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Add an Android line-of-business app to Microsoft Intune

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A line-of-business (LOB) app is an app that you add to Intune from an app installation file. This kind of app is typically written in-house. Intune installs the LOB app on the user's device.

Note

For more information about LOB apps and the Google Play Developer Console, see Managed Google Play private (LOB) app publishing using the Google Developer Console.

Note

For Android Enterprise devices, see Add Managed Google Play apps to Android Enterprise devices with Intune.

Select the app type

  1. Sign in to the Microsoft Intune admin center.
  2. Select Apps > All apps > Add.
  3. In the Select app type pane, under the Other app types, select Line-of-business app.
  4. Click Select. The Add app steps are displayed.

Step 1 - App information

Select the app package file

  1. In the Add app pane, click Select app package file.
  2. In the App package file pane, select the browse button. Then, select an Android installation file with the extension .apk. The app details will be displayed.
  3. When you're finished, select OK on the App package file pane to add the app.

Set app information

  1. In the App information page, add the details for your app. Depending on the app that you chose, some of the values in this pane might be automatically filled in.
    • Name: Enter the name of the app as it appears in the company portal. Make sure all app names that you use are unique. If the same app name exists twice, only one of the apps appears in the company portal.
    • Description: Enter the description of the app. The description appears in the company portal.
    • Publisher: Enter the name of the publisher of the app.
    • Targeted platform: From the list, choose the targeted platform on which the app can be installed.
    • Minimum Operating System: From the list, choose the minimum operating system version on which the app can be installed. If you assign the app to a device with an earlier operating system, it will not be installed.
    • Category: Select one or more of the built-in app categories, or select a category that you created. Categories make it easier for users to find the app when they browse through the company portal.
    • Show this as a featured app in the Company Portal: Display the app prominently on the main page of the company portal when users browse for apps.
    • Information URL: Optionally, enter the URL of a website that contains information about this app. The URL appears in the company portal.
    • Privacy URL: Optionally, enter the URL of a website that contains privacy information for this app. The URL appears in the company portal.
    • Developer: Optionally, enter the name of the app developer.
    • Owner: Optionally, enter a name for the owner of this app. An example is HR department.
    • Notes: Enter any notes that you want to associate with this app.
    • Logo: Upload an icon that is associated with the app. This icon is displayed with the app when users browse through the company portal.
  2. Click Next to display the Scope tags page.

Step 2 - Select scope tags (optional)

You can use scope tags to determine who can see client app information in Intune. For full details about scope tags, see Use role-based access control and scope tags for distributed IT.

  1. Click Select scope tags to optionally add scope tags for the app.
  2. Click Next to display the Assignments page.

Step 3 - Assignments

  1. Select the Required, Available for enrolled devices, or Uninstall group assignments for the app. For more information, see Add groups to organize users and devices and Assign apps to groups with Microsoft Intune.
  2. Click Next to display the Review + create page.

Step 4 - Review + create

  1. Review the values and settings you entered for the app.

  2. When you are done, click Create to add the app to Intune.

    The Overview blade for the line-of-business app is displayed.

Step 5: Update a line-of-business app

  1. Sign in to the Microsoft Intune admin center.
  2. Select Apps > All apps.
  3. Find and select your app from the list of apps.
  4. Select Properties under Manage from the app pane.
  5. Select Edit next to App information.
  6. Click on the listed file next to Select file to update. The App package file pane is displayed.
  7. Select the folder icon and browse to the location of your updated app file. Select Open. The app information is updated with the package information.
  8. Verify that App version reflects the updated app package.

If Check apps from external sources is enabled on the Android device, the user will be prompted before installing the update. Otherwise the update will be installed automatically.

Note

For the Intune service to successfully deploy a new APK file to the device, you must increment the android:versionCode string in the AndroidManifest.xml file in your APK package.

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