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Hi everyone. We have Android tablets running in kiosk mode. When a user tries to open a PDF, the viewer flashes and immediately closes with an “Access Denied” message. I already checked the blocked packages after a device scan and added the PDF viewer to Background Apps in our kiosk policy, but the issue persists. Could having more than one PDF app installed on the tablet be causing this, and how can I find out which package is actually being blocked?
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Hexnode Expert
5 months ago
Apr 03, 2026
Marked SolutionPending Review
Hello,
Thank you for reaching out to Hexnode Connect!
Yes, having multiple PDF viewers installed is the exact culprit here. In Android kiosk mode, if the primary app attempts to open a secondary package that is not explicitly allowed, the kiosk policy instantly blocks it. Even if you added your preferred PDF viewer to your Background Apps, the Android OS might be attempting to route the document to the other unapproved PDF app installed on the device, triggering the block.
To resolve this routing conflict and stop the access denial, you need to consolidate your PDF handlers:
- Identify the Conflict: Temporarily disable kiosk mode on one test device and open a PDF to see exactly which app Android defaults to.
- Remove Duplicates: Remotely uninstall the unwanted or conflicting PDF apps from the device via the Hexnode portal’s application list.
- Approve the Handler: Ensure your intended PDF viewer is installed and explicitly added under Kiosk Lockdown > Background Apps in your policy.
Once the conflicting apps are uninstalled and the policy is synced, your primary kiosk app will correctly route the document to the approved background viewer without failing.
Best regards,
George
Hexnode UEM.
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