Android app uninstall fails when ‘Uninstall apps’ restriction is enabledSolved

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to Hexnode Connect.

To answer your first question: Yes, Android treats the MDM-triggered uninstall exactly the same as a local attempt when that specific restriction is active.

The Uninstall apps restriction located under Android > Advanced Restrictions is enforced at the core operating system level. While Hexnode successfully authenticates your admin password and pushes the uninstall command to the device, the Android OS itself steps in and rejects the execution because the device-wide restriction is currently active. The password prompt in the portal authenticates your session for critical actions, but it does not override OS-level boundaries on the device itself.

To uninstall or reinstall an app on a device with this restriction, you will need to utilize the following workaround:

1. Open the specific policy applied to the affected Android device.
2. Navigate to Android > Advanced Restrictions.
3. Temporarily disable the Uninstall apps restriction and save the policy.
4. Allow the device a moment to sync and apply the updated policy.
5. Run the Uninstall Application action from your Hexnode portal.
6. Reinstall or redeploy the app as needed.
7. Re-enable the Uninstall apps restriction in your policy to secure the device again.

If this policy is assigned to a large fleet of devices, we highly recommend performing this change during a scheduled maintenance window, or temporarily moving the affected device into a separate troubleshooting group with a relaxed policy to avoid exposing your entire fleet.

I hope this helps. If you find any more issues or need further assistance feel free to reach out.

Best regards,
George,
Hexnode UEM