Chrome is a popular browser that often comes preinstalled on most Android devices as most of the manufacturers in the market often have agreements to include the Chrome browser on the devices. That said, you might be tired of Chrome or maybe you would like to free up your storage space. If you are a business, you might want to disable Chrome to prevent employees from surfing the web using their Android devices while at work.

Whichever the case, there are scenarios where you simply cannot uninstall Chrome on Chrome the way you do it with other apps that you installed. That said, there are some workarounds you can use, though, and this guide is here to expound on some of the best ways you can uninstall Chrome on your Android device. Let's delve right into it:

Why I Cannot uninstall Google Chrome?

For starters, you are probably wondering why you simply can't head over to your settings on your Android device and uninstall your Chrome browser. 

Well, the answer is quite simple: Chrome is often the default browser on your Android device. Most manufacturers, like Samsung, Google Pixel, LG, Motorola, HTC, Sony, and others, often have agreements with Google to include the browser as a pre-installed app on devices.

In fact, Android is commercially sponsored by Google primarily because the tech giant acquired Android in 2005. So, Google essentially licenses the Android name and logo to manufacturers to ensure consistency and brand recognition across different devices running the Android operating system.

The Chrome browser files are stored in the system partition, and some of its files like WebView, keep critical files related to browser security. Frankly, the Android device manufacturers have made it difficult for users to uninstall it.

On the flip side, while uninstalling Chrome from Android is a bit challenging, it doesn't mean you cannot uninstall it. 

Let's look at some of the workarounds you can use to uninstall or remove the Chrome browser from your Android device without affecting its overall functionality.

How to Uninstall Chrome from Android?

1Disable Chrome on Android 

Since Android does not give you an option to directly uninstall Chrome, you can simply choose to disable the browser from your device. Disabling Chrome on your Android means you stop it from running in the background or updating. It removes files. 

You just turn it off and hide it from your device. This method can actually help free up your storage space and improve your Android device performance, but not quite significantly.  

2Using ADB to uninstall Chrome 

Android Device Bridge (ADB) is a popular Android developer tool that runs commands on an Android device from a computer. While it is primarily meant for developers, you can use it to uninstall nearly any app on your Android without rooting permissions. However, you will need to enable USB debugging on your Android device. 

It is worth noting that you risk losing important data that may make your device more vulnerable. Therefore, it is best to back up your Chrome data first before trying this. 

Additionally, it is a bit challenging, especially if you have no experience with the technical side of using a command line to write some scripts. 

3Root Android Phone 

Rooting your Android phone means getting access to controls and bypassing limitations imposed by the manufacturer. This means you can install prohibited apps, delete system apps, and modify hidden settings with ease. You basically have control over the phone and settings. 

The downside, though, is that rooting can leave your phone more vulnerable to security threats. Additionally, you can lose important data and easily damage your device, especially if the process goes wrong. Therefore, you should backup your phone before rooting it. 

You can check out this guide on what rooting is all about and how to root your Android phone.  

After successfully rooting your Android phone, you can now delete Google Chrome on your rooted phone using applications such as Titanium Backup and System App Remover among others. The following steps show how to delete Chrome on your rooted Android phone via System App Remover.

Manage Google Chrome on Android for Business

The other nice way to disable or even uninstall Chrome on Android devices is to use what's known as a Mobile Device Management (MDM) tool. It is one of the best ways to manage Android apps like Google Chrome from a central platform, particularly if you are a business or an organization looking to control how such apps are used within your network infrastructure.

For example, depending on your company policies, you might want to limit your employees' access to non-work-related websites and distractions during working hours. 

In this case, having a tool that can let you disable apps like Chrome can come in handy. A good MDM platform can provide a safe and easy way to manage Google Chrome on Android for Business. 

What you can do when disabling or uninstalling Chrome with an MDM Solution 

● You can uninstall Chrome on multiple devices at once.

● You can selectively restrict users on Chrome usage by using the blacklist and whitelist for different devices in your business. 

● It allows you to check the screen time report on Chrome usage and then decide whether to block or uninstall.

● It provides an app management feature that helps. 

Common Issues You Might Encounter When Deleting Chrome 

When you delete Chrome on your Android phone, you will probably encounter a number of issues of varied magnitudes. However, most of these issues are common and can be solved with ease. To help highlight and provide relevant solutions, here are the respective solutions to these problems. 

1.How to Backup Bookmarks and Data on Chrome before deleting it? 

2.How to Set Another default browser on my phone? 

3.How do I uninstall Chrome updates on Android?

4.How to Clear Cache and Data on Chrome?

Conclusion

In a nutshell, uninstalling Chrome on Android isn't always straightforward, albeit, there are some workarounds you can use to disable or uninstall the app. If you are a business, you are better off using a secure professional-grade MDM tool like Airdroid for Business that will make it easier to disable, uninstall and manage Chrome. You will certainly have better control over how you deploy, update, and manage both internal and apps on Android devices, including whitelisting/blacklisting apps, enforcing app policies, and managing app licenses. 

The post How to Uninstall Chrome on Android first appeared on www.airdroid.com.

Are you a freelance software developer who’s working all by themselves? Or do you work in a large software team where you need to collaborate with others and work with certain standards for developing application software?

In either case, streamlining the complete process of making and maintaining a software application is highly important. Since it is important to develop applications in an easy and efficient way, you definitely need ALM or Application Lifecycle Management. Thus, we are here with a complete guide on what is application lifecycle management, the steps involved, its benefits, and every other detail you could possibly need.

What is Application Lifecycle Management?

If you are new to software development or working in a large team for the first time, you might not have heard about ALM in the past. So, let us explain what is application lifecycle and why you need it.

In order to properly develop and maintain any software application, you need to follow a certain procedure. From the initial idea to its design, development, testing, deployment, and long term maintenance, you need to do everything correctly.

And this is exactly what ALM aims to deliver. With ALM, or Application Lifecycle Management, you build and plan a complete strategic process in advance that goes through all the various phases of application development explained above. This results in better team collaborations, efficient long term maintenance, and most importantly building successful software applications.

What is the Process of ALM?

By now, you should be able to understand what application lifecycle management is. If the basics are now clear to you, you should also know the actual steps and processes of ALM to better understand what is application lifecycle management:

1Requirements for Application Development

You first need to understand all of your requirements and needs for making any plans or ALM for your software development. This generally involves discussing the client and your entire development team so everything can be planned around your requirements.

2Developing the Software Program

Once the initial requirements are understood, the actual application development can begin. In this step, all of the developers will work together to make an initial revision or version of the application within the estimated timeline. There might be quality checks from time to time during this process as well.

3Testing for Bugs and Issues

Even highly experienced developers can’t be perfect while developing applications. So, the next step involves testing for any bugs and issues. This process is highly important to ensure a quality product in the end that does not have any issues. By ensuring a quality product, you also save on maintenance in the long run.

4Application Deployment

Once all bugs and issues are fixed, the software application can be deployed for real world use. For efficient deployment, you definitely want to implement automatic updates as well so that future maintenance and feature upgradation can be done easily.

5Software Maintenance in the Long Run

Speaking of future maintenance, the last step of ALM involves maintaining the software program. This process lasts till the end of life of the application which involves things like fixing bugs, adding features, taking user feedback, ensuring long term usability, and making any other changes in the long run.

Why Do You Need Application Lifecycle Management?

While the processes themselves are pretty self explanatory, Application Lifecycle Management offers various benefits including:

1Better Visibility for Developers and Testers

By planning out all requirements in advance and publicly sharing all the required data, a whole team is able to efficiently develop an application.

2Improved Compliance with Safety Regulations

Because there are multiple quality checks, strict testing processes, and using standardized development processes, the overall safety of your application is improved.

3Quick and Efficient Deployment of Software

If you are able to streamline the entire development team and the testing team, your overall efficiency and delivery times will be much better.

