How to add desktop shortcut for URL, ignoring web app manifest?
To bypass any site's web app manifest...


    
        
            Copy the following code...

            
JavaScriptx:

if (meta=document.querySelector('meta[name="mobile-web-app-capable"]')) meta.parentNode.removeChild(meta);

if (mani=document.querySelector('link[rel="manifest"]')) mani.parentNode.removeChild(mani);

void(0)
            
        
        Open Chrome on Android
        
            Go to the URL you want to add to your Home screen, for example...

            https://news.google.com/news/i#0
        
        Paste the code copied earlier into Chrome's Location bar
        
            Scroll to the beginning of the pasted code

            (Touch & Drag repeatedly on the text in the Location bar to scroll it)
        
        Touch after the x in JavaScriptx
        Backspace the x, using whatever your Backspace button looks like on the on-screen keyboard
        Touch Go on the on-screen keyboard (to confirm/accept the URL & run it)
    
    

    The JavaScript should execute on the page & it should appear to do nothing, that's fine.

    Note: if the page reloads for any reason, you'll need to run the JavaScript again.

    Now, try adding that page to the Home screen again...


To add the URL to the Home screen...


    
        
            Touch Chrome's on-screen "3 dots menu" (on the right of the Location bar, next to the "open tab count" button) or use the hardware menu button
        
        
            Touch Add to Home screen
        
    

    It should end up as a normal Chrome link, not as a Web App, since the JavaScript nuked the page's preference for "web app mode".


Questions / Comments?...


    Why did you have me copy JavaScriptx...just to have me Backspace the x off later?
    
        Because, in my testing, on my phone, when I pasted anything with JavaScript: at the beginning, Chrome ripped that part off, leaving only the text after it.