Enabling Hidden Applications in Android

By default, all built-in apps are hidden in work managed devices, except for the few most essential ones. Less essential apps, such as Calendar, Clock, Camera, Play Books, and so forth, are hidden. You need to make them visible in the device settings, typically in a device template.

Listing Hidden Apps

For a functioning device, you can view the hidden apps in device diagnostics as follows:

1. Go to Devices→Inventory
2. Select a device
3. Click Diagnostics
4. Go to Applications→Installed
5. Select Show system image applications
6. You can list all the hidden apps first by clicking the header of the Hidden column twice

Notice that the app names and IDs can be different for different Android device manufacturers and versions.

Enabling Hidden Apps

You can make hidden default apps visible as follows:

1. Edit a device or device template.
   If you need to specify each enabled system app individually, you may choose to have a separate template for each device model that you are using.
2. Navigate to Restrictions→Application policy (Android)
3. Select Policy enabled
4. Depending on your company policy, either:
   
   1. For a relaxed policy, select Enable all applications.
      This enables all hidden applications at once, which may be desirable for easier setup and more relaxed policy. Some default apps may not be needed in business environments, such as FM Radio, Play Movies, Play Games, etc. In a strict COBO scenario, you may need to restrict them.
   2. For a strict policy, enable each application individually as follows:
      
      1. Leave Enable all applications unchecked
      2. Type application name or ID in the search field. The field will find search the name or ID in known applications. You can find the names and IDs of the hidden applications in the device diagnostics (of a working provisioned device), as described above. Notice that different Android devices may have different default apps, and their IDs will be different. You can choose to either create separate templates for all different device models or add all the needed apps for a shared template.
      3. Click Add options. The application is added to the list below.
      4. Select the app
      5. Check that Enabled is checked
         
      6. Repeat for all the apps that you need to enable
5. Once done with all device settings, click Save & close

If you were editing a template, you can now use it for new device installations. If you were editing a device or devices, you need to enable the policy by selecting the device and devices and clicking Execute on selected devices and Activate all device policies.