4Better and Higher Product Quality

As ALM introduces multiple quality checks and a standardized testing process, you get fewer issues and a much better and higher quality product.

5Reduced Development Cost

Since ALM helps with improved efficiency, faster deployment, fewer bugs, and a higher quality product without requiring extra efforts, the overall development costs are also reduced.

What are ALM, SDLC, and PLM? What are the Differences?

While we have already helped you understand what application lifecycle management is, you may also come across other terms like SDLC and PLM while working as a software developer.

So, if you want to optimally and efficiently develop apps, you should also know the same:

SDLC:

SDLC stands for Software Development Life Cycle. And unlike Application Lifecycle Management that manages the entire lifecycle and every process required for making applications, SDLC focuses just on the development part.

This means that SDLC is a part of ALM which includes actual development processes like writing the code. But it does not include any requirements testing or maintenance processes. So if you are planning ALM, you will be planning SDLC at the same time automatically.

PLM:

PLM stands for Product Lifecycle Management. While ALM focuses on development and other processes for making an application, PLM focuses on the real life aspects of software development. To be more exact, PLM or Product Lifecycle Management focuses on required tools, the actual development team, materials needed, and most importantly cost required. Generally, PLM is equally important as ALM and both need to be done at the same time.

Should You Use MDM with ALM?

Once you have deployed Application Lifecycle Management, you will be completely focused on the long term maintenance. In short, you will be sending out updates, helping users fix any issues, removing bugs, and other similar tasks. However, doing these tasks on a large scale can be quite difficult.

And this is exactly where MDM (Mobile Device Management) comes into play. The purpose of the MDM process is to provide an all-in-one solution for remote management of apps that you have deployed for your users and customers.

As for MDM specifically, it focuses on remotely managing mobile devices like laptops, tablets, and smartphones. For example, if your user has a mobile device, you can use MDM processes to send app updates, install new apps, configure current apps, monitor app performance, and much more.

In fact, to deploy the best application lifecycle management practices, you should definitely deploy mobile device management as well:

1MDM for App Configuration

Mobile device management is primarily used for app configuration which includes updating apps as well as changing their settings if needed. By sending out over the air updates, your users can enjoy new features, get rid of existing bugs, and much more.

2MDM for App Deployment

If you have made a new application, then you can deploy or install it in all of your users devices using MDM as well. With the right MDM methods, you can remotely and safely install new applications for all of your user devices.

3MDM for App Monitoring

Since you would want your users to have an optimal experience while using your apps, you can use mobile device management for monitoring app performance as well. You can also track user data to better understand user needs and add features to your app updates accordingly.

4MDM for App De-Provisioning

In case any of your older apps has reached its end of life and you want to discontinue it, you can remove it from your users’ devices with the help of MDM. This can be done by actually uninstalling the application or just by revoking access to the same.

Application Lifecycle Management: A Few Last Words

Even if you have the greatest application idea, bringing it to life requires a lot of work. And to develop an application efficiently, it is highly important to know what is application lifecycle management. By implementing the correct ALM processes and steps, software application becomes much easier with a higher quality product in the end.

The post What is ALM: Simplifying Application Lifecycle Management first appeared on www.airdroid.com.

Android devices often come with preinstalled apps like Contacts, Messages, Gmail, Maps, and Play Store among others. However, you might not need some of these preinstalled apps and you want to delete them to free up storage space, improve battery life, and or optimize your Android performance.

You could also be running an enterprise and you don’t want some of these apps to appear on your employee devices for better productivity. Whichever the case, you should know how to delete pre-installed apps on Android to avoid damaging your device.

Fortunately, this article gives you a detailed guide on how to delete preinstalled apps on Android.

Part 1 : How to Delete Pre-installed Apps on Android?

There are several practical methods, with varying efficacies, to delete preinstalled apps on Android.

1Delete Pre-installed Apps on Settings

This is definitely one of the easiest and a first resort for myriads of Android users. It involves using the built-in Android settings to delete the target preinstalled apps. However, this method cannot allow you to delete some preinstalled apps like systems apps. The steps are illustrated below.

2Remove the Pre-installed Apps from the App Drawer

App Drawer is a feature/menu in Android that displays all the apps on the Android device. For most Android versions, you can find the app drawer by selecting its icon or simply swiping the home screen from bottom to up. While this method is useful, it does not allow you to delete some preinstalled apps like system apps.

In this method, you access the target app and delete it directly from the app drawer. The steps are illustrated below.

3Delete Pre-installed Apps with ADB

Android Device Bridge (ADB) is a tool that allows Android users to run commands on Android from a computer. Although primarily designed for developers, this toolkit gives you more control over your Android device without the need for programming knowledge.

When you use ADB, you will have permission to delete any app including systems apps. This is risky because deleting system apps will make your Android device not work correctly.

After enabling debugging, you can follow this link to delete preinstalled apps on your Android using ADB.

4Root the Device to delete the Pre-installed Apps

Rooting your Android device gives you more access to its operating system code. Once rooted, you can modify the software code and install or delete stubborn apps the manufacturer would normally not allow you on your Android device.

However, you risk deleting important system apps. When you delete system apps, your device may not work correctly because you have removed some important data. Additionally, rooting makes your device to be more vulnerable to security attacks.

How to Root Your Android Phone and Delete Pre-installed Apps?

The rooting process is complex and varies with devices and models. Therefore, you ought to be sure that the method you are using suits your device model. Here is a good guide on how to root your Android phone.

Once you have successfully rooted your Android phone, you can proceed to delete your preinstalled applications without restrictions as the steps below.

Part 2 : Alternatives for Deleting Pre-upload Apps on Android

If you feel like ADB is difficult and you also don’t want to take the risk of rooting your device, Android still has some alternative options to help you minimize the distractions of the preinstalled app. However, these methods don’t free up your storage space and your system performance won’t significantly improve.

Alternative Solution 1: Disable the apps

Disabling the apps on your Android allows you to hide the apps from the home screen and prevent them from using your background data and resources. The following steps show how to disable preloaded apps on Android (Google Pixel 7 running on Android 14)

Alternative Solution 2: Hide the Apps

Hiding apps means you cannot see them on your home screen, app drawer, or in recent tasks. It makes them virtually invisible to anyone who doesn’t know how to uncover them. The following steps illustrate how to hide preinstalled apps on your Android (Samsung).

Most businesses utilize mobile devices to carry out their operations, often with custom apps installed for business use. These apps require regular updates and maintenance.

When it becomes necessary to replace an app, uninstalling the outdated app from many devices is required. Furthermore, when an employee departs, administrators must remotely mass delete apps Android and unnecessary data from their devices.

In cases like these, app management of MDM solution can be a powerful feature because it allows the manager to mass uninstall apps remotely.

Part 3 : MDM Solution: Manage and Disable Pre-installed Apps on Android for Business

Mobile Device Management (MDM) allows you to manage multiple devices from a central platform by basically controlling the usage and deployment of applications across multiple enterprise devices. This ensures enhanced device security, improved productivity, better application control, seamless data collection, and cost savings.

One of the best MDM platforms for your Android devices is AirDroid Business. This platform provides Application Management Services (AMS) to help you manage your Android devices at their operational levels.

Key Features of Airdroid Business MDM

Summary

While there are many ways to delete pre-installed apps on Android, not all of them meet your needs. The different methods offer different capabilities and limitations. Therefore, you need to choose a solution that works for you. If you need flawless solutions for your business enterprises, Airdroid Business is the solution.

The post How to Delete Pre-installed Apps on Android first appeared on www.airdroid.com.

Every enterprise has a complex device ecosystem, spanning hundreds of devices and thousands of Apps. While MDM App management is essential, it can also be daunting for businesses that have recently adopted this solution.

