How to setup Workspace ONE Launcher to allow Users to access Update Page in Settings
While using Workspace ONE Launcher you sometimes want to restrict access to the Settings , but still keep the Devices up to date with the latest Android Updates. In this Blog I will show the settings required to have the Updates Settings accessible by the user and not opening up the whole Settings. I used the 21.10 Launcher here , while this is supported on Version 3.2+ already.
Adding Action to Launcher Profile
In the Launcher Profile go to “Advanced Customization” and Enable the “Add Custom Device Settings”, then Select “Action” as Type and enter a Name. the Name will be displayed to the Enduser, while the action needs to be the exact Settings page the User should Access. In our case it is “android.settings.SYSTEM_UPDATE_SETTINGS” for the Android Update . Once added Click to “Save” and Publish the Profile.
In Case you do not see it in the Console the Settings (requires UEM 21.11) you can add Custom XML to the Launcher Profile:
<characteristic type="com.airwatch.android.androidwork.launcher" uuid="568bc89d-1df8-4ce9-a041-e5a24acdb7ec">
<parm name="CustomSettings" value="
{
"CustomSettings": [
{
"name": "Update Settings ",
"action": "android.settings.SYSTEM_UPDATE_SETTINGS"
}]
}"/>
</characteristic>This is how it looks on the Device if you open the Settings of Launcher
I have verified this settings on an Samsung S21 and a Nokia 5.4 and they work like a charm.
UX on the Device
On the device the user can see the Update Settings over the Setting s in Launcher, while the rest of the Settings is restricted:
vExpert, blogger and VMware champion. Worked 10 years as a VMware & Microsoft consultant for a partner before joining VMware in 2017.
KJ
Great write up. How did you come upon those android settings? Are you using the android developer site to find that? https://developer.android.com/ Are there other examples?
Patrick Zoeller
I used ADB Tool (Logs) with my Device to find out the exact path to enter for the Android Update
Arian
Hi Patrick
If we want to open the “SIM PIN Settings” in Android, how would you do that with ADB Tool?
I get tons of logs but don’t see any hint how to get that Settings window.
Thanks a lot for your help.
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Arian,
You can use the “Package and Class” and then define the Package Name with “com.android.settings” & Class Name with “com.android.settings.SettingsIccLockSettingsActivity” , this worked for me.
Jose
Hi Patrick,
Is it possible to disable screen lock (slide) on devices remotely?
So that when they reboot the device is unlocked.
Thanks.
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Jose,
So Manually You can do this here : Settings > Security > Screen Lock > None
also with StageNow from Zebra the Setting is called “Screen Lock Type” that can be deployed with Workspace ONE it should work.
best regards
Patrick
Art
This can be done by toggleing off the following settings in a Android restrictions policy: “Allow all keyguard features” and “Allow Keyguard”.
Afroz Khan
Great Article….
Can we do the same for Mobile Data and Hot Spot options ? I am looking for the solution i can allow user to access Mobile Data and Hot Spot toggle in Quick access panel or Launcher setting Page.
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Afroz ,
Tethering works with the following settings :
Package Names com.android.settings
Class Name com.android.settings.TetherSettings
but also there eis a Button to Enable the Settings “Tethering Setting” in the UEM Launcher Profile GUI.
I did not test the Mobile Data , as I do not have a Sim Card in the Device 😉
would be the best to debug on ADB if you are not sure.
best regards Patrick
Shreyas
Hi Patrick,
How do we disable developer settings in the android and IOS devices using workspace1
Patrick Zoeller
For Android you can go to the Restrictions and Disable the Option “Allow USB Debugging” , this will also disable the Developer Options based on my Testings on Android.
Chris
When I set this up it does the check but only ever reports that the device is up to date.
When I go out of the Launcher the device reports an update is available.
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Chris ,
There might be a possibility that it requires some additional Whitelisted Activities depending on you Android OEM Vendor.
Maybe check the “Blocked Applications” so you see if there is anything blocked on your devices.
Roman
Hi Patrick,
great article!
I’m trying to set a specific developer setting (mock location app) via a custom setting paylod. It’s neccessary because the developer options are disabled, yet need to be set by MDM.
Yet, I can’t figure out the correct characteristic type and parm-value (and the correct input for a specific application). Do you have any hints how to do that? I don’t even know if it’s within com.android.settings or a subclass.
It would be very nice to know not just the correct values but also the way to how one can find theese values.
Any help is very much appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Roman ,
you can get to the Developer Setting with the following :
com.android.settings.APPLICATION_DEVELOPMENT_SETTINGS
I know there are some Permissions on Apps to use Mocked Lockation, but did not test that so far yet.
Mart
How to set Bluetooth settings in the AE launcher without adding the the com.android.settings?
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Martin, in the Launcher Profile there are Settings called “Device Preference Settings” which has a “Bluetooth Setting” toggle already in the GUI.
Werner
Great article! Well done 🙂
when a pushing a webclip to android launcher profile, we are looking for a way to restrict the access to the URL search bar in the browser. Either hiding the search bar at the top or to block access to it.
What’s the best way to achieve this?
