Android multi-app kiosk: WhatsApp file sharing blocked after granting storage permissionsSolved

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to Hexnode Connect!

In an Android multi-app kiosk, simply granting runtime permissions (like Storage or Files and Media) is only part of the solution. When users try to share or attach a file between apps like Adobe Reader and WhatsApp, the Android OS calls upon secondary system components—such as the native file picker, media provider, or gallery.

If these underlying system components are not explicitly allowed in your kiosk policy, the sharing action will be blocked by the kiosk lockdown in the background, resulting in an “access denied” error. To fix this, you need to allow these helper apps to run. Since you likely do not want the native file manager or gallery cluttering the kiosk home screen, you can add them to your policy under Kiosk Lockdown > Android Kiosk Lockdown > Background Apps.

Best regards,
George
Hexnode UEM.

That makes a lot of sense! It definitely looks like the app is trying to open a file picker in the background and getting blocked by the lockdown. Since Android devices use different system apps depending on the manufacturer, how do I figure out exactly which system package is being blocked so I can add it to the background apps list?

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to Hexnode Connect!

To identify the exact system package being blocked by your kiosk, you can check the device’s application logs directly from the Hexnode console:

1. Navigate to Manage > Devices and click on the affected Android tablet.
2. Open the Applications sub-tab and scroll down to the Blocklisted Packages section.
3. Trigger the file-sharing action on the physical device, then refresh this page. Look for the package that was just blocked (these usually contain terms like documentsui, media, gallery, or picker).
4. Copy that exact package name, add it to your Hexnode app inventory as an Android app, and then assign it to your policy under Background Apps.

Once you save and sync the policy, the required file picker will be allowed to run invisibly in the background, and your users will be able to share PDFs and documents to WhatsApp seamlessly.

Best regards,
George
Hexnode UEM.