Understanding how to access apps

In a nutshell

Zoho Creator applications can be accessed on phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops, offering flexibility across devices. As a cloud-based platform, Creator applications run through web browsers or native apps, irrespective of the operating system. With Progressive Web Application(PWA) support, Zoho Creator takes cross-platform accessibility a step further by offering a native app like experience through the web browser.

Availability

Only the super admin, admins, and developers have access to switch between edit mode and live mode of an unpublished application.
Native mobile application generation is available for all Enterprise users of Creator, except for data centres located in SA (Saudi Arabia), SG (Singapore), and AE (United Arab Emirates)

1. Access app overview

Zoho Creator applications are cloud-based and can be accessed by end users through web browsers, independent of the operating system and are compatible with desktop, laptop, mobile, and tablet devices.Users can access the application based on their permissions and interact with components such as forms, reports, and pages. Users can also install native applications such as Zoho Creator and standalone Creator applications, on their phones and tablets for an optimized experience. When accessed through a mobile or a tablet browser, the application is presented in an interface similar to a native app (PWA), with a simplified experience, enabling quick access without installation.

Note: Zoho Creator also offers an on-premise deployment option, allowing organizations to host and manage their applications on their own servers.

Device types and access methods:

Device	Access method	Description
Desktop / Laptop	Web browser	Centralised web browser with a unified dashboard for instant access to all your authorized applications.
Phones/ Tablets	Zoho Creator / Zoho Creator Portal app	Unified mobile app that lists all applications shared with the user. The application provides optimized performance and better device integration.
	Stand alone app	Dedicated mobile app for a specific application with custom branding and direct access via app stores. Stand alone apps are not listed in the Zoho Creator/Zoho Creator portal applications.
	Browser (PWA)	Web application that provides an experience similar to the native mobile app using Progressive Web Application (PWA) technology. Installation is not required and the application can be accessed directly through mobile browsers.

2. How to access the application?

2.1. Open in browser

Zoho Creator applications can be accessed through supported browsers on desktop, laptop, mobile and tablet devices. After signing in with your Zoho Creator account credentials, a centralised dashboard is displayed, allowing you to view and access all your applications from a single place.

When you have multiple Zoho Creator applications, you can filter them in browser dashboard using the drop-down available within the search bar. The available filters include All my applications, Created by me, Shared with me, Production Only, Installed apps, and CRM apps. The pre-defined filters are available only for web browsers accessed via desktop and laptop devices.

All my applications lists all the applications you have created, along with those shared with you or with any group you are part of.
Created by me lists the applications created by you.
Shared with me lists the applications shared with you, either directly or through a group you are part of.
Installed apps lists the preconfigured Creator applications that you have installed.
Production Only displays applications that are currently in the production environment.
CRM apps lists custom applications that are created in your CRM account using Creator.

2.1.1. Access app on web browser

Access the app as the end user

End users can access applications through links shared with them, which are opened in a web browser.The users are assigned different sets of permissions based on the scope of the work they have to accomplish with the application. Users can access the application through a desktop or laptop browser in the following ways, based on its configuration and sharing settings.

Access a privately shared application
Users receive a link to the application via email and are required to log in using their Zoho account. This is typically used for internal users or teams who access applications through the Zoho Creator platform.
Access via portal
Portals provide a secure, dedicated interface for users without Zoho account to access the applications. Users can log in using the shared portal link and credentials. Their access is limited based on the configured portal permissions, making this suitable for external users such as customers or vendors.

Access a published application
Zoho Creator allows admins to publish application components such as forms, reports, and pages to make them accessible to users without a Zoho account. This is suitable for use cases like customer feedback forms or event registration pages that need to be publicly accessible. Once published, users can access the application directly through a public URL or via an embedded link on a website, without requiring login credentials.

Access the app as the owner

While developing the application, you can instantly switch to the live mode of the application to see how the app works for the end user. In order to switch to the live application, click Access this application button in the top-right corner of the design page. This allows you to interact with your forms, reports, and pages as an end-user would.

If you want to make changes to the application, click Edit this application at the top right corner and return to the design page.

Supported browsers

Zoho Creator can be accessed using most popular modern web browsers. Here are some of the supported browsers:

Google Chrome version 94 or above
Mozilla Firefox version 102 or above
Safari version 13 or above
Microsoft Edge version 111 or above
Ulaa 2.41+ (Chromium 146+)

Note: We have retired support for Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.0 and 1.1. Learn more.