MDM App management will involve deploying Apps, configuring them, providing appropriate security measures, pushing updates, and sometimes uninstalling. Each stage of this life cycle has its complexities as well as opportunities.

This guide by AirDroid provides IT professionals with guidance on every stage so that they can professionalize their Android MDM App management and their businesses can succeed.

1 Comprehensive Guide to MDM Application Management

Deployment

Deploying Apps is a critical function of App management. Fortunately, MDM solution commonly provides enterprises with two means of doing so.

Way 1. Scheduled release

There are many use cases where a scheduled release would be ideal. For instance, an organization switching from Microsoft Teams to Slack would want to avoid making the transition on an ad-hoc basis, leaving team members with different Apps depending on their queue in the shift and unable to communicate with one another.

Instead, this company would want to opt for a scheduled release, launching Slack to all company phones simultaneously. IT teams can also standardize this time across different time zones, making it ideal for companies with national or international operations.

Another major use case for scheduled release is protecting focus during work hours. Instead of releasing an App on an ad hoc basis throughout the day, IT teams can set a scheduled release for after work hours, such as 8 pm or 5 am. This practice ensures employees get the needed Applications without disrupting their scheduled work hours by installing Apps.

Way 2. Staged rollout

There are also use cases where a scheduled release would not be ideal. For example, a company trialing a new customer relationship management (CRM) solution would not want sales professionals in all jurisdictions to switch to it simultaneously. The App may have bugs or other performance issues the enterprise would like to identify and fix before committing to a large-scale rollout. In this case, the company may wish for a staged rollout, when the App would be released staggered, beginning with a small trial launch in a single jurisdiction before a wider deployment.

IT teams can customize the rules for a staged rollout based on different parameters, such as location, device type, or device group, offering endless customization possibilities.

Executing custom managed App configuration

Most third-party Apps downloaded from the App Store generally offer few configuration options.

This lack of configuration options is problematic because it forces organizations into a one-size-fits-all approach to their software: They must adopt Apps in their current state, even if they may not be the best suited to the enterprise’s unique needs.

In contrast, Apps in Managed Goole Play Store like Chrome, Gmail, Firefox, Edge...are much more flexible. They have higher-level configuration options, businesses should use these configuration options to customize their Apps on corporate devices, from content moderation to branding. This level of granular customization is a hallmark of strong App management features.

Examples of MDM Managed App Configuration

Google Chrome

Unrestricted internet use can pose several dangers. Most commonly, employees will succumb to the temptation of aimlessly surfing the net instead of using their company-issued phone for relevant work matters. At worst, employees may interact with nefarious websites that can spread malware to that person’s device and the rest of the organization’s network.

• Companies can regulate internet use through one of two Google Chrome configurations. The first option, a blocklist, is the more lenient approach. IT professionals would add certain websites, such as YouTube or Facebook, to the blocklist, which prevents employee access. The downside to a blocklist is that IT teams must continually update it: If the business overlooks even a single distracting or dangerous website, the negative effect is the same.
• The stricter approach is an allowlist. This method blocks all websites except for those placed on the allowlist. An allowlist might be ideal for companies with high-security needs, such as those in financial services, or for professions where mobile distractions should be limited, such as sales officers or account managers.

Gmail

A person’s email signature is the online equivalent of their business card. It has their name, job title, company affiliation, and links to relevant assets, such as the organization’s website or social media channels. Unfortunately, many organizations do not standardize their email signatures, which results in colleagues having wildly different content. This lack of consistency does not look professional and will affect the brand’s reputation with external partners.

Brands using a solution in MDM App management do not have to deal with this problem. They can configure a universal format for their email signatures, ensuring visual consistency in their brand identity. Because IT teams can manage this feature centrally, they can insert relevant and timely call-to-actions in each email signature. For example, a business may want to promote the ability to download its latest white paper or encourage sign-ups for an upcoming webinar.

Secure Apps with MDM App management

While company-issued devices can facilitate collaboration, they also pose a threat. Some employees may abuse these devices, resulting in lost productivity, exposure to malware, and even data theft. There are several ways that IT teams can secure Apps from misuse.

App data usage report

On AirDroid Business, users can schedule App data usage reports to be regularly produced. Perhaps more conveniently, these reports can be accessed on-demand.

• Under the “Workbench” tab on their AirDroid Business dashboard, the IT professional must select the “Reports” tab.
• From there, users can view the data usage over a rolling period, such as the previous day, seven days, or thirty days. An anomaly in data usage, such as a massive spike on a weekend, may indicate misuse of a company-issued device.
• More crucially, IT professionals can get a more granular view of data usage by reviewing the ten Apps that consume the most data. This list will give businesses a clear idea of whether an employee misuses a phone. For example, an employee might have Netflix as their top data-consuming App.

Given that the employee is using the phone for streaming, the company can reprimand the employee and add Netflix to its blocklist.

Application related alerts

While the App data usage reports are helpful, IT professionals will only sometimes have the time to examine each one. This fact is especially true at larger enterprises, where the number of employees with mobile phones may be in the thousands. It is impractical to try manually examining the data usage patterns of each employee.

In this case, the company should set up Application-related alerts. These are fully customizable to the needs of an organization. One company may want to set up an alert for data usage. The IT team will be notified if the user surpasses a particular threshold. Such alerts enable IT teams to scale their remote monitoring and, more crucially, intervene before a problem gets out of hand.

App Updates

Updating Apps is an often overlooked part of MDM App management, but it is one that brands should pay attention to. Significant differences may exist between one version of an App and the next, including everything from stability to cybersecurity. If portions of the workforce use older versions of an App, there may be dire consequences.

The negative impact of outdated Apps

Newer versions of Apps typically patch known security vulnerabilities. Employees with older App versions may thus expose the business to cybersecurity breaches, primarily when these attack vectors are publicly known. These attacks will result in lost revenue, decreased productivity, and operational chaos for the business.

Older Apps may also be less stable and may crash frequently. This lack of stability may also affect business operations, often when employees least expect it. For example, an employee giving an essential presentation through a remote meeting App might get cut off, creating a wrong impression with the prospective client. In short, outdated Apps create an outsized problem for businesses.

Keep Your Application Up-to-date with MDM

Fortunately, updating Apps through an MDM like AirDroid Business is simple.

• IT personnel can choose to manually update apps for the enterprise device groups through the MDM dashboard, or set up automatic update rules for the apps.
• For create auto-update rules: IT professionals must proceed to the Managed Google Play Store tab under their App Library. From there, they can set global configurations to govern how all Apps are updated. The first option, “Always Auto-Update Apps,” will update Apps even if employees use mobile data in the field. The second option, “Auto-Update Apps over WiFi only,” will reserve updates for when employees are connected to a WiFi connection. Businesses must decide which trade-off they value more between these options: the speed of an immediate update or the stability of one over WiFi.
• Apart from these global settings, IT professionals can update Apps individually. They must locate the App for which they want to customize rules. From there, the IT professional can customize the update rule. The flexibility for both global App settings and individual App rules means that businesses can update Apps using the App management strategy that is ideal for them.

Uninstall Apps

Why businesses may want to uninstall Apps

There are many reasons an enterprise may want to uninstall an App. The business could be switching from one App to a competing solution. The IT team may have discovered a severe security flaw in an App. The App may be distracting employees from their job duties.

Companies should not have to possess an employee’s phone to delete an App. This manual process is impractical when so many employees are on remote or hybrid work configurations, and deleting an App may often be urgent.

Remotely uninstalling Apps

Through Android MDM App management, businesses can remotely uninstall Apps, even if the App is unattended. To do so, the IT professional needs to navigate to their Device List, choose the necessary device, and search for the App in the App List. Upon locating the App, the IT professional must select the trash icon and confirm the installation. The App will then be deleted.

