How to launch an Activity from another Application in Android

Question

I want to launch an installed package from my Android application. I assume that it is possible using intents, but I didn't find a way of doing it. Is there a link, where to find the information?

Answer 1

If you don't know the main activity, then the package name can be used to launch the application.

Intent launchIntent = getPackageManager().getLaunchIntentForPackage("com.package.address");
if (launchIntent != null) { 
    startActivity(launchIntent);//null pointer check in case package name was not found
}

Answer 2

I know this has been answered but here is how I implemented something similar:

Intent intent = getPackageManager().getLaunchIntentForPackage("com.package.name");
if (intent != null) {
    // We found the activity now start the activity
    intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
    startActivity(intent);
} else {
    // Bring user to the market or let them choose an app?
    intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
    intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
    intent.setData(Uri.parse("market://details?id=" + "com.package.name"));
    startActivity(intent);
}

Even better, here is the method:

public void startNewActivity(Context context, String packageName) {
    Intent intent = context.getPackageManager().getLaunchIntentForPackage(packageName);
    if (intent != null) {
        // We found the activity now start the activity
        intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
        context.startActivity(intent);
    } else {
        // Bring user to the market or let them choose an app?
        intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
        intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
        intent.setData(Uri.parse("market://details?id=" + packageName));
        context.startActivity(intent);
    }
}

Removed duplicate code:

public void startNewActivity(Context context, String packageName) {
    Intent intent = context.getPackageManager().getLaunchIntentForPackage(packageName);
    if (intent == null) {
        // Bring user to the market or let them choose an app?
        intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
        intent.setData(Uri.parse("market://details?id=" + packageName));
    }
    intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
    context.startActivity(intent);
}

Answer 3

I found the solution. In the manifest file of the application I found the package name: com.package.address and the name of the main activity which I want to launch: MainActivity The following code starts this application:

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
intent.setComponent(new ComponentName("com.package.address","com.package.address.MainActivity"));
startActivity(intent);

Answer 4

Edit depending on comment

In some versions - as suggested in comments - the exception thrown may be different.

Thus the solution below is slightly modified

Intent launchIntent = null;
try{
   launchIntent = getPackageManager().getLaunchIntentForPackage("applicationId");
} catch (Exception ignored) {}

if(launchIntent == null){
    startActivity(new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW).setData(Uri.parse("https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=" + "applicationId")));
} else {
    startActivity(launchIntent);
}

Original Answer

Although answered well, there is a pretty simple implementation that handles if the app is not installed. I do it like this

try{
    startActivity(getPackageManager().getLaunchIntentForPackage("applicationId"));
} catch (PackageManager.NameNotFoundException e) {
    startActivity(new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW).setData(Uri.parse("https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=" + "applicationId")));
}

Replace "applicationId" with the package that you want to open such as com.google.maps, etc.

Answer 5

// in onCreate method
String appName = "Gmail";
String packageName = "com.google.android.gm";
openApp(context, appName, packageName);

public static void openApp(Context context, String appName, String packageName) {
    if (isAppInstalled(context, packageName))
        if (isAppEnabled(context, packageName))
            context.startActivity(context.getPackageManager().getLaunchIntentForPackage(packageName));
        else Toast.makeText(context, appName + " app is not enabled.", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    else Toast.makeText(context, appName + " app is not installed.", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
}

private static boolean isAppInstalled(Context context, String packageName) {
    PackageManager pm = context.getPackageManager();
    try {
        pm.getPackageInfo(packageName, PackageManager.GET_ACTIVITIES);
        return true;
    } catch (PackageManager.NameNotFoundException ignored) {
    }
    return false;
}

private static boolean isAppEnabled(Context context, String packageName) {
    boolean appStatus = false;
    try {
        ApplicationInfo ai = context.getPackageManager().getApplicationInfo(packageName, 0);
        if (ai != null) {
            appStatus = ai.enabled;
        }
    } catch (PackageManager.NameNotFoundException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
    return appStatus;
}

Answer 6

Here is my example of launching bar/QR code scanner from my app if someone finds it useful

Intent intent = new Intent("com.google.zxing.client.android.SCAN");
intent.setPackage("com.google.zxing.client.android");

try 
{
    startActivityForResult(intent, SCAN_REQUEST_CODE);
} 
catch (ActivityNotFoundException e) 
{
    //implement prompt dialog asking user to download the package
    AlertDialog.Builder downloadDialog = new AlertDialog.Builder(this);
    downloadDialog.setTitle(stringTitle);
    downloadDialog.setMessage(stringMessage);
    downloadDialog.setPositiveButton("yes",
            new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() 
            {
                public void onClick(DialogInterface dialogInterface, int i) 
                {
                    Uri uri = Uri.parse("market://search?q=pname:com.google.zxing.client.android");
                    Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, uri);
                    try
                    {
                        myActivity.this.startActivity(intent);
                    }
                    catch (ActivityNotFoundException e)
                    {
                        Dialogs.this.showAlert("ERROR", "Google Play Market not found!");
                    }
                }
            });
    downloadDialog.setNegativeButton("no",
            new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() 
            {
                public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int i) 
                {
                    dialog.dismiss();
                }
            });
    downloadDialog.show();
}

Answer 7

Check for the app, avoiding any crashes. If the app exists in the phone then it will be launched, otherwise it will search in Google Play. If no Google Play app installed in the phone, it will search in the Google Play Store via browser:

public void onLunchAnotherApp() {
    final String appPackageName = getApplicationContext().getPackageName();

    Intent intent = getPackageManager().getLaunchIntentForPackage(appPackageName);
    if (intent != null) {
        intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
        startActivity(intent);
    } else {
        onGoToAnotherInAppStore(intent, appPackageName);
    }
}

public void onGoToAnotherInAppStore(Intent intent, String appPackageName) {
    try {
        intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
        intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
        intent.setData(Uri.parse("market://details?id=" + appPackageName));
        startActivity(intent);
    } catch (android.content.ActivityNotFoundException anfe) {
        intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
        intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
        intent.setData(Uri.parse("http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=" + appPackageName));
        startActivity(intent);
    }
}

Answer 8

If you want to open specific activity of another application we can use this.

