Update Priority unavailable for Chrome (preloaded app): re-add as managed Play Store app to unlock setting

Android

If you're unable to configure the Update Priority setting for Google Chrome or another preloaded app in your Blueprint, this article explains why and how to resolve it.

Why Update Priority is unavailable for preloaded apps

Update Priority is a managed Google Play policy control. Preloaded (system) apps—like Chrome when it ships pre-installed on a device—are not enrolled under managed Play. Because Esper cannot apply Play-layer update policies to system apps, the Update Priority field is intentionally disabled for them.

To unlock this setting, you need to add the app as a managed Play Store application instead of relying on the preloaded version.

How to add Chrome as a managed Play Store app

In the Esper Console, go to Blueprints → [Your Blueprint Name] → Apps.
Locate Google Chrome in your app list. Note that it's currently listed as a system/preloaded app.
Select + Add App → Play Store.
Search for Google Chrome and select it from the results.
This creates a second entry for Chrome as a fully managed Play Store application.
In the newly added Play Store entry, open the app settings and set Update Mode to your desired value (for example, High Priority or Always update automatically).
Save and publish the Blueprint, then push it to your device group.

How to verify the change

After the Blueprint is applied:

On the target device, check Apps → Managed Apps to confirm Chrome appears as a managed Play Store app.
In the Esper Console, go to Devices & Groups → [Your Device] → Apps and confirm the Play Store version of Chrome is installed and the update mode is reflected.

Before you begin

Ensure the following conditions are met:

Your Esper tenant has Managed Google Play properly configured.
Your device is enrolled in a work profile or fully managed device enrollment mode that supports Play policies.
Your devices have network access to Google Play at provisioning or policy application time.

Troubleshooting

Chrome doesn't appear in the Play Store search:

Verify that Managed Google Play is enabled for your Esper tenant and that your devices support managed Play policies.

The Play Store version installs, but Update Priority still doesn't apply:

Ensure your device has the latest Esper agent version installed. Outdated agent versions may not properly relay Play update policies.

The device firmware reverts to the system version of Chrome:

This is OEM-specific behavior. Before wide deployment, validate that the Play Store version persists on your device model.

Update Priority remains greyed out after adding Chrome as a managed Play Store app:

Contact Esper Support and provide your device model, firmware build number, and agent version.

Still need help?

If you've completed these steps and Update Priority is still unavailable, or if you need further assistance, submit a support ticket. Include your device model, firmware build number, and Esper agent version to help us resolve the issue faster.