Thanks in advance
Patrick Zoeller
You can use the VMware Web Application , that supports whitelisting or Kiosk Mode, then you can break it down what pages are possible to access. Also on Chrome some App Config for Chrome can help.
So no extra Config required for this on Launcher.
Best regards
Patrick
Sebastian
Great article!!!
Is possible add the phone call app (android) to the launcher? I want only have one app and the phone call as option to the users.
Thanks
Patrick Zoeller
Sure , just use the wished dialer app and add it to the Launcher Home Screen. For example Google has a dialer , but also Samsung has a seperate dialer App.
Torfinn Bøe Henriksen
Is it possible to activate the built in Phone app?
Patrick Zoeller
yes, just add the App to the Home Screen Layout, if it is not visible , you can the App ID.
Tony
The legacy launcher would allow airplane mode to be turned on/off this is not longer an option. What other way could I enable this with out using AIRPLANE_MODE_SETTINGS as this also exposes cell network settings
Patrick Zoeller
Yes, this was there in Legacy, but is not there in Android Enterprise. Direct control of the setting is not possible , but we can guide the User to the Setting.
best regards
Patrick
Patrick Zoeller
You can use android.settings.AIRPLANE_MODE_SETTINGS in the Add Custom Device Settings as Action , there you can enable the “Flight Mode” / Disable it .
Louis
Bonjour Patrick,
Bravo pour cet article. çà m’a ouvert pas mal de piste.
Dans la même lignée que votre réponse, je cherche à n’autoriser que l’accès aux paramètres d’accessibilité dans le launcher. En effet, Google impose désormais à l’utilisateur de redonner les autorisations d’accessibilité aux applications.
Hors mon appli est dans le launcher, et je ne souhaite pas que mes utilisateurs puissent accéder aux paramètres.
2 solutions : soit je trouve un manifeste qui autorise l’accessibilité à cette appli via une commande WS1, soit je leur donne au moins accès coté launcher à ce paramètre. Le profil d’autorisation des applications ne me donne pas cette possibilité hélas.
Je ne suis pas encore en 21.11, alors j’ai suivi votre méthode avec le xml rattaché au profil ( dont je me sers déjà pour d’autres paramètres du launcher). Sauriez vous quel class je peux utiliser pour ces paramètres d’accessibilité?
J’ai fait un essai avec com.android.settings.SettingsAccessibilitySettingsActivity et com.android.settings.Settings$AccessibilitySettingsActivity et çà ne fonctionne pas avec votre modop. Il m’affiche toujours “votre admin vous limite l’accès aux paramètres” quand l’appli essaie d’accéder aux paramètres d’accessibilité. Merci beaucoup pour votre aide.
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Louis,
Sorry my French is not that good , so I will write in English.
Did you try to add com.android.settings.SettingsAccessibilitySettingsActivity as hidden Appliaction (on the Canvas view) , so that the User Can do to that settings. as By Default it might block some settings.
best regards
Patrick
Louis
Thank you very much for your super fast help.
Sorry for the French.
I just added it as a hidden application, but that doesn’t change much. I wonder if it is my xml that would not be good.
Patrick Zoeller
Please share the XML used , the Device Model/ OEM and if you see the buttons and a error come up then check the blocked applications , it should be visible there then.
If not I am happy to try to replicate here , just need to know the config.
Biplob
Hi Patrick,
Great article! I am looking to set the device display brightness to 80% and screen timeout to 30 mins. Would you please help me with the custom settings name and value.
Thanks a lot.
-Biplob
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Biplob,
Fur Zebra Devices , Display Brightness and Timeout can be set via Profile for Zebra Devices or also via StageNow XML (Products).
for other Vendors your have to check their OEM Config App if this is supported or not by them.
best regards
Patrick
Biplob
Hi Patrick,
Thanks a lot for your response.
Actually, we are evaluating other MDM vendors and they have this option of setting brightness and screen timeout within their UI for Samsung and other android devices without any OEM config app. So I was wondering if it can also be done in WS1 with some custom settings.
Regards,
Biplob
Patrick Zoeller
My personal thoughts on this:
I think the Cleanest way is OEM Config , it is integrated in the console, not Updates of API by VMware needed as the full control of the APIs (Device and Software) is within Samsung and seems to be the best option here. Creating a “Samsung Specific” API in the MDM seems to not bee the best case if it works fine with the Smasung Knox Service Plugin with no costs and low/no effort.
best regards
Patrick
Daniel DS
Hi, thank you for this tutorial.
On my side, I’ve got some problem, maybe you can help me:
– for Zebra device (android 11), I can’t figure out the good package and class to open “About Phone” (with useful device info) in Settings
-always for Zebra device, I find how to open StageNow application, but I have strange behaviour, I use com.zebra.devicemanager and class com.zebra.devicemanager.stagenow.main.HomeScreen the app open fine, but when I use scanner to do the main purpose of this app, it just refocus or relaunch the home screen of the app…
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Daniel,
If you want to use some things like Serial or IMEI etc. It might be a better option on adding it as a Widget to the Notification Bar (Currently Custom XML in 22.09 UEM ) so Users Cann access this easy.
