Add Android apps from the Google Play Store

In this article, we will show you how to import Android apps from the Google Play Store into the Cortado administration portal and then assign them to users' devices.

• In the Administration Portal select Administration→ Apps.

• Click on the plus button (left arrow in illus.) and then select Android (right arrow in illus.). 

• Select Google Play Store Apps now if you want to add apps from the Play Store. 

A description for adding Self-Hosted Apps can be found here.

Now you can add the following apps:

Apps from the Google Play Store

Your own (self-developed) apps

Web apps (links to websites)

Note! All apps you add as described in the following section can be used for Android kiosk modus.

Add apps from Play Store

Note! Many Android devices that are completely managed with Cortado do not have the camera app (by default) available. If you still want to make a camera available to your users, proceed as described in the following section.

• Under Search Play Store, enter the name of the app and then click on the Serach button (arrow in illus.).

• Select the desired app and then click on Select (upper arrow in illus.).
• You can now select more apps and then in the next step, click Import selection (lower arrow in illus.) to add them all together.

• You will now find the apps you added through this process in the console, on the left.
•  Assign the app to the users or groups.
• The apps are set to Mandatory by default and, after being assigned, are consequently pushed onto the users‘ devices.
• If there are apps you don’t want to assign, select the app and click on Edit (left arrow in illus.). Then clear the Mandatory checkbox (right arrow in illus.).

Note! The Mandatory checkbox is enabled by default. You can find out how to change this default setting in our help article Edit the Android App Store account.

• The user can then locate the app in the Business Play Store. 

You can also configure other app settings here:

• If you do not want the use of an app to be mandatory, but still want it to be initially pushed to the user's device, tick the Rollout initially checkbox. Users can then delete the app individually.
• If you want to use an app for Kiosk mode that should not be visible on the user's device, activate the Hide in kiosk mode checkbox. This can be useful, for example, when using remote assistance tools that should only run in the background.
• You can also specify when app updates should be carried out under Update behavior:
  • Not set: If this default setting is retained, users can specify how app updates should be carried out themselves in the business PlayStore settings (e.g. only in Wi-Fi or not automatically).
  • Default: Select this setting if app updates should be updated automatically by default while the device is connected to Wi-Fi, is charging and the app to be updated is not running in the front.
  • High priority: In this setting, the app is updated as soon as a new version has been published in the PlayStore and checked by Google Play.
  • Postponed: If you activate this setting, the app will only be automatically updated to the latest available version 90 days after the latest version has been published.

Note! The update behaviour for the Cortado app is set to High priority by default.

• Assign the app to the users/groups.

Add own (self-developed) Apps

You can either upload your own (self-developed) apps in the Google Play Store or add them directly via the Cortado Administration Portal. Please note the hints given in the Google Help for creating apps or managing APK files.

• Under Private apps (left arrow in illus.) click on the Plus button (right arrow in illus.).

Note! Read the advice from Google under Learn more.

• Allocate a title and upload your app.
• Then click on Create (arrow in illus.).

• Enter your email address. 

The app will then be uploaded. However, it may take up to 10 minutes until the app is unlocked by Google. 

• After the app is released, click Refresh.

• You can now find your app in the left column of the Administration Portal. 
• Assign the app to the users/groups.

Adding web apps

• Under web apps (left arrow in illus.), click on the Plus button (right arrow in illus.).

Note! You can organise your apps into libraries using the Organize apps button. You can find how to do that in Google help.

• Enter a title and the URL of the web app and under Display, select how the web app should be displayed on the device.
• Upload an icon as well.

• Click on Create to save your work.
• The release of a web app through Google can take up to 10 minutes. You should therefore firstly set up all the web apps you want to make available to your users and then click on Refresh (right arrow in illus.).

• Following Refresh the newly set up web apps should be displayed in the left column. If that doesn’t occur, wait a short time and then click again on Refresh.

• Assign the app to the users/groups.

The users will then find the web apps on their devices.