Deploy custom Android apps

Available in Fleet Premium

In Fleet, you can deploy your own custom Android apps (APK) to your organization's Android hosts. This is useful for distributing internal apps that aren't available on the public Google Play Store.

To deploy custom Android apps, you'll publish them as private apps in the Google Play Console, making them available only to your organization through Android Enterprise.

Prerequisites

Before deploying custom Android apps, you must first turn on Android MDM. Once you've completed that setup, you can follow the directions below.

If you don't already have a Google Play Console account, you'll need to create one. The Google Play Console requires a one-time registration fee of $25.

Add a private app in Google Play Console

1. In the Google Play Console, select Home from the left navigation.

2. Select Create app.

3. Enter your app details:

   • App name: Enter the name of your app
   • Default language: Select your preferred language
   • App or game: Select app
   • Free or paid: Select Free (private apps must be free)

4. Review and accept the Developer Program Policies and US export laws.

5. Select Create app.

Configure the app details

1. After creating the app, you'll be directed to the app dashboard.

2. Complete the required sections in the left navigation:

   • Store settings: Configure your app's store listing details
   • Privacy policy: Provide your privacy policy URL (required for private apps)
   • App access: Specify if your app requires special access or credentials
   • Ads: Declare whether your app contains ads
   • Content rating: Complete the content rating questionnaire
   • Target audience: Select your target age group
   • App content: Complete the required declarations

Make the app private

1. First, find your Android Enterprise ID in Fleet. Navigate to Settings > Integrations > MDM > Android MDM > Edit and copy the Android Enterprise ID (e.g., LC04yu8c9).

2. In the left navigation, go to Test and release > Advanced settings.

3. Select Managed Google Play, tab on the top, and select Turn on.

4. Select Add organization, paste your Android Enterprise ID from the first step to Organization ID and add an Organization name, for example, "Fleet".

5. Select Add, then select Save at the bottom, and select Make app private.

The app will now be private and only available to your organization through managed Google Play. It won't appear in the public Google Play Store.

Upload your custom app package

1. In the left navigation, go to Test and release > Production.

2. Select Create new release.

3. Upload your package (.apk or .aab).

4. The release name will be automatically populated after the package is uploaded.

5. Select Save and then select Save on the next screen.

6. Select Go to overview and then select Send 1 change for review. To confirm, select Send changes for review.

The Google Play Console displays messages about app review that can take up to 7 days. However, private apps are typically available for deployment within 10 minutes, and they don't go through the regular Google Play Store review.

Add the app to Fleet

After publishing your private app in the Google Play Console, you can add it to Fleet.

1. Find the application ID in the Google Play Console on the Home page. The app ID will be in the app list under the app name. It looks like "com.yourcompany.appname".

2. In Fleet, head to the Software page and select a team in the teams dropdown.

3. Select Add software > App store, choose the Android platform, then enter the application ID.

If your private app doesn't appear in Fleet after adding it, try again in 10 minutes. Sometimes it takes a bit more time for the app to become available for Android Enterprise.

Install, edit, and delete custom app

Learn how to install, edit, and delete the app in the Install app store apps guide.

Update new version in Google Play Console

To release a new version of your custom app, please follow the steps described in Upload your custom app package. The process is the same as for uploading a new app.