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:
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
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.
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. All I had a look it seems not to be possible with any XML currently.
best regards
Patrick
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.