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In an effort to understand the installation and distribution process for Android apps that are not being distributed through Google Play Store, I generated an (unsigned) APK from Android Studio and then dropped it in the root directory of the SD card on my phone. When I do this, I can simply use File Manager to find the app on my SD card and then click it: the phone then asks me if I want to install the app. If I proceed, the app is installed and runs. ONCE. If I want to run it again, I have to go to File Manager again, find it on the SD card and install it again. That's fine as far as it goes but how do I install it on the desktop on the phone so that I only have to launch it as an already-installed app? None of the videos I've found touch on that topic.

I'm hoping you will NOT tell me that I can only install the app permanently if I obtain it from the Google Play Store :-)

The app I'm near finishing is only tended to be used by me and two other work colleagues and is of no interest or relevance to anyone else; this isn't a game or utility that would be of general interest to everyone. I'm assuming that the Google Play Store is only meant for things that have a large potential audience.

If I can make my app go on to the desktop of my co-workers phones so that they don't have to reinstall it each time, can someone please tell me how to do so or point me to an article/video that explains the procedure?

Henry
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  • do you have a launcher activity included? [like this](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3631982/change-applications-starting-activity/3632061#3632061) – Pawel May 26 '18 at 16:30
  • @Pawel. Yes, I have that in my manifest. Is there anything else I need to do in the manifest or the code or on the phone to make it possible to install the app permanently? – Henry May 28 '18 at 20:53

2 Answers2

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You dont need to install it each time to test it, simply just pluging an USB cable to your computer and debuging from there, it should install the app in your phone and let you access it whenever you want, if you see the logcat progress at some point before launching the apk it says "installing..." .

Another way is to use AirDroid , just search the webpage, download the app, scan the code in the webpage (just like whatsapp web) and then go to apps , and drag your apk there, it should launch the install prompt and you will be able to install it throught your phone without any cables or nothing

hope it works

happy coding !

Gastón Saillén
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  • Thanks/merci Gaston! I know that I can test my app by just connecting my phone to the USB cable; I've been doing that for several days now. I was NOT aware of AirDroid being a way to distribute my app. I may very well use that. – Henry May 28 '18 at 20:46
  • yes, its a nice tool, i use it most of the times when i run out of usb cables for debug, and also is better since you dont need to access to the sd card or storage in the phone to drag your apk, it justs fast and easy – Gastón Saillén May 28 '18 at 20:47
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You Can Install App Permanently It Does Not Depend On The Installing Source, You Maybe Have The Problem In Your Android Manifest, You Have To Add These Lines In Your Launcher Activity In You Android Manifest:-

   <activity
        android:name=".LauncherActivity">
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
Shashank Mishra
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  • Except for the fact that android:name for my app is .MainActivity, the tag for my app is identical to what you have. However, I can still only install the app temporarily; as soon as I stop the app, I have to install it again. Clearly, this is not satisfactory once the app is finished and distributed to users, especially since the app creates persistent data that will be lost if the app stops. – Henry May 28 '18 at 20:51