To uninstall multiple Apps simultaneously, the IT professional must select the checkboxes to the left of relevant Apps and then repeat the same process. The ease with which businesses can remotely uninstall Apps improves operational efficiency: No employee ever has to be stuck with an unstable, dangerous, or distracting App.

2Conclusive Note

Any business that wishes to scale up its device ecosystem must use an MDM solution for App management. One example is AirDroid Business, which offers helpful features for every stage of a device’s lifecycle. With AirDroid Business, IT teams can perform regular actions like install, update, uninstall and configure Apps remotely.

IT teams can protect their devices and company networks through App data usage reports. To simplify this process, IT teams can also enable Application-related alerts, automatically triggering a notification when a condition is met, such as data use exceeding a certain threshold.

Businesses can also set global conditions for updating Apps, prioritizing either the speed of automatic updates or the stability of updating only when on WiFi. Importantly, they can remove Apps, even when phones are unattended, through the AirDroid Business interface.

Enterprises that master MDM App management will empower their IT teams and their employees in the field to focus on what matters most: business growth.

The post A Complete Guide to MDM App Management first appeared on www.airdroid.com.

However, SaaSOps offers a solution in this front. To use SaaSOps effectively, you need to be aware of the best practices for SaaSOps management. This guide will give you a detailed overview of what SaaSOps is, what are the challenges related to SaaSOps, and how you can overcome them.

Part 1. What is SaaSOps?

The practice of carrying out the discovery, management, and security of the SaaS or Software as a Service application through automated and centralized operations is referred to as SaaSOps. This is done to reduce friction, improve collaboration, and provide an enhanced employee experience.

Almost every internal process including webinars, recruitment, HR management, and file sharing can be made easy with SaaS applications. Most businesses these days are very dependent on SaaS apps and use more than a hundred SaaS apps since they can greatly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the digital space.

Part 2. Why is SaaSOps Indispensable?

SaaSOps can greatly affect the functionality of the internal processes in any business. Here are a few reasons why businesses can’t do without SaaSOps.

1Managing expenses effectively

SaaSOps reduces the burden on finance, ops, and security teams, which in turn reduces the cost as well. With a SaaSOps team in place, you can get a centralized view of the SaaS stack of your company. This puts a stop to the racking up of uncontrollable costs. Better decisions can be made with regards to cost optimization since SaaSOps makes the SaaS cost forecasting simple.

2Optimizing workflows

SaaSOps can optimize workflows which in turn would improve the overall efficiency and productivity. SaaSOps streamlines workflows and also ensures that the right tools are available. This would optimize all the tasks, save time, and enhance productivity. It also has a positive impact on automation, collaboration, and onboarding.

3Navigating changes with ease

SaaSOps improve adaptability and make it easier for any company to accommodate changes with ease. Since organizational needs keep evolving with time, having a SaaSOps team can make integration, management, and scaling SaaS apps swift and easy with centralized automation and management.

4Informed choices for success

SaaSOps gives clear information about the software in use and its performance. Such insights can drive faster and smarter decision-making aimed at your company’s success. By knowing what tools are being used and how they are performing, organizations can allocate resources more effectively and come up with a strategic plan.

Part 3. Common SaaS Challenges

While using SaaS applications, businesses face plenty of challenges. Here are a few common hurdles faced in the ever-changing SaaS era.

1Application overload

With numerous applications working on similar lines, a business can easily feel overwhelmed. Each team and department of your company may opt for independent tools which ultimately leads to redundancy and waste of resources. This makes managing and integrating these tools a tedious task. This can hinder the overall efficiency to a great extent.

2Manual management burdens

SaaS application management involves multiple manual tasks that are pretty time consuming. From configuring settings to adding and removing users, such processes can strain IT teams and consume valuable resources. Additionally, the risk of manual errors also increases which can compromise the regulatory compliance and data security.

3Security concerns

Unauthorized SaaS apps are a major security risk. Such apps lack appropriate compliance measures and oversight due to which they are vulnerable to cyber threats and data breaches. Authentication mechanisms, insufficient access controls, and other such security vulnerabilities can expose sensitive data for malicious attacks.

4License optimization issues

SaaS license management is a daunting task for any business. When license tracking and management is not up to the mark, there may be added expenses and underutilization of resources. This comes with the struggle for license usage optimization which further leads to fund wastage. This can leave a major administrative burden and financial strain on a business.

Part 4. Best SaaSOps Practices

IT leaders are given the responsibility of ensuring that the cloud investments are being used adequately. Additionally, they need to mitigate risks and maintain compliance as well. Such goals can be achieved with ease when the following practices are followed.

1SaaS management centralization

It is crucial that the SaaS management is centralized. When you use a single platform for comprehensive management, the SaaS services and subscription can be viewed clearly.

For instance, through centralization the active subscriptions, renewal management, and usage monitoring can be tracked from one place. This helps in uncovering redundant subscriptions and effective cost management.

2Strong access control implementation

With strong access controls, you can ensure that only those apps, tools, and data are available to any particular user that are needed for them to complete their job. This can be done with the help of a RBAC or Role Based Access Control system.

For instance, a person in the marketing team would instantly get access to a certain tool whereas the same tool may not be accessible to a person in the finance team.

3SaaS spend monitoring and optimization

In order to prevent financial leaks in your company, keeping an eye on the SaaS spend is very important. When each SaaS tool is routinely analyzed for usage frequency, the tools that are not being fully utilized can be pinpointed and later removed or scaled back. This can greatly impact the cost reduction.

Part 5. How AirDroid Business Can Help with SaaSOps?

AirDroid Business is one of the most popular mobile device management tools and has several features that make it a profitable investment for helping with SaaSOps. Some of the best features of this tool are listed below.

Remote access and control

AirDroid Business supports the function of remote access and control, therefore, the admins can easily control and manage SaaS apps even remotely.

App management:

With AirDroid Business, the admins can manage SaaS apps easily. For example, admins can install/uninstall apps, staged rollout and scheduled release SaaS apps. Additionally, AirDroid Business allows for tracking app data usage, so admins can see how much data these apps are using.

Apart from AirDroid Business, here are other SaaS tools as well that can ease the business processes to a great extent.

Slack

This is a cloud-based communication platform for different teams in a business. It has a free version as well a premium version through which you can get several functionality access like media sharing, file sharing, text messaging, video calls, voice calls, and a group chat for entire team collaboration.

Zoom

This is a video conferencing or meeting tool and is compatible with the majority of the platforms. It has multiple features including AI aided collaboration, email and content generation, generating meeting and chat thread summary, whiteboard collaboration, powerful zoom phone integrations, and so much more.

Asana

This comprehensive tool for project management helps teams in organizing tasks, creating project timelines, and tracking progress. It has multiple useful features like task dependencies, customizable workflows, and seamless integration with other SaaS tools.

Dropbox

Dropbox is a type of file sharing and storage service where you can have every useful data in a single place. Every type of file can be opened, shared, and even stored in Dropbox. It has several attractive features like secure sharing, automatic backup, data synchronization, direct link sharing, and easy file transfer.

Conclusion

Basically, getting SaasOps right is crucial for overcoming challenges and boosting efficiency. By using the smart techniques explained in this article, businesses can make operations better, reduce risks, and keep growing in the world of online technology.

The post SaaSOps Essentials: Challenges, Best Practices, and Solutions first appeared on www.airdroid.com.

Do you want to install an Android app that is unavailable on Google Play Store? Installing apps from any third-party app store or directly through APK files is deemed as installing apps from unknown sources. Certain apps fail to meet the strict guidelines set by Play Store, and hence, they get removed from Play Store or are not listed at all.

If some of such apps are popular and useful, you may have to install them from so-called unknown sources. Is it still possible to bypass the disallowance and install the required app outside the Play Store? Let’s find out all the possible ways to allow app installations from unknown sources.

Part 1. What is Unknown Sources?

