App Updates for Android Enterprise
Auto-updates for apps on Android Enterprise devices can be set through a Maintenance Window. and app updates on Android Enterprise devices can also be controlled by fields for setting an app update priority and for defining a minimum version for apps. The two fields are found within App Settings for individual apps and are called Update Priorty and Minimum Version Code.
Auto-Update Maintenance Window
You can choose to set a Maintenance Window for auto-updates that will override the update settings users configure. By default this option is unchecked.
When active (checked), the start time and duration options appear, they are implemented based on the local time of the device. The maintenance window can be set at any time and will ignore the following constraints: device is charging, device is idle (not actively used), the app to be updated is not running in the foreground. This does not affect the network constraint, which is managed separately.
It can take up to 24 hours for an app update to be added to the Android update queue. After an app is added, it will be updated automatically the next time the device is in the maintenance window if the network constraint is met (the device is connected to a Wi-Fi network). As a result, it can take up to 48 hours for an app to update after a maintenance window is set.
Update Priority
The Update Priority field provides the ability to control the app updates behavior on Android Enterprise Devices. This option allows admins to set the priority of updates, providing control of when the app is updated on a device. A drop-down list holds the Options:
- High Priority setting forces updates on the device immediately after it is available.
- Postpone for 90 days delays app updates so updates are not applied until 90 days after the update is available.
- Default mode allows app updates to be available as decided by the Google Play store.
Minimum Code Version
This option sets the minimum version of the app for a given device. If a lower version of the app is installed, then the app will be auto-updated according to the auto-install constraints, instead of waiting for the regular auto-update. You can set a minimum version code for at most 20 apps per device
Warning: use of this attribute might affect apps in active use. To get the version codes for apps, please contact the app developer or refer to the example below.
Considerations:
- AE modes supported: Work Profile, Work Managed, and Work Profile on Company Owned Devices
- Apps supported: Public and Private Channel apps on Google Play Store
- As defined by specification, the minimum app version code is a 7 digit numeric code (1234567) which is the minimum version of the app to be installed on the device.
Example:
Installed version of the Whatsapp App is 2.19.10.15 and the latest version available is 2.21.18.17, the minimum version code an administrator could enter in EMM console could look like 2210000. In this case app will be upgraded to 2.21.18.17 meeting the minimum version criteria specified by admin. Admins should note this functionality forces an immediate app upgrade and could force an active app session to close abruptly for the upgrade to complete.
Considerations for both Update Priority and Minimum Code Version
When the App Update Mode and Minimum Version Code is modified on an app, it is applied to ALL devices which has the app distributed to.
The app update applies to public and private apps hosted on Google Play Store. These options are not available for in-house apps.