Managed Play Store Mode

The Managed Play Store Mode setting in the Kiosk Settings tab lets administrators control how the managed Google Play store behaves on fully managed devices. It determines which apps end‑users can see and install from the Play Store and how apps not defined in the device policy are handled.

Navigation

Device Management → Device Profiles → Edit Profile → Kiosk Settings → Managed PlayStore Mode

What Managed Play Store Mode Controls

Android Enterprise provides a policy called playStoreMode that governs the visibility and installation behaviour of Play Store apps. In CubiLock’s UI, you can choose between the following options:

Mode	Description
Unspecified	No explicit Play Store mode is set. By default, the Android Management API treats this as whitelist mode — meaning only the apps listed in the device policy are available. Apps not in the policy will be automatically uninstalled.
Restricted Mode	Only the apps that are defined in the device profile (in the Applications list) are available to install or use. Any app not included in that list will be automatically removed from the device. This tightly restricts the Play Store to only approved apps.
Normal Mode	Users can browse and install apps through the managed Google Play Store more freely, subject to any other policy restrictions. This mode gives a standard managed Play Store experience, where approved apps are visible but users may see additional content depending on your enterprise configuration.

Impact of Each Mode

Restricted Mode

• End‑users can only see or install apps that the administrator has explicitly added to the device profile.

• Any app not in the policy list is removed from the device and hidden in the Play Store.

• This mode is ideal for kiosk, signage, or controlled enterprise devices where only defined applications should be allowed.

Normal Mode

• Devices have access to the managed Play Store with a broader set of installable apps.

• Users can view and install all approved managed apps through the Play Store interface.

• Other EMM restrictions may still apply (e.g., blocked apps or app permissions).

Unspecified

• This lets Android Management API apply the default behaviour, which usually enforces a whitelist of policy‑defined apps and uninstalls others.

• It behaves similarly to Restricted Mode if no other Play Store configuration is specified.

When to Use Each Setting

Use Case	Recommended Mode
Locked‑down device (kiosk or dedicated)	Restricted Mode — ensures only corporate apps are available.
Corporate device with standard app needs	Normal Mode — gives users access to a managed app catalog.
Default policy behavior	Unspecified — lets the system use its default handling.

How It Works in Practice

When your policy’s Play Store Mode is set:

• Restricted Mode → Only applications present in the profile’s Applications list can be installed or accessed. Others are removed.

• Normal Mode → Devices connect to Managed Google Play, where approved apps are shown. Users can install and update these apps subject to admin control.

• Unspecified → Default system behaviour applies, defaulting to whitelist behavior similar to restricted mode unless overridden by other settings.