Any place other than the Google Play Store is deemed to be an unknown source in Android. Google Play Store is the official and only trusted source from which apps need to be installed on Android. However, there is a large number of apps unavailable in the Google Play Store due to non-compliance with the strict guidelines set by Google.

When you install such apps from third-party marketplaces and app stores or download their APK files and install them, such sources are considered unknown sources. Android phones are set to restrict app installations from unknown sources for security purposes, even when they do not pose any risk.

Part 2. Is It Possible to Install Apps from Unknown Sources?

Android devices' default settings do not allow users to install apps from unknown sources. You will likely get an error message, “For your security, your device is not allowed to install unknown apps from this source”. Along with the error message, you will get an option to change the default setting and install apps from third-party sources.

The option to allow app install from unknown sources Android has been kept because people install private corporate apps on their business devices directly from APK files. Developers often install apps in the beta phase on different Android devices for testing purposes before listing them officially on the Google Play Store. Similarly, you can install any app delisted or banned from Play Store, provided you tweak the setting to allow app installation from unknown sources.

Part 3. How to Allow App Installations from Unknown Resources?

You need to change the default Android setting to allow app installations from unknown sources. You can do it remotely on business devices using a mobile device management solution. You can also do it directly from your personal device using the settings app. The steps differ based on the Android version installed on your device, which we have illustrated below.

1Using AirDroid Business

AirDroid Business is a mobile device management solution that enables admins to control app installation from unknown sources on connected Android devices. Businesses need to install corporate apps not listed on the Play Store. Here are the steps to allow APK install from unknown sources via AirDroid Business.

Step 1: Launch AirDroid Business as the admin and log into the Admin Console.

Step 2: Go to the Policy & Kiosk section at the top. Navigate to the Policy & Kiosk Config Files option on the left.

Step 3: Click the “+Create Config File” button at the top-right corner. Select the Policy option on the pop-up and click the OK button.

Step 4: Go to the Restrictions option on the left and navigate to the Apps sub-option. You will find the Allow Unknown Sources policy.

Step 5: Toggle on the Allow Unknown Sources option. Finally, click the Save button to save the policy.

Step 6: Go back to the Policy Management section. Select the new policy you have created and click the “+Add” button.

Step 7: Assign the device group to which you want to allow app installation from unknown sources.

Now, the assigned devices can install external apps from any source without any restrictions.

2 For Android 8 & Higher

Your device is most likely to have Android 8 or higher version. Here are the steps to allow app install from unknown sources Android 8 & higher.

Step 1: Open the Settings app. Navigate to the Apps & Notifications option.

Step 2: Tap the Advanced option or tap the three-dot icon at the top-right corner.

Step 3: Tap the Special App Access option.

Step 4: Tap the Install Unknown Apps option.

Step 5: Select the required app. Toggle on the Allow from this source option.

3For Android 7 & Below

If you are using an older device, you are likely using Android 7 or older version. Here are the steps to allow app install from unknown sources Android 7 or below.

Step 1: Open the Settings app. Navigate to the Security or Lock Screen & Security option.

Step 2: Toggle the Unknown Source option. Alternatively, you may need to turn on the checkbox.

Step 3: Tap the Ok button to confirm your choice.

Part 4. How to Disable Installation of Apps?

Installing unknown apps from external sources may expose your device's and data's security. Unknown apps can be malicious and have security vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit. If you want to block the installation of apps from unknown sources, here are the steps to follow.

Step 1: Open the Settings app and navigate to the Apps option.

Step 2: Tap the Advanced option or Menu icon at the top-right corner.

Step 3: Navigate to Special Access> Install Unknown Apps.

Step 4: Turn off the Allow from this source option for all the apps as required.

Part 5. How to Uninstall an App Installed using an APK?

The steps to uninstall an app installed from its APK file are the same as uninstalling any app installed from the Play Store. As soon as you allow APK install from unknown sources and install any app from its APK file, the app gets listed under installed apps on your device. Here are the steps to uninstall an app installed using an APK.

Step 1: Open the Settings app. Navigate to the Apps option.

Step 2: Tap the See All Apps option to get the list of all the installed apps.

Step 3: Tap on the app that you want to uninstall.

Step 4: Tap the Uninstall option and confirm your choice.

Part 6. How to Ensure Security When Installing from Unknown Sources?

Installing apps from unknown sources can potentially expose your device to security breaches. That is why installing apps from unofficial sources is always discouraged. However, some circumstances demand the installation of external apps. However, you should remember the following points to ensure security, especially when installing from unknown sources.

1. Install From Trusted Source:

If a required app is not available on the Play Store, you should opt for a trusted app store to install the app. For example, Amazon Appstore, Aptoide, App Brain, and Samsung Galaxy Store are some of the trusted app stores after Google Play Store.

2. Scan Before Installation:

If you want to install an app from its APK file, you should download the APK file from a trusted source. For example, APKMirror, APKPure, and Aptoide are some of the trusted platforms for downloading APK files. After downloading the APK file, you should scan it to see if it is free of viruses and malware.

3. Check For Permissions:

When installing apps from unknown sources, you should check for the permissions required by the apps. If an app demands too many permissions, especially those unrelated to the app, and can expose device security, you should avoid installing such apps.

Final Words

There are times when you need to install apps that are not present in the Play Store for whatever reason. Most Android devices block the installation of external apps from unknown sources as they consider Play Store to be the only legitimate source. We have illustrated how to allow app installations from unknown sources on your device. We have also installed how to allow external app installations on business devices for enterprises via AirDroid Business.

The post Detailed Guide: Allow App Installations from Unknown Sources first appeared on www.airdroid.com.

Just like we play music in the background and use mobile for other tasks, we can easily manage Android apps running in the background. Similarly, in offices, we need the Android keep App alive feature to stay online on business apps and get timely notifications. Bulk downloading of files takes time, so we want to keep that app alive in the background and perform other business operations to keep it productive.

1How to Keep An Android App Alive in the Background?

We have multiple methods for you to use in different situations to keep Android apps awake so that you can choose the appropriate one depending on your device requirements, compatibilities, and budget.

1.1Situation 1. Keep important apps alive to provide/get timely information

Another way to keep the app running in the background is to set the app as a System app. System apps are different from ordinary apps because they are bundled with the OS and are unable to be uninstalled.

1.2Situation 2. Ensure Continuous Service by Keeping the Business App Alive

Business apps are self-developed and multi-purpose, including payment processing, order taking, and customer support. There are numerous other tasks admins are handling, like data entry and designing. So, businesses need to keep the official app running in the background and perform other tasks to save precious time.

An optimized solution for enterprises is the AirDroid Business MDM. It is a remote solution for different industry levels to manage devices. Locking down the devices into kiosk mode with MDM enables enterprises to keep the Android app alive in the background.

Enabling the "Run Consistently" feature to ensures the device users can't exit the app, and the app remains alive in the background even after the device reboots. It auto-launches after reboot.

2Want to Keep App Alive While Preventing the Screen from Turning Off?

Keeping the app alive with a continuous screen display is a common demand. Individuals often need uninterrupted screen time while using navigation or GPS apps on mobile, reading e-books, or using fitness apps.

Similarly, business users also need uninterrupted screen time while providing POS systems at retail or hospitals and delivering presentations in official meetings. 

Personal users

For personal use, it is appropriate to choose a built-in screen timeout feature from device settings or to choose a third-party app that enables you to manage screen timeout easily.

Method 1. Customize Screen Timeout

Screen timeout steps for various Android devices are almost the same, but there might be a difference in wording. So, there is no need to worry. Here are the simple steps you can follow:

Method 2. Choose the Screen Alive App

Business users - Disable Screen Timeout with MDM Solution

Business professionals have some serious concerns with app management and screen timeout. Keeping their needs in mind, using an MDM solution for managing screen timeout is the most appropriate one.

