How to remove set-device-owner in Android DPM?

Question

I have made an app device owner using ADB, by following this link : How to make my app a device owner?

but now, I'm not able to revert this.

In the device administration Tab, this option is disabled. Not able to change the value of this app.

Answer 1

By specifying the android:testOnly="true" attribute in the AndroidManifest.xml it will be possible to uninstall the app or remove admin with:

adb shell dpm remove-active-admin package.name/MyDeviceAdminReceiver

But on a production device, this attribute should be deleted so that the app will become a non-test admin. From that point, it will not be possible to remove it or uninstall the application without wipe/factory reset. It’s also important to remember that if you build an app from the Android Studio, it will be signed with a default key from Android and the application will become a non-test admin. After some time, if you would like to add some new features you will realize that it’s not possible to install a new version. Thankfully, updates can be done when the app is signed with the same key when version code is equal or greater with:

adb install -r path/to/kiosk.apk

If you would like to get rid of admin and application on the production device you have to reinstall it with a few new changes. Firstly you can wipe data programmatically if you have permission <wipe-data \> in device_admin_receiver.xml with:

mDevicePolicyManager.wipeData(DevicePolicyManager.WIPE_RESET_PROTECTION_DATA)

If you don’t have this permission new version should not start LockTask and remove its package from default Home apps list with:

mDevicePolicyManager.clearPackagePersistentPreferredActivities(mAdminComponentName, packageName)

Then you could manually go to Settings to perform wipe/factory reset.

Information found on: https://snow.dog/blog/kiosk-mode-android

Answer 2

The only way out is to flash or factory reset the device.

Answer 3

You can unset it programmatically. You need to call this function in your device owner application

DevicePolicyManager dpm = (DevicePolicyManager) context.getSystemService(Context.DEVICE_POLICY_SERVICE);

dpm.clearDeviceOwnerApp(context.getPackageName());

For more information see

Answer 4

you can use the following ADB shell command to remove device owner

adb shell dpm remove-active-admin ComponentInfo{}

Disables an active admin, the admin must have declared android:testOnly in the application in its manifest. This will also remove device and profile owners