Microsoft Teams not appearing in Android Enterprise kiosk mode

TL;DR: To display Microsoft Teams in Android Enterprise kiosk mode, remove the app from Background Apps and assign it to Android Kiosk Lockdown > Multi App in your Hexnode UEM policy. Make sure Teams is first added to your app inventory if it isn’t available in the policy app picker.

Executive Summary

On Android Enterprise devices, apps configured as Background Apps run silently in the background and are not shown as launchable apps in Multi App kiosk mode. If Microsoft Teams is installed on the device but does not appear in the kiosk launcher or cannot be selected for the kiosk layout, check whether the app has been added to the Background Apps configuration. Removing Microsoft Teams from Background Apps and adding it to the Multi App kiosk configuration resolves the issue for devices associated with that policy.

When this issue occurs

This issue applies to Android devices enrolled through Android Enterprise and configured with a Hexnode Android kiosk policy.

Common issues include:

• Microsoft Teams is installed on the device but does not appear in kiosk mode.
• Microsoft Teams cannot be found under Local Apps while configuring the kiosk policy.
• The app is available in the app inventory but does not populate on the Multi App kiosk screen.
• The kiosk app picker shows Nothing to show here yet! for the expected app list.

Cause

Microsoft Teams may have been added to the Background Apps configuration instead of the Multi App kiosk configuration. Background apps are intended to run without being displayed as apps that users can launch from the kiosk screen. To make Microsoft Teams visible in kiosk mode, it must be assigned as a Multi App kiosk app.

Prerequisites

• The Android device must be enrolled through Android Enterprise.
• Microsoft Teams must be available in the Hexnode app inventory before it can be added to the kiosk policy.
• If Microsoft Teams is not listed in the app inventory, add it from Managed Google Play or by using the app’s Android Bundle ID.

Fix Microsoft Teams not appearing in Android kiosk mode

1. Go to the Hexnode UEM portal and open the policy assigned to the Android kiosk devices.
2. Check whether Microsoft Teams is added under Background Apps.
3. If Microsoft Teams is listed under Background Apps, remove it from that configuration.
4. In the same policy, go to Android Kiosk Lockdown > Multi App.
5. Add Microsoft Teams to the Multi App kiosk configuration.
6. Save the policy.
7. Allow the assigned Android Enterprise devices to sync with Hexnode.
8. Verify that Microsoft Teams appears on the kiosk screen.

Add Microsoft Teams to the app inventory if it is missing

If Microsoft Teams is not available while configuring the kiosk policy, add the app to the Hexnode app inventory first.

1. Go to the Apps tab in the Hexnode console.
2. Click +Add Apps.
3. Add Microsoft Teams as a Managed Google Apps app, or select With Bundle ID and add the Android app using its Bundle ID.
4. After the app is added to the inventory, return to the kiosk policy.
5. Go to Android Kiosk Lockdown > Multi App.
6. Select Microsoft Teams from Local Apps and add it to the Multi App kiosk configuration.

Troubleshooting

Microsoft Teams is removed from the kiosk screen after a policy change

Check whether another policy assigned to the device modifies the Android Kiosk Lockdown configuration. Review the associated policies and ensure Microsoft Teams remains included under Multi App kiosk.

Microsoft Teams is unavailable after an app update

Check the app’s installation status on the affected device and verify that the deployed version is compatible with the device’s Android version. If the update failed, review the app deployment configuration in Hexnode and retry the deployment.

Policy scope

Removing Microsoft Teams from Background Apps and adding it to Multi App kiosk affects only the devices associated with the edited policy. Other policies are not changed by this action.