MDM will provide them with a streamlined and optimized dashboard to easily manage screen timeout on all managed devices in a single setting, saving time and effort.

1. MDM offers a comprehensive list of features to support device and app management, including custom screen timeout.
2. You can set screen timeout for bulk apps in one go.

3Is Preventing Apps from Sleeping the Same As Keeping The App Alive?

Keeping the app alive and preventing the app from sleeping have some similarities but are different. Preventing from sleep mode allows you to run apps in the background even when the phone is in power-saving mode but is not actively displayed in the foreground while keeping the app alive means ensuring that the app is functional and visible on the screen. An excellent example of keeping the app awake is the navigation app that keeps visible on the screen even when some other app is open.

4What's More

Some apps keep draining the battery while running in the background and have no necessary need to run all the time. Running too many apps in the background affects device and battery performance, resulting in low processing speed and earlier battery recharge than usual. It is crucial to stop them running in the background. Open the device ‘Settings’ and click on the ‘Apps’ tab. Then, select the app you want to stop and press ‘Force Stop.’ Enterprises can remotely mass uninstall unnecessary apps on multiple devices using an MDM solution.

The post How to Keep an Android App Alive in the Background? first appeared on www.airdroid.com.

Managing countless mobile business devices flawlessly every day is a challenging task. But mobile app management software can make it easy for a working organization. An app management tool lets IT admins install apps, push updates, and manage customized apps remotely on mobile devices from a centralized dashboard. It empowers IT admins to have complete control over mobile business devices.

Therefore, it is important to choose the best mobile app management software. We will understand mobile management software in depth and list the top app management software for your consideration.

Part 1. What is Mobile App Management?

Mobile app management(MAM) refers to the software solution that enables IT admins to manage the apps on the devices of end users remotely. IT admins can manage the enterprise applications deployed on company-owned or employee-owned devices used for business purposes. Organizations can protect corporate data and remotely control the connected devices as and when necessary.

Starting from app deployment and update rollout to policy enforcement and user authentication, a professional MAM solution provides complete remote mobile device management tools. Besides, phone management software ensures the secure use of work devices in compliance with organizational regulations.

Part 2. Features that Mobile App Management Software Should Have

Every professional app management solution comes with certain essential features that make the software stand out. When choosing mobile app management software, you should watch out for the following must-have features.

1Create & Upload Apps

A phone app management software application should allow IT admins to create custom apps, upload installation packages, and setup the apps for publishing. Any connected mobile device user can install those apps as per requirements.

2Rollout in Stages

When releasing updates or testing new apps, it is important to roll them out in stages to avoid any probable adverse effects. Apart from that, releases can be rolled out selectively by device groups, specific areas, and user groups. Besides, the mobile app management software should enable IT admins to release apps on demand to specific devices as per requirements.

3Immediate Force Installation

In case of an emergency, when certain technical errors and security issues have been detected in the installed apps, IT admins can force install the latest app versions remotely. This feature is equally useful for installing updates on unmanned devices, and this saves the cost and time of a technician who does not need to install them physically.

4Scope for Branding

Last but not least, the mobile app management software should enable IT admins to customize their apps for proper branding. Starting from launching and landing page to titles, images, and logos, branding should be everywhere for easy visibility on the user interface. This is going to be useful for brands using remote mobile devices for advertisement, demonstration, and kiosk purposes.

Part 3. Top 8 Mobile App Management Software

Now that you know the essential features you should expect from top-quality mobile app management software, it is time to check out the best available software that brands can use for controlling remote work devices. We have handpicked these top phone management applications and pointed out their core features so that you can choose the best one as per your requirements.

1 AirDroid Business

AirDroid Business is undoubtedly the best mobile device management software which covers the function of mobile app management that stands out for its complete set of essential and advanced features. IT admins can manage all the remote Android devices used for business purposes from their centralized dashboard. The award-winning MDM solution ensures mobile business continuity with complete security and stability.

Here are the key features of AirDroid Business.

1. App install/uninstall

Manage app installation and uninstallation on the connected work devices under management easily. Monitor the installed apps and uninstall specific apps or apps in batches from device groups.

2. Staged rollout

Update the Android apps on the connected devices based on device group, location, device type, and likewise. You can roll out updates based on the availability of devices and mitigate the risk of devices malfunctioning due to updates during working hours.

3. Scheduled release

You can schedule automatic app updates during non-working hours so that the customer experience does not get hampered and the devices do not face downtime.

4. Configure apps

AirDroid Business lets you create app configurations for the apps supported by Google Play. This will restrict certain activities on the installed apps for great security and data protection.

5. App data usage report

IT admins can track the app data usage on the connected devices from their centralized dashboard. They can also generate data usage reports to make informed decisions for more productive use of work devices.

6. App related alerts

AirDroid Business allows the creation of app-based alerts for better tracking and instant actions if required. For example, IT admins can get alerts based on the app running status or foreground app status on the connected devices.

2Esper

Esper provides mobile management solution for controlling both Android and iOS devices. This is useful for organizations that have mixed fleet of work devices. IT admins can deploy apps, monitor app usage, manage apps and configurations and update the apps. They can automate various operations remotely and manage scalability effectively. Here are the key features of Esper.

• Advanced device management with geofencing.
• Proper app and content management with app store access.
• Robust remote management for viewing and troubleshooting.
• Customized OS control for branding and tighter security.

3Ivanti

Ivanti is a highly affordable mobile management solution that focuses on unified endpoint management. Organizations can provide a secure work environment for remote devices and reduce the risk of data breaches. IT admins can implement corporate policies and micromanage the devices and apps with proper monitoring. Here are the key features of Ivanti.

• Advanced app management with content and identity management.
• Customizable dashboard with customization for branding and scalability.
• Use of containerization for isolation on employee-owned devices.
• Real-time threat analysis and automatic adjustment of security controls.

4ManageEngine

ManageEngine lets IT admins manage the engine of their mobile work devices and take complete control over them. The software provides easy and comprehensive solutions to keep business operation robust and secure. There are options for generating alerts for automatic monitoring and getting detailed reports based on analytics. Here are the key features of ManageEngine.

• Complete unified endpoint management with cloud solution.
• Manage digital identities and accesses with security threat detection.
• Design and automate business services for high scalability.
• Monitor apps, devices, and networks with advanced analytics.

5Jamf Pro

Jamf Pro is the best mobile application management software for Apple devices. Starting from iPad and iPhone to Mac and Apple TV, you can control everything seamlessly. There are options to automate management effectively for large-scale control. Organizations can create a unified ecosystem for all work devices and provide instant remote support. Here are the key features of Jamf Pro.

• Complete app lifecycle management with inventory management.
• Jamf remote assist and support and secure self-service.
• Instant device reset, zero-touch deployment, and quick configuration.
• Get deep insights, automatic app update, and ensure policy compliance.

6Hexnode

Hexnode is a popular choice among startups in the MDM solution segment. It has all the essential features, and it focuses on simplifying remote management of work devices, apps, and content. IT admins can manage all work devices, starting from Windows, macOS, and Android to iOS, Fire OS, and tvOS from a central dashboard. Here are the features of Hexnode.

• Seamless deployment, onboarding, update and uninstall apps.
• Customized configurations, restrictions, settings and permissions.
• Whitelist and blacklist apps and create app library for allowed apps.
• Implement VPN policies for apps, limit app and data usage.

7IBM MaaS 360

IBM MaaS 360 is a highly trusted mobile application management solution for enterprises with huge scalability potential. It is one of the best tools to enforce operational and security policies set by the organization. Employers can allow employees to work from home or anywhere with complete peace of mind thanks to constant monitoring, instant remote control, and tight security measures. Here are the key features of IBM MaaS 360.

• Complete endpoint management with native security.
• Advanced AI analytics for improved productivity.
• Identification management and protected access.
• Automatic threat detection and secure content management.