Also you can use Sections in Launcher and use the Lookup Value as Headline.
I have a Zebra Device here and there it works to “Scan” Lables. If you have Stage now Still enabled maybe try to disable the Automatic Scanning of Stage Now Codes.
best Regards ,
Patrick
Puneeth
Hi Patrik, it was a great article. While the launcher is installed on the device, it stuck at waiting for profile. Could you please share the profile configuration for single app mode
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Puneeth,
make sure 1 profile is only assigned , disable the “Offline Mode” , If it still does not work , feel free to paste the XML here , I can have a look.
Best regards
Patrick
Michael
How do I reference Android settings that are global? I would like to disable all heads up notifications for 400 devices. I found the attribute but I’m unsure how to reference it since it’s not within an app or package. I believe this is the class that defines that attribute: android.provider.Settings.java.
I found how to do it with adb but I would like to push this configuration from Airwatch.
# adb shell settings put global heads_up_notifications_enabled 1
Also, if I wanted to disable head’s up notifications for a single app rather than globally, how would I accomplish this?
Michael
More details on what I’m trying to do here:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/74705641/airwatch-workspace-one-disable-heads-up-notifcation-per-app-android
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Michael,
Did you check the Permissions profile and “android.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS” set to “Deny Permission”
Best Regards
Patrick
Patrick Zoeller
answered this already a other Comments
leck
Hello Patrick
One question about Auto-rotate, I am also using “android.settings.AUTO_ROTATE_SETTINGS” in launcher – advanced customization.
is there way to allow Quick Panel so that user can simply activate/deactivate auto rotate by one click?
and is there a way to allow Search in settings(not hub settings, cuz i have added com.android.settings)
Patrick Zoeller
Currently this is limited to Flashlight, Wifi, Bluetooth etc. but sounds like a valid Feature request , please follow the Process outlined here https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2960048
Michael
How do I disable heads up notifications for individual app or globally using custom attributes?
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Michael,
Did you check the Permissions profile and “android.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS” set to “Deny Permission”
Best Regards
Patrick
Filippo
Hi, how can I give a user access to WiFi settings? I set up a launcher in multi-app mode and would like the user to change the WiFi independently. What settings can I change?
I have already tried to add in custom settings an XML file:
”
”
I also tried this: ”
Nothing works… Could you help me some how? Maybe I don’t put the flag in some fundamental setting.
Thanks!
Best regards.
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Filippo ,
In the “Device Preference Settings” enable the “Allow Granular Settings” the Setting is Called “Wi-Fi Settings” of Launcher Profile in UEM Console should help here,
Best Regards
Patrick
Filippo
Hi Patrick ! we did exactly what you told us but on the device when we click on the wifi button option in the left menu comes out a popup that says that the administrator has forbidden access to the menu.Any idea on this would be much appreciated ! Filippo
Patrick Zoeller
hi Filippo,
In Launcher there in the Settings a “Application” Section, where you can see the Activities you may need to whitelist additionally in the profile then .
best regards
Patrick
Jason
Hi Filippo! I am looking for the Custom Setting to allow a “reboot” or “restart” to the settings menu. We have our tablets to function as a kiosk and they are in an enclosed stand where you can’t easily access the power button to restart them when needed. I have tried adding “Allow Power Option” under “Utilities on the device” section but the option still not listed. The power option here may just give you the option to hold the button down on the side to reboot. I see the example you have above for “Update Settings” but do you know the option for “Reboot” or “Restart”? Is there a guide that lists what you use to build this xml? Thanks for this great write up!
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Jason,
This sounds like a Feature Request. I am not aware of a “Reboot” button ion Launcher .
Please have a look in the VMware Kb for this :
https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2960048
best regards
Patrick
Jason
I would also like to mention that “Restart Device” is listed when under admin mode. I don’t want my users having to get into admin mode to restart the device I would rather them just do it from settings.
Patrick Zoeller
Hi Jason,
This sounds like a Feature Request. I am not aware of a “Reboot” button ion Launcher .
Please have a look in the VMware Kb for this :
https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2960048
best regards
Patrick
Filippo
Hi Patrik, how are you?
I tried following your explanation of the last request I made to you last week but nothing worked.
I created a profile, associated with a smart group, in turn associated with a device.
The device must only have the ability to access 2 apps chosen by me, so I’m using a multi-app kiosk mode that works correctly, but I’d like to give the end user the option of being able to independently change the WiFi settings only, then switch networks at will.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite tablet if it helps, updated to the latest Andorid 13.0.
I have already tried, on your suggestion, to enable the WiFi Settings, in Allow Granular Settings, in the Device Preference Settings but as I said it didn’t work.
I’ve already done some more testing including inserting XML Files into the Custom Settings, but it still doesn’t work.
Inside the Launcher I can see the WiFi setting but when I click it it says: The IT administrator has restricted access to Settings.
What can I do?
A thousand thanks!
Best regards!
Patrick Zoeller
hi Filippo,
In Launcher there in the Settings a “Application” Section, where you can see the Activities you may need to whitelist additionally in the profile then .
best regards
Patrick