Help to install Hexnode app on non-GMS Android 12 devices?Solved

Participant
Discussion
1 month ago Mar 03, 2026

Hi everyone,

I’m running into an odd issue while provisioning a new batch of Android 12 tablets for our field team. These specific devices do not have Google Mobile Services (GMS) installed, so we’re relying on legacy enrollment.

Everything worked perfectly on our older Android 8 fleet, but on these new Android 12 tablets, whenever I try to install the Hexnode UEM Legacy app or the Remote View add-on, it opens up a Play Store page in the browser instead of actually installing. Since there are no Google services on these tablets, we’re essentially stuck.

I’d ideally like to deploy them and ensure they auto-update in the background. Can anyone suggest a workaround I should be using?

Replies (1)

Marked SolutionPending Review
Hexnode Expert
1 month ago Mar 03, 2026
Marked SolutionPending Review

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to Hexnode Connect.

What you’re experiencing happens because the standard deployment methods and update mechanisms often try to ping Google Play dependencies, which triggers that browser redirect on devices lacking GMS.

Currently, we do not provide a manifest URL path for auto-updating applications on non-GMS devices. For environments where devices don’t have Google Play Services, the supported workaround is to use the standalone APK files rather than relying on store URLs or manifests.

To get around the redirect issue, you will need to directly download the non-GMS APKs for both the Hexnode UEM agent and the Remote View app. From there, you can manually sideload them onto the devices to get them enrolled. Once enrolled, you can manage future updates by deploying the newer APK versions directly from your Hexnode console as Enterprise Apps.

You can use the direct APK download links and the step-by-step guide for remote view setup in our Help Center. Let me know if you run into any trouble getting those installed!

Best regards,
George
Hexnode UEM

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