8SOTI Mobicontrol

SOTI Mobicontrol provides a complete enterprise management solution for mobile devices. Starting from deploying apps, app performance, and device performance to implementing security protocols and tracking security risks, SOTI Mobicontrol has everything under one centralized dashboard. Here are the key features of SOTI Mobicontrol.

• Complete device management with enrollment and provisioning.
• Track device performance and location with geofencing in real-time.
• Flexible deployment and secure content management.
• Advanced IoT and Windows management options.

Part 4. How Mobile App Management Software Can Help?

Mobile app management software has become essential for businesses that are dependent on mobile devices for work and advertisement purposes. This is because the standard features of the software enhance several aspects of mobile devices for efficient management.

1. Enhance Security

Security is the biggest challenge for remote work devices. Mobile app management software focuses on tightening security protocols and implementing customized corporate security policies for all connected devices. Organizations can eliminate unauthorized access and potential data breaches by controlling app access and providing secure data sharing.

2. Update Efficiency

Updating apps on time is an important part of enhancing security and productivity. IT admins can ensure that the work devices have the latest app versions with security patches. This will reduce security vulnerabilities and data breaches thanks to the staged rollout and forced installation.

3. Troubleshooting Remotely

MAM software enables IT admins to provide remote support and troubleshoot issues on work devices instantly. There is no need for a physical inspection, as they can get control of the troubled devices remotely and diagnose the issue. This ensures reduced downtime and instant troubleshooting so that work productivity and customer experience do not get hampered.

4. Improve User Experience

MAM software is extremely important for improving user experience. Organizations can provide an exclusive kiosk mode for devices that their customers use for automatic order placement or billing. IT admins can configure the devices so that restricted actions can be performed and branding gets promoted. They can provide a user-friendly interface by streamlining app access and boosting productivity.

Conclusion

Phone app management software is a necessity these days for organizations that rely on mobile devices for regular operation. It is important to choose top-notch MAM software that not only fulfills the necessary functions but also provides advanced features for better control, improved productivity, and enhanced user experience.

We have handpicked the best mobile app management applications based on important parameters. AirDroid Business is the best among them because it has both essential and advanced features that are well balanced.

The post [Can’t Miss] Top 8 Mobile App Management Software first appeared on www.airdroid.com.

Businesses across the world are becoming dependent on mobile devices for better work productivity as well as better customer experience. Therefore, looking for a simple and fast method of managing and installing apps remotely on mobile devices is what IT admins have been looking for.

Lucky you, here we will illustrate all the possible ways to install applications remotely. Let's check them out!

Part 1. Why Install Apps Remotely?

Remote installation software has become a regular practice for businesses that deal with mobile work devices. Here are certain distinct advantages of installing apps remotely over manual app installations.

1 Instant Installation:

For example, when a mobile device lacks or needs to add a new app, remote mobile app installation can play a big role, because the program can be installed instantly so that the work progress will not be delayed.

2 Saving Time:

IT admins do not have to take manual possession of the work devices, and the employees do not have to travel and visit IT admins to get the required apps installed. They can be at their respective workplaces and get the job of app installation done. Moreover, they can schedule app installation during non-working hours so as not to hamper productivity.

3 Forced Installation:

Whenever IT admins feel that there is an urgent need to install certain apps for safety and security purposes, they can be forced to install the required apps to the connected devices without even the user’s permission.

4 Complete Control:

When IT admins install apps on the connected devices, they have complete control of the devices. They can uninstall the apps that they deem dangerous and unnecessary. They can also configure the apps and their settings to restrict their usage for security reasons.

Part 2. How to Install Application Remotely?

There are multiple ways to install remote apps depending on the operating system of remote devices. We will now illustrate in simple steps how to install applications remotely on Android and iOS devices.

1 Install Apps Remotely via Google Play Store

If the remote mobile device is an Android device, you can use the Google Play Store web platform to install apps remotely from your computer. All you need is the credentials of the Google account into which the remote device is logged in. Here are the steps to install apps remotely via Google Play Store.

Step 1. Open the web browser on your computer. Visit the Google Play Store website.

Step 2. Log into the Google account associated with the remote Android device where you want to install the apps.

Step 3. After logging in, you need to search for the app that you want to install on the remote mobile device. Use the search box located at the top-right corner. Once you find the app, click the Install button.

Step 4. You need to choose the remote mobile device associated with the Google account where you want to install the app. Finally, click on the Install button again.

Step 5. You will be asked to enter the associated Google account credentials again for verification.

After verification, the selected app will automatically be installed on the selected remote mobile device, provided it has an active internet connection.

2 Install Apps Remotely via MDM

The easiest way to install apps remotely is through mobile device management(MDM) software. MDM software lets admins install apps on connected mobile devices instantly, anytime they want. If those connected devices have Android OS installed, we recommend AirDroid Business as the best MDM solution.

Here are the steps to install apps remotely via AirDroid Business.

Step 1. Enroll the remote mobile device in your AirDroid Business first from the Device Enrollment option.

Step 2. Navigate to the Apps tab from the top and select the App Library option from the left panel. Click on the Add App button from the top-right corner.

Step 3. Search the app from the Google Play store that you want to install. Click on the Select option.

Step 4. Click the Add button to select the target remote device that is already enrolled.

Step 5. Click the Test Release button to install the selected app on the selected device.

Benefits of Using AirDroid Business to Install Apps

Here are the benefits of AirDroid Business that make it stand out.

1. Easy Installation:

When managing many mobile devices in an enterprise, you need to have a mobile device management solution that makes remote app installation easy.

That is exactly what AirDroid Business focuses on, and IT admins can install apps remotely in a few simple steps across device groups or selected devices.

2. Unattended Remote Control:

When remote mobile devices are unattended, like kiosks, IT admins can install apps remotely on them, too, via AirDroid Business.

This means that there is no need for a person to be in front of the remote mobile devices where IT admins are installing the required apps from his computer.

3 Install Apps Remotely via ADB

Android Deb Bridge(ADB) is a command-line tool that can connect your computer to Android devices where you can install any app remotely. But both devices should have the same Wi-Fi connection.

ADB gives IT admins full control of the connected Android device, though the process of app installation is tiresome. Here are the steps to install remote apps via ADB.

Step 1. Download and install ADB on your computer as per your operating system.

Step 2. Download the APK file of the app that you want to install.

Step 3. Turn on the Wireless ABD Debugging option from the Developer Options on the remote Android device.

Step 4. Go to Settings> About Phone> Status and note down the local IP address.

Step 5. Launch the Command Prompt if you are using a Windows computer. Type the following command.

adb connect 192.168.1.128

Replace the IP address in the command with the IP address of the Android device.

Step 6. Go to the directory on CMD where you have the APK file. Type the following command to install the app.

adb install file.apk

Replace “file” with the name of the app's APK file. Wait till you get the success message.

4 Install Apps Remotely via iTunes

If the remote work device is an iPhone or iPad, you can use iTunes to install apps remotely from your computer. You need to have iTunes installed on your computer which is available for both macOS as well as Windows.

Besides, the remote iOS device should have the Automatic Downloads option turned on. Here are the steps to install apps remotely via iTunes.

Step 1. Launch iTunes on your computer. Log into the same Apple ID account as that on the remote iOS device.

Step 2. Navigate to the iTunes Store tab located at the top.

Step 3. Navigate to the App Store tab located at the top.

Step 4. Search for the desired app and click on the Download option. You may need to confirm the Apple ID credentials for verification.

Step 5. You will see the download progress on the screen. Once the download process is complete, the app will be installed on the remote iOS device linked to the Apple ID.

Final Words

Installing apps remotely has become quite common in enterprises with employees working remotely. You can use the Google Play Store web platform to install apps remotely on Android devices. For iOS devices, you can use iTunes, which is available for Windows and macOS devices. The easiest way to install apps remotely is through mobile device management software. We recommend AirDroid Business to install and manage apps on remote Android devices.