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_MAIN, null);
intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_LAUNCHER);
final ComponentName cn = new ComponentName("com.android.settings", "com.android.settings.fuelgauge.PowerUsageSummary");
intent.setComponent(cn);
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
try 
{
    startActivity(intent)
}catch(ActivityNotFoundException e){
    Toast.makeText(context,"Activity Not Found",Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()
}

If you must need other application, instead of showing Toast you can show a dialog. Using dialog you can bring the user to Play-Store to download required application.

Answer 9

Starting from API 30 (Android 11) you can receive nullpointerexception with launchIntentForPackage

val launchIntent: Intent? = activity.packageManager.getLaunchIntentForPackage("com.google.android.gm")
startActivity(launchIntent) 

To avoid this you need to add the needed package to the manifest

<queries>
    <package android:name="com.google.android.gm" />
</queries>

Here is documentation https://developer.android.com/training/package-visibility

And the medium article https://medium.com/androiddevelopers/package-visibility-in-android-11-cc857f221cd9

Answer 10

It is possible to start an app's activity by using Intent.setClassName according to the docs.

An example:

val activityName = "com.google.android.apps.muzei.MuzeiActivity" // target activity name
val packageName = "net.nurik.roman.muzei" // target package's name
val intent = Intent().setClassName(packageName, activityName)
startActivity(intent)

To open it outside the current app, add this flag before starting the intent.

intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK)

A related answer here

Answer 11

This will cover all scenarios

1.Get intent for package

2.If intent is null redirect user to playstore

3.If there is an issue with open playstore, then it opens on the default browser.

var intent = activity!!.packageManager.getLaunchIntentForPackage("com.google.android.youtube")

          if (intent == null) {
            if (intent == null) {
                    intent = try {
                        Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse("market://details?id=com.google.android.youtube"))
                    } catch (e: Exception) {
                        Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse("https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.youtube"))
                    }
                }
             startActivity(intent)

For Android 11 (API level 30) or higher, in AndroidManifest.xml,

<queries>
    <package android:name="com.google.android.youtube" />
    <package android:name="com.example.app" />
</queries>

Or simply we can allow for all packages (not recommended)

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES" tools:ignore="QueryAllPackagesPermission" />

References

Package visibility filtering on Android

Declaring package visibility needs

Answer 12

If you know the data and the action the installed package react on, you simply should add these information to your intent instance before starting it.

If you have access to the AndroidManifest of the other app, you can see all needed information there.

Answer 13

Steps to launch new activity as follows:

1.Get intent for package

2.If intent is null redirect user to playstore

3.If intent is not null open activity

public void launchNewActivity(Context context, String packageName) {
    Intent intent = null;
    if (android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES.CUPCAKE) {
        intent = context.getPackageManager().getLaunchIntentForPackage(packageName);
    }
    if (intent == null) {
        try {
            intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
            intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
            intent.setData(Uri.parse("market://details?id=" + packageName));
            context.startActivity(intent);
        } catch (android.content.ActivityNotFoundException anfe) {
            startActivity(new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse("https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=" + packageName)));
        }
    } else {
        intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
        context.startActivity(intent);
    }
}

Answer 14

private fun openOtherApp() {
        val sendIntent = packageManager.getLaunchIntentForPackage("org.mab.dhyanaqrscanner")
        startActivity(sendIntent)
        finishAffinity()
    }

Answer 15

Pass the package name and the message you want to show if package isn't installed ;-)

void openApp(String appPackageName,String message){
    Intent launchIntent = getPackageManager().getLaunchIntentForPackage(appPackageName);
    if (launchIntent != null) {
        startActivity(launchIntent);
    } else {
        Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, message, Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
        startActivity(new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse("https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=" + appPackageName)));
    }
}

Answer 16

Try code below:

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
intent.setComponent(new ComponentName("package_name", "Class_name"));
if (intent.resolveActivity(getPackageManager()) != null) 
{
   startActivity(intent);
}

Answer 17

In Kotlin

fun openApplicationOrMarket(packageName: String) {
        var intent = requireContext().packageManager.getLaunchIntentForPackage(packageName)
        if (intent == null) {
            intent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW)
            intent.data = Uri.parse("market://details?id=$packageName")
        }

        intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK)
        requireContext().startActivity(intent)
    }

Answer 18

Since kotlin is becoming very popular these days, I think it's appropriate to provide a simple solution in Kotlin as well.

var launchIntent: Intent? = null
try {
    launchIntent = packageManager.getLaunchIntentForPackage("applicationId")
} catch (ignored: Exception) {
}
if (launchIntent == null) {
    startActivity(Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW).setData(Uri.parse("https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=" + "applicationId")))
} else {
    startActivity(launchIntent)
}