Configuring Default Apps in Android

Satish Shetty Updated by Satish Shetty

The Default Apps policy allows MDM administrators to enforce which applications handle specific intents, link types, and file types on managed Android devices. When enabled, end users cannot change these defaults — the configured app will always be used for the assigned action.

This policy requires Device Owner mode and Android 7.0 (Nougat) or higher. Default app assignments persist across reboots and cannot be overridden by the device user.

Prerequisites

  • Devices must be enrolled in Device Owner mode.
  • Android 7.0 (API 24) or higher.
  • The target app must already be installed on the device before the policy is applied. If the app is not installed, that particular default will be skipped.
  • Use the exact package name of the target app (e.g., com.google.android.dialer).

How to Configure

  1. Log in to the Codeproof MDM console.
  2. Navigate to the policy profile assigned to your target devices or device group.
  3. Open the Default Apps policy section.
  4. Toggle Enable to turn on the policy.
  5. Enter the package name for each default app category you want to enforce.
  6. Save and publish the policy.

The policy will be applied the next time the device checks in, or you can push a sync from the console.

Cyber Device Manager Mobile Policy Manager

Supported Categories

Default Apps

These control which app the device uses as the system default for core functions.

Setting

Description

Example Package

Messaging/SMS

Default app for sending and receiving SMS/MMS messages.

com.google.android.apps.messaging

Calling/Dialer

Default phone/dialer app for making calls.

com.google.android.dialer

Browser

Default web browser for handling HTTP links.

com.android.chrome

Home Launcher

The home screen launcher. Useful for kiosk or locked-down deployments.

com.codeproof.appmanager

Camera

Default camera app for photo and video capture.

com.google.android.GoogleCamera

Email Client

Default app for composing emails (mailto: intent).

com.google.android.gm

Contacts

Default contacts/people app.

com.google.android.contacts

Calendar

Default calendar app for creating events.

com.google.android.calendar

Gallery/Photos

Default app for browsing photos and images.

com.google.android.apps.photos

File Manager

Default file browser/manager app.

com.google.android.documentsui

Call Screening

Default call screening service (spam filtering, call blocking).

com.google.android.dialer

Notes App

Default app for creating notes.

com.google.android.keep

Assistant App

Default digital assistant app.

com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

These control which app opens when the user taps a specific type of link.

Setting

Description

Example Package

Open Web Links With

Handles http:// and https:// URLs tapped anywhere on the device.

com.android.chrome

Open Email Links With

Handles mailto: links.

com.google.android.gm

Open Phone Links With

Handles tel: links (tappable phone numbers in web pages, emails, etc.).

com.google.android.dialer

Open SMS Links With

Handles sms: and smsto: links.

com.google.android.apps.messaging

Open Map Links With

Handles geo: links (map coordinates, location links).

com.google.android.apps.maps

Open App Store Links With

Handles market:// links (Play Store app links).

com.android.vending

File Handling

These control which app opens when the user taps a specific file type.

Setting

Description

Example Package

Open PDF Files With

Opens .pdf files.

com.adobe.reader

Open Image Files With

Opens image files (JPEG, PNG, GIF, etc.).

com.google.android.apps.photos

Open Video Files With

Opens video files (MP4, AVI, MKV, etc.).

com.mxtech.videoplayer.ad

Open Audio Files With

Opens audio files (MP3, WAV, FLAC, etc.).

com.google.android.music

Open Text Files With

Opens plain text files (.txt, .log, etc.).

com.example.texteditor

Open Archive Files With

Opens compressed archives (ZIP, RAR, 7z).

com.rarlab.rar

Open Office Documents With

Opens Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.

com.microsoft.office.officehubrow

Finding an App's Package Name

If you are unsure of an app's package name, use any of these methods:

  • Google Play Store URL: Open the app's Play Store page in a browser. The URL will contain id=com.example.app — that is the package name.
  • Codeproof Console: Navigate to the device's installed apps list in the Codeproof console. The package name is shown for each app.
  • On the device: Go to Settings > Apps, tap the app, and look for the package name in the app info screen.

Behavior and Notes

  • Only filled-in fields are enforced. If you leave a field blank, no default is set for that category and the user retains their existing choice.
  • App must be installed. If the target app is not installed on the device at the time of enforcement, that entry is skipped. Once the app is installed and the policy syncs again, the default will be applied.
  • User cannot override. Once enforced, the device user cannot change the default app through device Settings.
  • Policy re-application. The policy is re-applied on every sync. If you change the target package in the console, the new default will take effect on the next device check-in.
  • Uninstalling the target app. If the enforced default app is uninstalled, the device will fall back to the Android system chooser for that intent until the policy is updated or the app is reinstalled.
  • Android version limitations. Devices running Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) or lower will ignore this policy entirely.

Common Use Cases

Corporate Kiosk Deployment

Lock down the home launcher and browser to prevent users from leaving the approved environment:

Setting

Package

Home Launcher

com.codeproof.appmanager

Browser

com.android.chrome

Open Web Links With

com.android.chrome

Secure Messaging Deployment

Ensure all SMS and email goes through approved enterprise apps:

Setting

Package

Messaging/SMS

com.your.securemessenger

Email Client

com.your.securemail

Open Email Links With

com.your.securemail

Open SMS Links With

com.your.securemessenger

Standardized Office Suite

Force all documents, PDFs, and files to open in the same productivity suite:

Setting

Package

Open PDF Files With

com.microsoft.office.officehubrow

Open Office Documents With

com.microsoft.office.officehubrow

Open Text Files With

com.microsoft.office.officehubrow

Troubleshooting

Issue

Resolution

Default app not changing on device

Verify the target app is installed. Check that the device is enrolled as Device Owner. Force a policy sync from the console.

Policy shows enabled but nothing happens

Confirm the device is running Android 7.0+. Devices on Android 6.0 or lower do not support this feature.

Wrong app opens for a link type

Check that both the "Default Apps" entry and the corresponding "Link Handling" entry are configured. For example, setting the browser default does not automatically handle all http:// links — also set "Open Web Links With."

User reports they changed the default back

This should not be possible in Device Owner mode. Verify the device is truly in Device Owner mode and not just using Device Admin.

App was uninstalled and now no app opens

Reinstall the target app or update the policy to point to a different installed app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I set different defaults for different device groups? Yes. Create separate policy profiles for each group and configure the Default Apps section differently in each profile.

Q: Does this work on Samsung Knox devices? Yes. This policy uses standard Android Device Owner APIs and works on all OEMs including Samsung, with no Knox-specific configuration required.

Q: What happens if I set both "Browser" and "Open Web Links With" to different apps? The "Browser" setting controls the system default browser role. The "Open Web Links With" setting controls which app handles tapped HTTP/HTTPS links. For consistent behavior, it is recommended to set both to the same app.

Q: Can I enforce defaults for app types not listed here? The current policy supports the categories listed above. If you need additional default app types, please contact Codeproof support.

How did we do?

Disabling factory reset protection (FRP)

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