2.1.2. Access app on mobile or tablet browser

When a Zoho Creator application is accessed through a phone or tablet browser, it is automatically rendered as a Progressive Web App (PWA). With PWA support, Zoho Creator improves the browser experience on phones and tablets by providing features similar to a native app, such as access to device capabilities like camera, location, file uploads, and QR or barcode scanning. Users can also add the application to their home screen for quick access without installation.

For app owners, PWA provides a quick and platform-independent way to distribute applications, allowing users to access them from any device that supports a web browser.

A PWA is not a replacement for a native mobile app, as native apps provide deeper device integration, better performance, and support for features such as push notifications and advanced mobile interactions. It should be considered as an additional way to access your applications.

Note:

PWA can access device features, but the extent of access depends on the capabilities of the browser it runs on.
Enabling 'Desktop site' in the browser menu will disable PWA and render the app as a normal browser application.

Supported native features

Enable QR code and barcode scanning to allow users to enter data into form fields by scanning.This property is applicable to the following fields: single line, multi line, email, URL, number, percent, currency, and decimal.
Upload files using the Files iOS app or local device storage when accessing image, video, or file upload fields.
Upload images with options to switch camera(front and back), enable timer, set default camera, show preview and submit form after capturing image.

Adding PWA to a device's home screen

Users can add Zoho Creator app to their device home screen, giving a native app-like experience. This option is also available at the individual app level, enabling users to add a specific Creator application to their home screen.

When iOS users access your apps using the Safari browser, they'll see the Add to home screen option in the share sheet.
When Android users access your apps using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, the Add to home screen option is available in the browser menu. First time users will also see the Add Zoho Creator to home screen option at the bottom of the browser.
When users access a specific Creator application's portal using Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers, option to add that app to home screen is shown in the sign in page. Additionally, this option will be available under the mobile browser's More () menu.

When you select Add to home screen from the browser menu, options to install the native application and create a shortcut are displayed. Click Install to add the PWA Creator application to your home screen.

2.2. Install native application

The Zoho Creator native app enables users to access and manage all their Creator applications on phone and tablet devices. Installing native app provides an optimised experience with enhanced integration with device features such as camera, location, and notifications.

App owners can design applications for both Zoho users and non-Zoho users:

Zoho users install the app and sign in using their Zoho account credentials.
Portal users (external users) install the app and sign in using portal specific credentials without requiring a Zoho account.

Note: For phone and tablet devices, Creator is supported on both iOS and Android. The Android app requires version 6.0 or higher, and the iOS app requires version 16 or higher.

Dedicated mobile applications are available for internal users (with Zoho accounts) and portal users, and can be downloaded from the respective app stores:

Android devices: Google Play Store		iOS devices: App Store
Zoho account users	Portal users	Zoho account users	Portal users

Standalone applications

App owners can package a specific Zoho Creator application as a standalone mobile app using the Create New Mobile App option and publish it on app stores. This creates a dedicated app with its own name and icon, allowing users to install and access the application directly without using the Zoho Creator mobile app.

A standalone app can be created in two ways:

Standard application: The application built using Zoho Creator on the web is directly packaged using the built-in option with minimal configuration, enabling quick deployment as a branded mobile app.
SDK application: The SDK (Software Development Kit) allows the application to be built with additional customization, enabling advanced configurations, integrations, and control over the mobile app before publishing.

In both approaches, users can sign in with their credentials and access the application based on configured permissions.

Note: Native applications specify Zoho Creator app, Zoho Creator portal app and stand alone applications.

2.3. Access app as a portal user

Portals provide a secure, dedicated interface for users without Zoho account to access the applications. Users authenticate using the portal credentials and the access is restricted based on the configured portal permissions. This makes portals suitable for external users such as customers or vendors.

Access via browser

Portal users can access applications through a unique portal URL using a web browser. After signing in, users are directed to the portal home page, where all applications shared with them are displayed based on their configured permissions.

Access via native app

Portal users can access applications using the dedicated Zoho Creator Portal app or through standalone mobile apps available on both Android (Google Play Store) and iOS (App Store) systems.

When using the Zoho Creator Portal app, users must enter the portal URL and sign in with their credentials. Since each portal has a unique URL, the app supports access to one portal at a time. To switch to another portal, users must log out and sign in again using the corresponding portal URL.

Standalone mobile apps are dedicated to a single, specific portal and allow access only to that portal. These apps are pre-configured with the portal details, so users can sign in directly without entering a portal URL. Admins can create standalone apps using the Create New Mobile App feature, providing a more streamlined experience for portal users.

3. Related topics

What's next

Once you have learned how to access Creator applications, learn how to manage applications, configure app menu and themes for the application.

Before learning how to access applications, make sure you understand the concepts of Creator applications and how to create an application from scratch.

Access application | Zoho Creator Help