Android private Google Play app updates not detected automatically in HexnodeSolved

Participant
Discussion
2 weeks ago Jul 10, 2026

We deploy an Android private app through Managed Google Play and assign it as mandatory in Hexnode. When a new build is uploaded to Google Play, Hexnode does not show the new version until I go to Apps and click Check for Updates.

After Hexnode detects the new build, the app still may take an hour or two to update on enrolled devices, even though the devices are online, on a fast network, and checking in regularly. The policy option to update apps only over Wi-Fi is already disabled.

Is there a way to make Hexnode automatically detect new private app versions from Google Play and push them immediately to devices?

Replies (1)

Marked SolutionPending Review
Hexnode Expert
2 weeks ago Jul 10, 2026
Marked SolutionPending Review

Hello @ed_evans ,

Hexnode UEM does not currently perform an automatic real-time sync with Google Play to detect every new private app build as soon as it is published.

To make Hexnode UEM aware of a new private app version, one of the following actions is required:

  1. Open the app in the Hexnode app repository and use Check for updates.
  2. Send an explicit Install application command for the app to the target devices or device groups.

For devices where the app is already installed, the Install application action works as an update trigger. It prompts Hexnode to fetch the latest available app metadata from Google Play and sends a command to the device to install the current available version.

The delay after Hexnode detects the new build is mainly due to Google Play’s app update scheduling on the device. Even if the device is online and checking in with Hexnode, the Google Play client controls the actual download and install timing. Google may queue background updates based on device state, battery, idle status, charging status, and other Play Store constraints.

Since Update apps only over Wi-Fi is already disabled, network restriction is not the cause in this case. That setting only controls whether updates can download over cellular or non-Wi-Fi networks; it does not make Google Play detect or install updates faster.

For frequent private app releases, the recommended approach is to trigger Install Application after each new build is available in Google Play.

Regards,
Simon Scott
Hexnode UEM

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