Managed Google Play Web Apps show persistent browser header in kiosk mode: request Esper Web App container (WEST) via Account Management

Android

Title: Managed Google Play Web Apps show browser header in kiosk mode — use Esper Web App container

When deploying a web application through Managed Google Play Web Apps with the display mode set to "Full screen," the device still shows a persistent browser header, address bar, or navigation bar in kiosk mode.

Why this happens

Managed Google Play Web Apps wrap your URL in Chrome's WebView, which does not fully suppress browser UI elements on Android — even when full-screen mode is configured. This is a limitation of Google's Web App delivery method and cannot be resolved through Esper Console settings alone.

Use the Esper Web App container (WEST)

Esper provides a dedicated solution called the Esper Web App container (WEST), which packages your target URL as a native Android APK with no browser header, address bar, or navigation controls. WEST is a paid add-on that Esper's team provisions for you.

Collect the following information before contacting Esper Support:
- App title — the display name you want for the APK
- Target URL — the full URL the app should load on launch
- Any additional requirements, such as zoom lock, forced orientation, or on-screen navigation controls
Contact Esper Support and specify that you want to request the Esper Web App container (WEST). Include all information gathered in step 1 so the team can begin the provisioning process without further back-and-forth.
Once Esper delivers your WEST APK, navigate to Apps & Configuration → Private Apps in the Esper Console and upload the APK. This makes the app available to assign to a Blueprint.
Open the Blueprint you use for your kiosk devices and add the WEST APK as a kiosk application under Apps & Configuration → Blueprints → [Blueprint Name] → Apps.
Push the updated Blueprint to your target devices via Devices & Groups → [Device or Group] → Blueprint and apply the change.

Verify: On a target device, confirm that the web application launches directly to your URL with no browser header, address bar, or navigation menu visible. The device should reflect the Blueprint update in the Activity Feed within 5 minutes of applying the change.

Alternative approaches if WEST is not an option

If WEST is not suitable for your use case, the following approaches may reduce browser UI visibility, but results vary by device manufacturer and Android version and are not guaranteed:

Apply Chrome managed configurations via Apps & Configuration → Managed Configurations to set policies such as URLBlocklist or disable the default search provider with DefaultSearchProviderEnabled
Evaluate OEM-specific kiosk browser apps available for your device model, which may offer tighter UI suppression than Chrome WebView

If this doesn't resolve it

If the browser header persists after deploying WEST, or if you have questions about which configuration is right for your deployment, contact Esper Support with the following information:

Device model and Android version
The WEST APK version provided by Esper
A screenshot or screen recording showing the persistent UI element
The Blueprint name applied to the affected devices

Still need help?

If the steps above don't resolve the issue, submit a support ticket with your device model, Android version, Esper Agent version, and a description of what you've already tried — this helps the support team investigate without a follow-up.