Managing Applications on a Device

Manage apps on a device. You'll be able to change the app's state and manage its configurations. You can also install new apps from this page. 

This is one way of managing device applications. You can also use a blueprint to manage device applications. Keep in mind that whenever you converge devices, the blueprint changes are applied.

In this article:

• Manage Configurations 
• Set Application Permissions 
• Set an Application State 
• Setting Update Mode
• Uninstall an Application
• Clear the Application Data

Click on the device in Devices & Groups. Then navigate to the Apps tab. 

You can search for a particular application by entering part or entire application name.

Android

You can also search for apps with the following filters:

• All Apps: All applications installed on the device.
• Enterprise Applications: Private applications that are installed using the Esper Cloud.
• Google Apps: Google applications installed using your managed Google Play account.
• Preloaded Applications: Applications that were pre-installed by the device maker in ROM. These apps are then updated through the Play Store (GMS only). 

iOS

You can also search for apps with the following filters:

• All Apps: All applications installed on the device.
• Enterprise Applications: Private applications that are installed using the Esper Cloud.
• VPP Apps: App Store applications managed by an Apple Business Manager account.

Installing New Apps and Updating Apps

To install or update an app, click on Install New App. Generally, users install apps this way for small-scale testing or deployments. When installing or updating many devices, use a blueprint or pipeline. 

When updating apps, it's not necessary to delete an older version of the app before installing the new version. 

Android 

For Android apps, choose from enterprise applications or Google Play apps. 

Choose the app and then select its version number (if prompted). Optionally manage its configurations (see below). Then press Install. 

iOS

Choose from Enterprise iOS apps and VPP apps. 

Choose the app and then select its version number (if prompted). Then press Install. 

Managed Configurations 

Managed configuration gives the admins the flexibility to manage work applications from the Console. From the ‘Device & Group’ screen, click the name of the device for which you want to manage applications. Navigate to the ‘Apps’ tab.

Step 1: For the selected application, click on Manage.

Step 2: Go to the Configurations tab. The input field accepts JSON.

Following is a sample code for Chrome (version 86 and above) Managed Configuration:

{"URLBlocklist":[
  "example.com",
  "https://ssl.server.com",
  "hosting.com/bad_path",
  "https://server:8080/path",
  ".exact.hostname.com",
  "file://*",
  "custom_scheme:*",
  "*"],
  "SafeBrowsingProtectionLevel":1,
 "HomepageLocation":"https://www.chromium.org", "CookiesBlockedForUrls":[
  "https://www.example.com",
  "[*.]example.edu"
 ],
 "DefaultGeolocationSetting":3     
 }

Following is a sample code for Chrome (Version below 86) Managed Configuration:

    {"URLBlacklist":[
    "example.com",
    "https://ssl.server.com",
    "hosting.com/bad_path",
    "https://server:8080/path",
    ".exact.hostname.com",
    "file://*",
    "custom_scheme:*",
    "*"],
    "SafeBrowsingProtectionLevel":1,

    "HomepageLocation":"https://www.chromium.org", "CookiesBlockedForUrls":[
    "https://www.example.com",
    "[*.]example.edu"
    ],
      "DefaultGeolocationSetting":3     
    }

Step 3: Click Apply to save the changes. Clicking Cancel will take you back to the 'app setting' screen.

Set Application Permissions 

Application permissions allow users to configure multiple permissions state on a device like camera access to an application, read and write to external storage permissions, contacts access, and accounts permissions.

Step 1: To access application permissions of any application, click Manage.

You can change the following permissions. Permission options may vary by app. 

Set an Application State 

Show or hide the applications on a device.

Show state: Show state keeps the application accessible directly and indirectly on your device, which means the user can access the application directly on your device or via some other application.

Hide state: If an application is set to Hide, it will not appear as an app on the device but it may still run in the background. Most preloaded apps are hidden by default. Apps in this state are not launchable from other apps. 

Disable state: If you want to prevent an application from running, use Disable. The Disable state is helpful for preloaded applications that you cannot uninstall. This state prevents the application from running in the foreground and background.

Setting Update Mode

For Google Play Store applications, you'll be able to choose when an app is updated. Click on the Update Mode dropdown menu in the app's row to select this mode. 

Default Update Mode

This option is good for customers who want to update their app on Wi-Fi and not through mobile data. The update will happen when all of the conditions are met:

• The device is connected to a Wi-Fi network.
• The device is charging.
• The device is not actively being used.
• The app that needs to be updated isn’t running in the foreground.

High Priority Mode

This option is for customers who want their applications updated immediately regardless of whether or not they’re connected to Wi-Fi or using mobile data.

The update triggers:

• As soon as it is available through the Google Play store as long as the device is communicating with Esper. Apps are updated whenever the device starts communicating with Esper again.

Postpone Mode

The app is not automatically updated. After 90 days from when the app first becomes out of date, the latest version is installed (following the Default Update Mode behavior).

Uninstall an App

Preinstalled apps cannot be uninstalled. 

To uninstall an app, check the box next to it. Then click on the Action button. 

Then select Uninstall. The application will be uninstalled. 

Clear the Application Data

To clear app data and its cache, click on the ellipsis and select Clear. This option may not be available for preloaded apps. 

This will send a request to the device to clear application data and cache.