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Android kiosk devices stuck on Initiated when installing APK or Play Store appsSolved

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mila_beck
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Hexnode UEM
5 days ago Jun 17, 2026

We have Android Enterprise Device Owner devices enrolled through QR code and running in kiosk mode. When pushing an APK from Hexnode, the app install stays in the Initiated state for a long time and then fails with a message similar to “unable to install” or “rejected by user,” even though the user did not reject anything.

It seemed more common on newer Android versions, but I also noticed Store apps like Microsoft Authenticator and kiosk-related apps getting stuck at Initiated. Reapplying the policy did not help, and the network did not seem to be the issue.

Has anyone seen app installs fail or just spin while the device is in Android kiosk mode?

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isabel_lora
Hexnode Expert
5 days ago Jun 17, 2026
Marked SolutionPending Review

Hi @mila_beck,

This behavior is usually seen when the device is in kiosk mode and the components required for app installation are not allowed to run in the background.

For Android Enterprise devices, if Store apps or Managed Google Play apps remain in the Initiated state, it means the install command has reached the device, but Android has not processed the installation request yet.

Check the kiosk policy applied to the device and make sure Google Play Store is added as a background app. The package name for Play Store is: com.android.vending

Also verify the restriction policy applied to the device:

  1. Open the policy applied to the Android device.
  2. Go to Android > Restrictions.
  3. Check Advanced Restrictions, if configured.
  4. Ensure app installation is allowed.
  5. If deploying enterprise APKs directly, ensure installation from unknown sources is allowed where applicable.

If an APK needs to be installed urgently and direct deployment continues to fail, temporarily exiting kiosk mode and installing the APK manually can help.

If the APK is an enterprise app and direct APK deployment continues to fail, another option is to upload it as a Managed Google Play private app and deploy it as a managed app instead of a raw APK.

Best Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM

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