I updated an Android device policy to change the wallpaper and also added a few apps to the Allowlist. After the policy applied, most of the apps on several corporate phones disappeared from the device, including some daily-use apps.
At first it looked like the apps had been deleted or reset. I’m especially worried about local app data, such as WhatsApp Business chats. Is this expected when using an app allowlist in Hexnode, and what’s the safest way to restore the apps without losing data?
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Hello @yuudai ,
Yes, this is expected behavior when an Android app allowlist policy is applied.
An allowlist does not uninstall the other apps by default. It restricts the device so that only the apps explicitly added to the allowlist are visible and accessible to the user. Apps that are not included in the allowlist may disappear from the launcher or become blocked, but they remain installed on the device.
To restore access:
Alternatively, if the allowlist was added by mistake and you only intended to change the wallpaper, remove or disassociate the allowlist policy from the affected devices.
Local app data, including app-specific data such as WhatsApp Business chats, should remain intact as long as the apps were only hidden by the allowlist and were not separately uninstalled or wiped.
Regards,
Simon Scott
Hexnode UEM
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