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Install Silent APK

Summary

  • Internal name: InstallSilentApk
  • Category: Device Admin (MDM)
  • Purpose: Silently download and install an APK from a URL, with no user interaction, using Android Device Owner privileges.
  • Task type: Normal

Compatibility

  • Minimum AndroMate version: 1.1.0

  • Maximum AndroMate version: 1.1.0

  • Minimum Android: Android 13 (API 33)

  • Maximum Android tested: Android 16 (API 36)

  • Supported manufacturers:

    • ✅ All manufacturers

  • Required permissions:

    • The AndroMate agent must be provisioned as Device Owner on the device — see the MDM / Device Owner provisioning documentation. Not a regular runtime permission; without Device Owner status, this task always fails.

Detailed description

The Install Silent APK task downloads an APK from apk_url and installs it without any user confirmation dialog — a capability only available to an app holding Android's Device Owner role (fully-managed device / MDM scenario).

This is one of the "MDM tasks" that require the AndroMate agent to be Device Owner: every task in this family shares the same guard, and fails immediately with DEVICE-OWNER-ERROR-001 if the agent isn't provisioned as Device Owner — before even reading apk_url.

The install itself is asynchronous on the Android side; the task blocks until it succeeds, fails, or 60 seconds pass.

Input parameters

Parameter Type Required Possible values Android Compatibility AndroMate Compatibility Default
apk_url String Yes A reachable HTTP(S) URL pointing to a valid .apk file Android 13 (API 33) → Android 16 (API 36) 1.1.0 → 1.1.0 ""

Output parameters

The Install Silent APK task produces no outputs. On success, the package described by the downloaded APK is installed on the device.

Exceptions

Code Exception Name Description
DEVICE-OWNER-ERROR-001 Device Owner Required The AndroMate agent is not provisioned as Device Owner on this device.
DEVICE-OWNER-ERROR-002 Silent APK Installation Failed The download or install step failed (bad URL, corrupt APK, signature mismatch, etc. — see the error message for details).
— Timeout The install did not complete within 60 seconds (fixed, not configurable).

Execution flowchart

flowchart TD
    Start([▶ InstallSilentApk]) --> CheckOwner{Agent is\nDevice Owner?}
    CheckOwner -->|No| E1[❌ DEVICE-OWNER-ERROR-001\nDEVICE_OWNER_REQUIRED]
    CheckOwner -->|Yes| Download[⬇️ Download APK from apk_url]
    Download --> Install[📦 Install silently, no dialog]
    Install --> Wait{Result within\n60s?}
    Wait -->|No| E2[❌ Timeout]
    Wait -->|Success| Success1[✅ Package installed]
    Wait -->|Failure| E3[❌ DEVICE-OWNER-ERROR-002\nINSTALL_FAILED]

    Success1 --> Success([✅ VoidResult])
    E1 --> Error([❌ Exception])
    E2 --> Error
    E3 --> Error

    style Start fill:#e3f2fd
    style Success fill:#c8e6c9
    style Error fill:#ffcdd2
    style Install fill:#fff9c4

How it works:

  1. Device Owner check: raises DEVICE-OWNER-ERROR-001 immediately if the agent isn't Device Owner.
  2. Download + install: downloads the APK from apk_url and installs it silently (no user prompt).
  3. Wait: blocks up to 60 seconds for the (asynchronous) install callback.
  4. Result: success installs the package; failure raises DEVICE-OWNER-ERROR-002 with the underlying error message; no callback within 60s raises a timeout.

Input parameter details

1. Input parameter: apk_url

The HTTP(S) URL to download the APK from.

Example

"apk_url": "https://cdn.example.com/releases/agent-v2.apk"

Details

  • Must be reachable from the device and serve a valid .apk file.
  • Resolved at runtime — may reference a $variable.

Complete JSON example

{
  "InstallSilentApk": [
    {
      "id": "1",
      "title": "Deploy latest agent build",
      "apk_url": "https://cdn.example.com/releases/agent-v2.apk"
    }
  ]
}