Mobile Home Screen Shortcut

What This Actually Is

This isn't a native app, and there's nothing to download from the App Store or Google Play. It's a home screen shortcut: your phone's browser saves an icon that opens the Army WHtR Calculator directly, without the browser's address bar and tabs around it, so it feels closer to a normal app. To be upfront about what this does and doesn't do: it does not work offline, and it doesn't sync anything in the background. Each time you tap the icon, it loads the calculator from the live site, the same as opening it in a browser tab. What changes is convenience: one tap instead of typing the address or hunting through bookmarks.

Which Browsers Support This?

Home screen shortcuts work through your phone's browser, not through the calculator itself, so support depends on which browser you're using. Safari on iPhone and iPad supports it natively through the Share menu. Chrome on Android supports it through the same menu system described below. Other browsers (Firefox, Samsung Internet, Edge) generally offer an equivalent option, usually labeled "Add to Home screen" or "Add page shortcut," though the exact menu wording varies. If you don't see the option in whatever browser you're using, try opening the site in Safari (iPhone) or Chrome (Android) instead, since those are the two paths confirmed to work below.

How to add on iPhone (Safari)

1. Open armyheightandweightcalculator.com in Safari.
2. Tap the Share button.
3. Select Add to Home Screen.
4. Tap Add.

How to add on Android (Chrome)

1. Open armyheightandweightcalculator.com in Chrome.
2. Tap the 3-dot menu.
3. Select Add to Home screen (or Install app if shown).
4. Confirm to add.

Best Practice for Accurate Checks

• Measure your waist at the navel (belly button), with the tape level and snug but not compressing.
• Measure consistently (same time of day, same tape placement, ideally before eating) so you're tracking a real trend, not daily fluctuation.
• For the full method and background on how the current standard replaced the old tape test, read what changed and why.
• For a tape recommendation and a full measurement walkthrough, see Recommended Gear.

Removing or Updating the Shortcut

The shortcut is just an icon your phone created: removing it doesn't affect your account, saved history, or anything on the site itself. On iPhone, press and hold the icon and choose Remove App. On Android, press and hold the icon and drag it to Remove (wording varies slightly by phone). If the calculator's design changes and the shortcut looks outdated, delete it and add it again using the same steps above: it'll pull the current version the next time you open it.

Troubleshooting

If Add to Home Screen doesn't appear in Safari's share sheet, make sure you're viewing the site in Safari itself, not inside another app's built-in browser (some apps open links in a limited in-app browser that doesn't support this feature). Copy the link and open it in Safari directly. On Android, if Chrome doesn't offer Install app, use Add to Home screen from the same 3-dot menu instead; the shortcut works the same way either way.

Questions

See FAQ or contact us from the Contact page.

Why This Shortcut Helps

Under the current standard, WHtR is checked twice a year officially, but there's real value in checking your own number more often than that. Many Soldiers only think about body composition right before a unit assessment. By then, there's little time to do anything but hope. Saving the calculator to your home screen makes it realistic to run a quick monthly check, track your waist measurement trend over weeks instead of finding out where you stand the same week as an official assessment.

Who Should Use the Mobile Shortcut?

This shortcut is helpful for recruits preparing for a recruiter visit or MEPS, Active Duty Soldiers checking their number before a scheduled assessment, and National Guard or Reserve members who want a quick self-check between drill periods without waiting for the next official measurement. It keeps the calculator one tap away, which makes regular tracking far more realistic than treating it as something you only think about the week of an assessment.

Quick Answers

Does the shortcut cost anything?
No. The calculator is free, and adding a home screen shortcut doesn't require a download, purchase, or account.

Do I need to sign in to use it?
No. The WHtR calculator itself doesn't require an account. Signing in is only needed if you want to save your results and view them over time in your dashboard.

Will this shortcut show up in my phone's app list?
No. Since it's a browser shortcut rather than an installed app, it only appears as a home screen icon, not in your phone's full app drawer or app management settings.