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Android Application Policy Settings

  • Last Updated September 9, 2026

Topic

This article describes how to navigate and configure application management settings in an Android MDM policy in NinjaOne Mobile Device Management (MDM).

Environment

NinjaOne Mobile Device Management (MDM)

Description

This article is part of the NinjaOne MDM: Android Application Management article suite. It covers navigating to application management settings, configuring policy-level application options, working with the Managed Applications table, configuring kiosk settings, and setting persistent preferred activities. Refer to NinjaOne MDM: Android Application Management for more information.

Refer to the following articles for additional information about application management:

Select a topic to continue:

Follow these steps to navigate to the configuration options for your Android MDM policy.

  1. In NinjaOne, navigate to Administration → Policies → MDM Policies, then select an Android MDM policy from the list.
MDMAppMgmt_PolicyNav2.png
Figure 1: Administration → Policies → MDM Policies (click to enlarge)
  1. The Android MDM policy's configuration page will open. Click Applications. The menu will expand to show three configuration page sections:
    • Management Settings
    • Kiosk Settings
    • Advanced Settings
MDMAppMgmt_PolicyOptions.png
Figure 2: Applications settings (click to enlarge)

Configuring Application Settings

In the Applications drop-down menu, click Management to access application management configuration options. Here, you can configure the following settings.

Setting Description
Default permission policy Set a default NinjaOne policy to manage all installed applications globally; configure more granular, per-app permissions within each app's settings.
Play store mode

There are two Play Store modes:

  • Allowlist: Only approved apps appear in the Google Play Store. No other apps appear or are searchable.
  • Blocklist: The Google Play Store displays all apps except those explicitly blocked through the policy.
Untrusted apps policy Define whether users can sideload applications onto the device via the web, file transfer, or developer options.
Content protection policy Activate content protection, which prohibits users from sharing content from the device through electronic means or output devices.
Native multi-app kiosk launcher Activate or deactivate the Kiosk Settings tab. Refer to the Kiosk Settings section of this article for more information.
Configure always-on VPN package Define an app package name that Android will consider the launch virtual private network (VPN) package and ensure it runs as the always-on VPN app.
Block network access if VPN disconnects Block network access through WiFi or cellular signal if the VPN is no longer present.
Managed Applications Select specific applications to be automatically installed or blocked, or made optionally available to users, when the mobile device becomes NinjaOne-managed. Refer to the Working with Managed Applications section of this article for more information.

Working with Managed Applications

The Managed Applications table allows you to select specific applications and automatically install or block them, or make them optionally available to users on a NinjaOne-managed Android device. Apps that you add appear in this table.

For information about adding applications to the Managed Applications table, refer to NinjaOne MDM: Adding, Editing, and Removing Android Applications.

Managed Applications Table Columns

The Managed Applications table shows data about each app in a series of data columns. You can add or remove columns by clicking the gear icon. You can also rearrange columns by dragging them to new positions in the stack.

App Installation Failure Activity

Three consecutive app installation failures (not specifically on the same app) trigger a failure activity, which NinjaOne reports in the Activity feed on the device's dashboard. This alerting generates automatically and requires no configuration.

Kiosk Settings

The multi-app kiosk launcher dedicates devices to run a specific set of apps so they can function as single-purpose kiosks (such as information terminals, point-of-sale pads, or digital signs). Refer to Android Kiosk Help (external link) to learn more about Android kiosk mode.

Activating Kiosk Options

You must activate the native multi-app kiosk launcher before configuring kiosk settings.

On the Android MDM policy's configuration page, click Applications, then select Management from the drop-down menu and activate the Native multi-app kiosk launcher toggle.

Editing Kiosk Settings

On the Android MDM policy's Applications page, click Kiosk settings, then configure the settings to your requirements. This table provides an explanation of each kiosk setting.

Setting Description
Power button Allow or block the long-press button behavior in kiosk mode.
System error warnings Activate or hide system error warnings; unresponsive apps close automatically.
System navigation Activate or block navigation buttons such as Home or Overview.
Status bar Activate or deactivate system info and notifications in kiosk mode; note that system navigation settings affect whether this setting is configurable.
Device settings Allow or block a user's access to the device's Settings app in kiosk mode.

Advanced Settings

The Advanced tab allows you to configure persistent preferred activities, which are rules that determine which apps managed devices use when users perform specific actions.

Configuring Persistent Preferred Activities

  1. On the Android MDM policy's configuration page, navigate to Applications → Advanced and click Add activity.

  2. In the Add activity window, enter the following information.

    Option Description
    Configuration name Assign a descriptive name to the configuration.
    Activity Enter the application activity to use for the following actions and categories. Refer to the app developer for supported activities.
    Select an action Select an action from the drop-down menu. The action options include the intent filter and the app packages.
    Select a category Select an action category from the drop-down menu.

Additional Resources

Refer to the following articles for additional information:

FAQ

Next Steps