you don't need to delete the icon and start over. Navigate to the exact page you want the dock shortcut to open to, then open the app settings (menu bar) and click "Set to Current Page" in the General settings section.

I'll add new observations in the comments below as they arise. Hope this helps the dozens of us that like to work in the official desktop app (which I am now uninstalling)!

ScottWorld · ‎Dec 04, 2024

Whaaaat!! That is insanely awesome!! I didn't even realize that Macs had the ability to create these little standalone web apps that launch as if they were applications! This is incredible!

Irene_Pak1 · ‎Dec 05, 2024

Thanks @ScottWorld ! A complement from the resident Airtable wizard is making me blush.

Here's a new observation as well: for any users that sync their Desktop & Documents between multiple Macs over iCloud and employed this specific step to create an alias for their Desktop:

@Irene_Pak1 wrote:
Furthermore, if you want to create a bunch of shortcuts and don't want to clutter your dock, navigate to your USER/Applications folder to where the newly created "app" lives. Make an alias to drag to your desktop (or wherever you want it to live). You can then remove the dock shortcut.

The desktop alias will only work on the computer that you created the web app on, since Applications are not synced across devices.

I'm testing whether ~~moving the web app from ~/Applications to the Desktop would allow the web app to sync (via iCloud between Macs) without breaking any functionality.~~ Update: This does NOT sync the web app to other Macs. I recommend leaving the web app where it is.

Irene_Pak1 · ‎Dec 08, 2024

I don't have time to customize another set of steps for other browsers, but it is possible to create web apps via Chrome or Edge as well.

Also noted that the web app will open to the last view rather than the assigned URL, so if you are creating a set of web apps that direct to a specific base, you'll have to make sure to be in that base when you quit the "app". A bit disappointing but still exploring how to make it stick.