The post [4 Ways] How to Install Application Remotely? first appeared on www.airdroid.com.

App Store represent a major challenge for IT teams because they can be a tremendous source of distraction, such as streaming or socializing.

A common approach to this problem is an application blocklist, which often results in a whack-a-mole-style game: When the IT team blocks one app, employees will turn to a different app that provides similar functionality.

Some companies instead prefer to use an application allowlist. Once organizations have populated their app library with different apps, they choose which ones should be allowed on certain devices.

Through an MDM like AirDroid Business, IT teams can efficiently configure and maintain an allowlist through Policy.

1 Methods for Application Allowlisting

There are two methods for application allowlisting: one for mobile devices, and another for kiosks. Organizations can implement these two methods to restrict application usage on corporate mobile and kiosk devices.

1.1 Application allowlisting for mobile devices

1.2 Application allowlisting for kiosks

Many companies do not only have mobile devices. These enterprises may also manage customer-facing touchpoints, such as digital kiosks. It is also important for organizations to limit apps available on these because they are open to the general public.

2 Benefits for Business Operations

Application allowlisting is an ideal solution for content moderation because it simplifies how enterprises govern what apps and websites employees can access.

Eliminate content moderation as an ongoing task

Blocklisting has its advantages, such as giving employees broad access to the app stores. While employees may enjoy more freedom, this comes at a cost: IT teams are burdened with additional operational strain.

First, they must monitor how employees use different apps. If they notice that an app is being misused or abused, they then need to block access. But this blocking does not stop the problem.

For example, if an IT team blocks access to Facebook because employees are wasting too much time browsing, they may instead turn to Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, or whatever the next social media sensation is.

The IT team will then have to block access to that app and the next one in an ongoing cycle that takes time and energy from other more important tasks.

In contrast, application allowlisting eliminates content moderation as an ongoing task. The IT team chooses which apps should be allowed for different groups or devices, and they can move on to more important work matters.

Ensure employee focus

Open access to app stores can be distracting. In the first place, employees will not know what apps they need to be successful in their role. For example, do they need to download other messaging apps to communicate with internal and external stakeholders, or does the official company platform suffice? This lack of certainty can be distracting.

Allowlisting leaves no room for interpretation. Because only certain apps are allowed depending on the device or group, employees know exactly what they need. They are also free from the distraction that apps can cause. They will not stream, socialize, browse, or use their company-issued device for any non-work purpose.

In this setup, companies will experience greater productivity: Employees must give their undivided attention to work when using their company-issued devices.

Prevent security breaches

The average employee is not a cybersecurity expert. As a result, they may download apps that are nothing more than vaporware or malware. These apps will compromise the individual’s device.

While the IT team can block the app in question, by the time they take action it may already be too late: The malicious app has already harmed the organization’s data or security.

Application allow listing also eliminates this problem. Since an IT team can choose which apps get added to the app library, and in turn, a particular allowlist, they can evaluate each app to ensure it meets the organization’s standards for data privacy and cybersecurity.

With this vetting, companies will not suffer from the security breaches that would result from open access to app stores.

3 Benefits for Customers

Streamline the user experience

Imagine a guest walking up to a digital kiosk in a hotel lobby to check in and he is greeted with a screen full of different apps.

Though the hotel promised the ability to check in seamlessly, the guest will have no idea on which app to click to proceed. This confusion will result in a bad check-in experience, which can sour his entire trip.

In short, companies need to streamline the user experience of their customer-facing devices. Presenting them with a screen featuring unnecessary apps is the worst user experience imaginable.

Users already face an information overload in their daily lives and adding more cognitive burden will just result in unnecessary stress.

Application allowlisting for kiosks dramatically improves the user experience. Users can walk up to a kiosk and see the app or apps necessary for the task at hand.

This simplification minimizes their cognitive load: They know exactly what must be done and how to achieve it. This knowledge will lead to a positive customer experience, enabling the devices to deliver on their core value proposition of convenience.

Prevent defacement of devices

Not every customer is well-intentioned. Some may approach digital kiosks with the intent to deface them, in the same way that graffiti artists tag on billboards and outdoor advertisements.

They can be effortlessly creative in this regard. For example, one might go to the internet to download the app of a competing business or rearrange the apps on the screen to spell out a bad word.

This abuse results in a poor user experience for other customers, who may find it harder to complete their intended action and may be additionally exposed to content they would prefer to avoid.

Rather than count on the good intentions of the public, businesses need to prevent defacement with application allowlisting.

With application allowlisting, businesses can ensure that bad actors cannot affect the user experience of legitimate customers. With the device locked down to a particular app or apps, a bad actor cannot do anything of material impact. They will have to move on and target kiosks not backed by an MDM with application allowlisting.

4 Challenges with Application Allowlisting

Application allowlisting is not a silver bullet that will solve an organization’s issues in application management in one fell swoop. Organizations still need to address other related challenges to ensure application allowlisting succeeds for the business.

Choosing the initial application library

Some apps may be obvious additions to an organization’s application library and for different allowlists. But other choices are not so clear-cut. Take the case of an app that only a handful of specialists in the organization use.

Should this app be added to their allowlist through the organization’s app library, or should they be instead encouraged to use the browser-based application on their laptop? There are no black-or-white answers here, so the organization will need to first determine the criteria for allowable apps, before settling on the initial application library.

Determining who gets what apps

In most cases, it will be clear which Policy groups should be given which apps. For example, an accounting app should be added to the finance department’s allowlist. There are many other edge cases, however, where access is not as obvious.

For example, employees often use Facebook for both their personal and work lives. Sales professionals may use Facebook to build relationships with prospective clients. If Facebook gets added to their allowlist, should other departments have access to it as well? The marketing team may also need to interact with external stakeholders.

Extending access to one group but not another may result in negative repercussions, such as lower morale. Given this possibility, businesses must have a clear rationale for why employees are given particular apps and be ready to explain this to the company as a whole.

Instituting cadences for modifying the application allowlisting

Upon determining an initial allowlist, organizations will want to make some changes later on. Perhaps they initially allowed the use of Facebook and Messenger but found that employees were abusing these apps too much. The organization may thus want to strike these apps off the allowlist.

Alternatively, perhaps some employees need to use an app to perform a critical business function, but it was not on the original allowlist. Organizations may want to consider adding this app.

While removing and adding apps to the allowlist may be necessary, enterprises should avoid doing so on an ad-hoc, irregular basis, which may be a recipe for chaos. Some stakeholders may demand that apps be added as soon as possible, while other apps that disrupt business operations or lower cybersecurity may take too long to be removed.

Instead, organizations may want to set formal cadences for modifying the allowlist, such as on a monthly or quarterly basis. Implementing a procedure will ensure that apps are fairly reviewed, stakeholders understand when changes can be made, and employees have timely access to the apps that they need.

5 The Move to Application Allow Listing

Organizations that need to restrict app access on their mobile devices and kiosks would be wise to use application allowlisting. Compared to blocklisting, IT teams can spend less time with content moderation because they only need to pick the apps that employees or customers are allowed to access.

Application allowlisting provides employees with a distraction-free working environment, one which is also safer due to fewer cybersecurity threats. Customers who interact with digital kiosks get a simpler user experience and one that will not be marred by defacement from bad actors.

The best way to execute application allowlisting is through an MDM like AirDroid Business. With an MDM, businesses can easily create and modify the application allowlist within a Policy Config file and Kiosk Config File, and then apply it to different groups.

An MDM will also make it easier to manage the challenges of maintaining an application allowist, such as choosing the initial library, determining which groups get which policies, and even setting the cadence for review of current and potential apps.

Organizations that use an MDM for application allowlisting will receive significant business benefits: They will allow the right apps, and in turn, enable productivity, efficiency, and innovation.

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