How to run an apk file in SD card ? this is my code it do not work ..

Question

How to run an apk file in SD card ? this is my code it do not work ..

code

Intent install = new Intent(Intent.ActionView);
install.SetFlags(ActivityFlags.NewTask);                            
install.SetDataAndType(Android.Net.Uri.FromFile(new Java.IO.File($"/storage/emulated/0/demo.apk")), "application/vnd.android.package-archive");
My.MainActivity.StartActivity(install);

i have add the permission

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INSTALL_PACKAGES" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.DELETE_PACKAGES" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CLEAR_APP_CACHE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CLEAR_APP_USER_DATA" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.MANAGE_USERS" />

<uses-permission android:name="com.android.launcher.permission.INSTALL_SHORTCUT" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INSTALL_PACKAGES" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INSTANT_APP_FOREGROUND_SERVICE" />

ths very much

Answer 1

Hello,
Welcome to our Microsoft Q&A platform!
You could check the file path, If there is a apk in SDCard, you can run and install it. You could have a try with the folling steps:
1. Add FileProvider configuration in AndroidManifest

<application android:label="AndroidRunApkDemo.Android" android:theme="@style/MainTheme">  
		<provider android:name="androidx.core.content.FileProvider" android:authorities="com.companyname.androidrunapkdemo.fileprovider" android:exported="false" android:grantUriPermissions="true">  
			<meta-data android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS" android:resource="@xml/filepaths" />  
		</provider>  
	</application>  

2. Create a new xml/filepaths.xml in the Resources directory

<paths xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">  
	<external-path name="external" path=""/>“  
</paths>  

3. Use FileProvider to install apk compatible

public void ApkInstall()  
        {  
            Intent install = new Intent(Intent.ActionView);  
            String sdcardRoot = Android.OS.Environment.ExternalStorageDirectory.AbsolutePath;  
            String apkSavePath = sdcardRoot + "/com.companyname.app41.apk";  
  
            Java.IO.File apkFile = new Java.IO.File(apkSavePath);  
            install.SetFlags(ActivityFlags.NewTask);  
  
            if (Build.VERSION.SdkInt >= BuildVersionCodes.N)  
            {  
                var flags = ActivityFlags.ClearTop | ActivityFlags.NewTask;  
                install.SetFlags(flags);  
                Android.Net.Uri uri = FileProvider.GetUriForFile(Android.App.Application.Context, Android.App.Application.Context.PackageName + ".fileprovider", apkFile);  
                install.SetDataAndType(uri, "application/vnd.android.package-archive");  
            }  
            else  
            {  
                install.SetDataAndType(Android.Net.Uri.FromFile(apkFile), "application/vnd.android.package-archive");  
            }  
            Forms.Context.StartActivity(install);  
        }  

I use DependencyService to test, you can refer to the follwing code

XAML

 private void Button_Clicked(object sender, EventArgs e)  
        {  
            DependencyService.Get<ISDCardService>().ApkInstall();  
  
        }  

interface

namespace AndroidRunApkDemo  
{  
   public interface ISDCardService  
    {  
       void ApkInstall();  
    }  
}  

Android

[assembly: Dependency(typeof(SDCardService))]  
namespace AndroidRunApkDemo.Droid  
{  
    public class SDCardService : ISDCardService  
    {  
        public void ApkInstall()  
        {  
.......  
           }  
}  

In addition, you may need this permission <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES" /> after Android 8.

Best Regards,
Wenyan Zhang

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