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Work Profiles

✅ Implemented 🧪 Tested

Current state: Work profile auto-detection is fully implemented — installApp, launchApp, terminateApp, and the automobile:apps resource all detect and respect the active user profile. A manual userId override in MCP tool schemas is ❌ Not Implemented; profile selection is automatic only. See the Status Glossary for chip definitions.

This guide explains how to set up and test Android work profiles with AutoMobile.

What is a Work Profile?

An Android work profile is a separate user profile on a device that allows organizations to manage work-related apps and data separately from personal apps. Each profile has its own user ID:

  • User 0: Primary/Personal profile
  • User 10+: Work profiles or other managed profiles

AutoMobile Work Profile Support

AutoMobile automatically detects and handles work profiles across all app management features:

  • Auto-detection: Features automatically detect the appropriate user profile
  • Priority order:

flowchart LR
    A["Select user profile"] --> B{"App in foreground?"};
    B -->|"yes"| C["Use foreground app user profile"];
    B -->|"no"| D{"Running work profile exists?"};
    D -->|"yes"| E["Use first running
work profile"];
    D -->|"no"| F["Use primary user
(user 0)"];
    classDef decision fill:#CC2200,stroke-width:0px,color:white;
    classDef logic fill:#525FE1,stroke-width:0px,color:white;
    classDef result stroke-width:0px;
    class A logic;
    class B,D decision;
    class C,E,F result;
- userId in responses: App management tools include the userId field indicating which profile was used - Note: MCP tool schemas do not currently accept a userId override; selection is automatic

Supported Features

App management tools that support work profiles:

  • installApp - Install APKs to the auto-selected profile
  • launchApp - Launch apps in the auto-selected profile
  • terminateApp - Terminate apps in the auto-selected profile
  • automobile:apps resource - List apps from all profiles with userId and foreground status (recent is a placeholder)

Setting Up Work Profile on Android Emulator

Prerequisites

  • Android Studio with Android SDK
  • Android emulator (API 21+, work profiles supported from Android 5.0)
  • ADB installed and in PATH

Steps

1. Create or Start an Emulator

```bash

List available AVDs

emulator -list-avds

Start an emulator

emulator -avd ```

2. Set Up Work Profile Using Test DPC

Test DPC (Device Policy Controller) is Google’s app for testing enterprise features.

Option A: Using ADB

```bash

Install Test DPC from Google Play or download the APK

adb install TestDPC.apk

Launch Test DPC

adb shell am start -n com.afwsamples.testdpc/.SetupManagementActivity

Follow on-screen prompts to set up work profile

```

Option B: Using Device Settings

  1. Open Settings on the emulator
  2. Go to Users & accounts → Work profile
  3. Tap Set up profile
  4. Follow the setup wizard
  5. Install Test DPC when prompted

3. Verify Work Profile

```bash

List all users on device

adb shell pm list users

Expected output:

Users:

UserInfo{0:Owner:13} running

UserInfo{10:Work profile:30} running

```

The output shows:

  • 0 = Personal profile (primary user)
  • 10 = Work profile (managed profile)

4. Install Apps to Work Profile

```bash

Install to work profile (user 10)

adb install –user 10 your-app.apk

Install to personal profile (user 0)

adb install –user 0 your-app.apk

List apps in work profile

adb shell pm list packages –user 10

List apps in personal profile

adb shell pm list packages –user 0 ```

Testing with AutoMobile

Example: Install App to Work Profile

AutoMobile automatically installs to the work profile if it exists:

typescript // Using MCP tool const result = await installApp({ apkPath: "/path/to/app.apk" }); console.log(result.userId); // 10 (work profile)

Example: Launch App (Auto-detected Profile)

typescript // Auto-detects (uses foreground profile or a running work profile if present) await launchApp({ packageName: "com.example.app" });

Example: List Apps from All Profiles

```typescript const response = await client.request({ method: “resources/read”, params: { uri: “automobile:apps?deviceId=emulator-5554&platform=android” } }); const apps = JSON.parse(response.contents[0].text);

// Result includes per-device user + system apps: // { // query: { deviceId: “emulator-5554”, platform: “android” }, // totalCount: 3, // deviceCount: 1, // lastUpdated: “…”, // devices: [ // { // deviceId: “emulator-5554”, // platform: “android”, // totalCount: 3, // lastUpdated: “…”, // apps: [ // { // packageName: “com.example.personal”, // type: “user”, // userId: 0, // userProfile: “personal”, // foreground: false, // recent: false // }, // { // packageName: “com.example.work”, // type: “user”, // userId: 10, // userProfile: “work”, // foreground: true, // recent: false // }, // { // packageName: “com.android.chrome”, // type: “system”, // userIds: [0, 10], // foreground: false, // recent: false // } // ] // } // ] // } ```yaml

Note: Chrome can be installed in both profiles!

Testing Scenarios

Scenario 1: App in Foreground

```bash

Launch app in work profile

adb shell am start –user 10 com.example.app/.MainActivity

AutoMobile operations will target user 10 automatically

```

Scenario 2: Multiple Profiles

```bash

Verify multiple profiles

adb shell pm list users

AutoMobile will:

1. Check foreground app first

2. Fall back to first work profile (user 10)

3. Fall back to primary (user 0)

```

Scenario 3: Same App in Both Profiles

```bash

Install in both

adb install –user 0 app.apk adb install –user 10 app.apk

List all installations

adb shell pm list packages -f com.example.app –all-users

AutoMobile’s automobile:apps resource will return both with unique userIds

```

Troubleshooting

Work Profile Not Showing Up

```bash

Check if work profile is running

adb shell pm list users

If not running, restart emulator or device

```

App Not Installing to Work Profile

```bash

Check available space

adb shell df

Verify user ID exists

adb shell pm list users

Install with explicit user flag

adb install –user 10 app.apk ```

Cannot Launch App in Work Profile

```bash

Verify app is installed in work profile

adb shell pm list packages –user 10 | grep your.app

Launch manually to test

adb shell am start –user 10 your.app/.MainActivity ```

ADB Commands Reference

```bash

List all users

adb shell pm list users

Install to specific user

adb install –user app.apk

Uninstall from specific user

adb shell pm uninstall –user com.package.name

List packages for user

adb shell pm list packages –user

Clear app data for user

adb shell pm clear –user com.package.name

Force stop app for user

adb shell am force-stop –user com.package.name

Launch app in user

adb shell am start –user com.package.name/.MainActivity

Get foreground app with user

adb shell dumpsys activity activities | grep -E “(mResumedActivity|mFocusedActivity|topResumedActivity)” ```

API Version Compatibility

  • Android 5.0+ (API 21+): Work profiles supported
  • Android 7.0+ (API 24+): Enhanced work profile features
  • Android 9.0+ (API 28+): Improved work profile UI

AutoMobile’s work profile features work on all Android versions that support work profiles (API 21+).